Does Mike Babcock hate Chelios?

by Killion on May 21, 2009 12:49 PM CDT

Now, I know how most, if not all, of you feel about Mike North and Monsters in The Morning - but this is different. JR is involved.

Our beloved hero Jeremy Roenick was on Monsters in The Morning today and had this to say about the relationship between Chelios and Babcock:

If you'd know some of the things that Babcock says to Chris Chelios, it would make your stomach churn. Just total disrespect for not even just one of the best Americans, but one of the best defensemen to ever play the game. The way he is talked to is just unacceptable. I wish I could ellaborate but that's not proper but I will say it's just disrespectul.

Here's a link to the radio show - click the link to the JR segment then fast forward to about 33 Minutes in when Roenick actually calls in.

So JR chalks up at least some of the disrespect to a feeling Babcock, who was born in Ontario, has towards American players... interesting...

Now, the Wings have 5 Americans on their team (same number as the Blackhawks if you count the current playoff roster). One of them is the recent call up Justin Abdelkader, another is backup Ty Conklin who played in 40 games this year - the last one being the loss to Chicago on April 11th. Neither of those players have had big roles with the team, so lets ignore them.

The other two remaining Americans are Brett Lebda and Brian Rafalski. Lebda played in 65 regular season games and is averaging 13:30 minutes a night. He's not a crucial piece of the Wings but it's mostly because he's not as good as most of them. He's gets the least ice time of any defenders. Lets ignore him too.

JR's assertion that Babcock has it in for American players doesn't quite make sense though when you consider Rafalski. Rafalski, born in Dearborn MI, is consistently paired up with Lidstrom and has been logging close to 22 minutes a game in the playoffs. He's a key peice to the Wings D and the Wings struggled without him in the series against Anaheim where he only played two games.

So is it the case that Rafalski is too valuable for Babcock to treat poorly and not play? Possibly.

Could it also be the case that Babcock realizes Chelios simply isn't that good anymore and that's why he's not playing? Probably.

Chelios is 47 years old now - in the 28 games he played in this year he has Zero goals, zero assists, a +/- of +1, more PIM than SOG and was only averaging 11:40 TOI in the games he did see time in.

He also thought this was a good hair cut to have while getting his player profile picture taken:

8446053_medium

Clearly his judgment is slipping..

So is there proof to back up the claim that Babcock has it in for Chelios because he's American, no. There's proof that Babcock isn't playing him simply because the game has passed him by.

You could make the case that the Wings really only have one American born player who plays a big role for the team - and that supports the notion that Babcock doesn't like American players. But that's a weak argument. Especially since it's the GM's job to sign players, not the coach.

Does all this mean that Babcock isn't acting like a total dick? Not by a long shot. If what JR says is true about Babcock being outright disrespectful and insulting to Chelios then there's a problem. For now, it's all hearsay though so why even bother speculating on it?

And besides, insulting Chelios is our job.. not Babcock's.

Other gems from the interview with JR:

He definitely curses on the air at 33:49 saying "it's fucking awesome" while discussing the Hawks being the WCF.

He also isn't really sold on Campbell - he dances around the question of if he thinks Campbell is turnover prone and in general doesn't seem to be close to being his biggest fan.

Speaking of dancing, did you hear that JR might be on that Dancing with the Stars show? Weird...

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Comments

Thank you for disseminating the contents of the interview for me because there is not a single chance in hell that I would tune in to anything involving Mike North. If my Dad was Monsters in the Morning I would still ignore it.

I like boobs.

by G.S. Clam on May 21, 2009 1:05 PM CDT reply actions

JR on DWTS?

Man, everyone knows hockey and ballroom dancing just don’t mix.

HOCKEENIGHT.COM...home of FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS and LEAVE IT TO BETTMAN...now with PODCASTING!!!

by Forklift14 on May 21, 2009 1:23 PM CDT reply actions

Cheli played in a couple of the games against Anaheim, on the plus side, he drew a couple of penalties by being a crafty veteran, but the one play that stands out, he was just flot out beaten to a puck and outskated by….maybe Perry….a Duck, anyway, who went in on Osgood and scored. 5 years ago, heck, maybe even 3 years ago, that doesn’t happen….

by ahtrap on May 21, 2009 1:44 PM CDT reply actions

agreed

He’s lost a step and is at times a liability on defense. But also as you said he can draw penalties and play well at times.

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on May 21, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions

well enough to justify him in the line up though? Do you think there’s anything to the “Babcock is disrespecting Chelios” side to it or is it just a bunch of rumors?

Second City Hockey

by Killion on May 21, 2009 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions

My own personal opinion is that Babcock has a good enough reason to keep Cheli out of the lineup because of the lack of production offensively and the liability defensively. Lebda has enough speed that he can jump up in offensive rush or burst back in a rush the other way.

Now as to whether or not the rumors are true I can’t speak with any certainty but I would imagine that they’re exactly that, just rumors. Babcock can have a mean streak at times but I don’t think it’s in the way that JR is suggesting. He usually uses his comments to inspire/fire-up his players not degrade them. Like I said I don’t know for certain, but I would imagine they are just like every other rumor and largely an exaggeration of one mild incident.

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on May 21, 2009 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions

get back to golfing, JR!

For my money, if there’s anyone a coach is going to call out for lack of effort, it’s JR.
i still can hear his whining in my ears from when he wasn’t selected to the US Olympic Team as an LA King, when he had like 12 points on the season and sucked “royally”.

Let’s not forget that Babcock scratched Tomas Kopecky in favor of Cheli for the Winter Classic…Cheli was not really in the top six on D at the time, and Babcock was very clear that he was deferring to the wishes of a proven veteran who had given a lot to Detroit in his time there…

Bottom line is Babcock is the coach and can play whoever the hell he wants. If he felt like he needed a Canadian-only lineup, more power to him…I’ll admit that I think he’s hung on to Drapes-Maltby-Chelios longer than I would have, but there’s also a premium placed on loyalty in the Wings organization, which is why many players take the hometown discount…

If there’s a player who the game has passed by, JR, we’re looking at you.

by woodward on May 21, 2009 2:49 PM CDT reply actions

sounds like it's just JR

being JR…he & Brett Hull are still the NHL go to guys for interviews for mainstream media like ESPN when they’re looking for “colorful” figures. I doubt Bitter-Beer-Stone-Face-featherhead-Babcock has a bias against American players because American players are just as physical/tough as Canadian players and from what I’ve heard of Babcock, he prefers that type of game. When the NHL Live crew were previewing the Ducks/Wings series and whether the Wings could survive the Ducks physical play, I remember they had someone with ties to Babcock in the WHL on who intimated that Stone Face prefers the “Western Canada style of play”…whatever that means. I don’t know enough of the WHL or OHL to decipher anything there, but I took it to mean physical play and that he wasn’t exactly happy to have to play this current softer Wings style of play. So if anything I’d bet that Babcock has a bias against soft NHL players (wherever they come from) who refuse to play D. Chelios, while not a mauler and even at his advanced age isn’t soft.

by Crease Monkey on May 21, 2009 3:05 PM CDT reply actions

Babcock responded

“As far as Cheli goes, I actually think Cheli and I got a pretty good relationship. I don’t think there’s one player I ever coached that wasn’t in the lineup who was thrilled about it. I bet you Cheli’s the same.’’

here’s the link to the rest of the article

Winging It In Motown

by Casey Richey on May 21, 2009 4:43 PM CDT reply actions

Doubting JR

Love the fact that on a interview on NHL Live before the Nucks series he claimed that he was going to be the biggest Blackhawk fan, but in this case his assesment of this situation may be wrong. Although his info may be from Cheli himself, but that is only specualtion.
If Babcock had that type of attitude then he would have never reached the type of success he has had as a head coach in the AHL and the NHL, and definitely wouldn’t be a front-runner as head boss on Canada’s 2010 team. Babcock is a superb head boss that continuous says the RIGHT things and the RIGHT times. The fact he often brings up “professionalism” and “we’re prepared, let’s get after it” are quotes that is music to a fans ears, especially in today’s age of player/team egos. he does have an incredible knack of always finding a way to keep the large egos in check.
If JR’s insinuation is correct then maybe there is a problem brewing inside the Wings locker room, but judging on their performance so far in this season’s post-season I’m not buying it.
I have and always will be a huge JR fan, but in this case he is wrong and may be barking up the wrong tree.

by hawks61 on May 21, 2009 5:14 PM CDT reply actions

Not that I care

about the opinion of anyone who holds up their hand like a mitten to point to the part of the state they hail from, but I certainly hope out of towners don’t get caught up in believing that what Jiggets and North say constitute opinions of your average Chicago fan. Although we haven’t shown it well of late, the members of SCH are mostly intelligent and rational, so they don’t fit in with the Monsters. Feel free to disagree with me if you are actually a fan of those two clowns, but I for one wish they would go away.

by hawksfan21 on May 21, 2009 5:41 PM CDT reply actions

I hear ya, we have our own idiots blabbering on the radio and newspages that make us cringe, like that Drew Sharp article CK posted yesterday, or Rob Parker, who somehow manages to get himself on ESPN on occasion….there are a few more I wouldn’t mind burninating…

Infuriating how it’s the morons that get all the pub

by ahtrap on May 21, 2009 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions

They

remind me of what not to be or say. I need the tattoo’s to beat the Laker’s tonight

by gaingrene on May 21, 2009 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions

I have never met a person who is a fan of either of them. Amazes me how they keep the jobs they have.

by runningquicklynowhere on May 21, 2009 8:55 PM CDT up reply actions

I wish they would sign JR to one more season. Even if he doesn’t play very much I think it would be great to see him in a hawks sweater.

Anyway, JR has always come off as a straight forward guy so I don’t really doubt what he says as what he heard. Who ever is telling him this…they might be the ones with the agenda. Although I don’t really care, because it is about that benedict arnold.

Pain is a good reminder you are alive

by Bad Ass Burish on May 21, 2009 5:43 PM CDT reply actions

This ain't a charity tour

We’re trying to grow and build, not pay homage to the past by wasting a roster spot. The only way I want to see JR back at the United Center is walking down the rolled out red carpet at a puck drop ceremony.

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. It's all ball bearings ...

by BLou on May 21, 2009 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions