DETROIT — The Maple Leafs were already down 2-0 when the tribute began. Mike Babcock barely looked up.
This was not a homecoming he wanted to acknowledge, or have acknowledged, so there were only a couple quick waves as the crowd at Joe Louis Arena stood and applauded the winningest head coach in the history of the Detroit Red Wings.
“Thanks for 10 great years.”
There had been some internal discussion in Detroit’s front office about how best to handle Babcock’s return, and the scoreboard recognition wasn’t unanimously endorsed after the way his tenure in the city ended.
But ultimately they did the right thing, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Red Wings organization.
“It was nice of them to do,” said Babcock. “They sure didn’t have to do that, obviously, I don’t coach the team anymore.”
As far as returns go, this one felt a bit strange. Part of that was no doubt due to the fact Babcock chose to leave the team and join a division rival over the summer — ending a 10-year run where the Red Wings had the NHL’s best winning percentage and captured a Stanley Cup.
He planted deep roots, raising three children and becoming close personal friends with GM Ken Holland, while guiding Detroit to more victories than Scotty Bowman and Jack Adams.
And he left it behind.
Babcock was lured to Toronto by an unprecedented $50-million, eight-year contract and the chance to tackle a new challenge, but the move came with mixed emotions. It wasn’t easy to leave Holland and the comfort of life with the Red Wings behind.
Inside his old dressing room, the players seem to have moved on.
Most of them were familiar with new coach Jeff Blashill from the American Hockey League, or his one previous season as an assistant on Babcock’s staff, so that transition has been smooth. Veteran forward Tomas Tatar said the biggest difference between the two is the way they speak to players.
“Blash is calmer,” said Tatar.
However, those that got to know Babcock well in Detroit often reference the two sides of the man. Intense, determined, demanding — even a bit gruff — while on the job, and a much softer side that the public rarely sees.
Babcock has long been a major supporter of cancer-related charities, and hosted a patient from the Children’s History of Michigan before every single home game during his tenure with the Red Wings.
That gave Christy Hammond, the Red Wings community relations manager for five years, a much different view of the coach. She saw him do everything from teaching the young guests how to properly maintain eye contact while shaking hands, to grabbing players for autographs.
Last year, Babcock started telling the kids to keep a close eye on him during the national anthem because he would give them a wave.
“I think I’ve seen him smile more than anyone else but his family,” said Hammond, who now works for Make-A-Wish Michigan. “To do that day-in day-out, every game, no matter whether we’d lost four or five games in a row or we’d been winning the 23 or 24 home games in a row we won, he was always incredibly gracious,” she added.
“With the kids, he just made them feel really special and that they were a priority.”
It’s one of the things he’s taken to the big city. Babcock made a point of telling Hammond to speak with her equivalent with the Leafs to ensure the program lived on — and he has quietly started hosting a visitor from the Hospital for Sick Children during games at the Air Canada Centre.
Beyond that, he’s thrown himself head first into the new position.
“It’s energizing, it’s way different and it’s fun,” said Babcock.
Clearly the man is up for a challenge.
The Leafs have only scored once in two games so far, and were down 3-0 to Detroit on Friday after the first shift of the second period. In taking the job, Babcock warned that there would be pain, and it couldn’t have felt good watching his former team skate off with a 4-0 victory.
Yet, he wouldn’t acknowledge as much.
To hear Babcock tell it, nothing has been more difficult than the period leading up to the point where he decided to join the Leafs.
“The 12 days where I tried to make a decision were as much mental and gut-wrenching anguish as I’ve ever had in my life,” said Babcock. “I don’t recommend it to anyone. Since I’ve made that decision, I sleep real good and I feel real good about the decision I made, and we’ve moved on.
“I mean, I know where I lived for 10 years, I’m not dumb — but in saying that, I’m the coach of the Leafs, let’s go.”
On to the next one. No looking back.
