Babcock responds to criticism: 'Some of this doesn't pass the smell test'

Mike Babcock has received his fair share of criticism from around the NHL, but the bench boss doesn't necessarily believe it's totally warranted.

"I'm not a big media guy, following what's going on. You know if you're getting whacked or not," Babcock said on "The Rod Pedersen Show" Tuesday when asked what it's like getting criticized by the media for the last year and a half.

"I know who I am, I know what I've done. Some of this doesn't pass the smell test at all."

After spending 17 seasons in the NHL as a head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired Babcock in 2019, and he hasn't returned behind the bench since.

The 57-year-old came under scrutiny after being dismissed for what was deemed by many as controversial coaching tactics. Babcock recently said he made a "major mistake" when he asked then-rookie Mitch Marner to rank himself and his teammates based on their work ethic during the 2016-17 season.

Babcock owns an impressive head-coaching resume featuring a Stanley Cup victory and two Olympic gold medals. He believes his experience and connections in the hockey world reflect his actual character.

"When you look at my career, I've always been hired by people that knew me - it's not like we had a Zoom meeting.

"When I went to Detroit, I had worked with Jim Nill and Ken Holland, we had shared a farm team together, they knew everything about me, so they knew me for four years. I worked with them for 10 years. Steve Yzerman played for me, he hired me to coach two Olympic teams, he worked with me for four years in the office. Then (Brendan Shanahan) hired me to coach (in Toronto).

"Something doesn't add up."

The Saskatoon native was recently named the new head coach of the University of Saskatchewan's men's hockey team.

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