In a shocking revelation, former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri’s upcoming book, “Dreamer: My Life On The Edge,” exposes the controversial coaching tactics of Mike Babcock. The book, set to be released on October 15, sheds light on Babcock’s approach to player management.
One of the most unsettling anecdotes shared in Kadri’s book is about Babcock instructing young forward Mitch Marner during his rookie season in 2016-17 to rank his teammates based on their work ethic. Marner himself confirmed this incident in 2019, following Babcock’s dismissal from the Maple Leafs.
Kadri, who spent a decade in Toronto, vividly describes the confrontation he and teammate Tyler Bozak had with Babcock over this incident. “He tried to defend what he’d done, to explain the thought process behind the exercise,” Kadri recalled in his book. “There wasn’t much he could say, and in the end I think he realized he’s made a mistake. After that he apologized to Mitch. We’d pretty much made him. You just don’t do that to a rookie.”
Babcock, a highly successful coach with Olympic and Stanley Cup victories under his belt, was at the helm of the Maple Leafs from 2015 until his abrupt firing in the 2019-20 season. Despite having a generally positive relationship with Kadri, the forward disagrees with Babcock’s methods. Kadri writes that Babcock would have Toronto’s trainers rate players based on their effort in the gym and then discuss these assessments openly with the team.
Kadri, now playing for the Calgary Flames, acknowledges that Babcock played a role in his development as a player. “I think he realized early on that I wasn’t a player he could bully,” Kadri stated in his book. However, the controversial tactics employed by Babcock during his time in Toronto have left a lasting impact on players like Kadri, who are now sharing their stories in hopes of shedding light on the darker side of coaching in professional sports.
