Nazem Kadri Finally Breaks His Silence on Mike Babcock-Mitch Marner Controversy
Former Toronto Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri has released a new book in which he details his time with the team, and how he made Mike Babcock apologize to Mitch Marner.
It's a well-known incident all over the NHL, but especially for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his rookie year, Mitch Marner was forced by then head coach Mike Babcock to rank players in a list based on work ethic, and then shared that list with the rest of the team. Now, former Leafs pivot Nazem Kadri is sharing more about the incident, including how he and a teammate forced Babcock to apologize to Marner.
In his new book called "Dreamer: My Life on the Edge, Nazem Kadri recalls the incident and confirms what Mitch Marner said about the list based on work ethic. While recounting Mike Babcock's behaviour in the book, Kadri said he and Tyler Bozak "stormed into Babcock's office and laid into him."
"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."
The ranking didn't stop there. According to Nazem Kadri, Mike Babcock had the Toronto Maple Leafs' trainers access each player's effort in the gym and, once again, that list was discussed in the open in the Leafs' dressing room.
"Once you break that trust, it's hard to come back."
Nazem Kadri insisted in the book that Mike Babcock was not the same way with him, saying the two had a pretty good relationship because he believes Babcock realized Kadri "wasn't a player he could bully."
Obviously, looking back now, there were plenty of red flags, but with Babcock now being a multi-time disgraced head coach, it's highly unlikely we ever see him coaching in the NHL again.
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