Former NHLer Dave Babych shed light on his hockey history during the , held Tuesday, Nov. 28, at the Sheraton hotel in Guildford.
The retired defenseman talked about his 20 seasons as a pro player, including the coaches he liked and also disliked.
Most of his years in the NHL were spent playing for Vancouver Canucks, from 1991 to 1998.
The team乌鸦传媒檚 1994 run to the Stanley Cup Final was with Pat Quinn as head coach.
乌鸦传媒淭errific guy,乌鸦传媒� Babych told the awards luncheon crowd. 乌鸦传媒淚 mean, this guy was a player乌鸦传媒檚 coach, you know, probably the best overall coach I乌鸦传媒檝e seen in any sport. I乌鸦传媒檓 sure there乌鸦传媒檚 some that rival him but I don乌鸦传媒檛 know of any.乌鸦传媒� It was amazing how prepared he was, and a very, very smart guy.乌鸦传媒�
Later with the Canucks, Babych played for Mike Keenan, who is definitely not his favourite coach of all-time.
乌鸦传媒淲onderful guy 乌鸦传媒� I乌鸦传媒檓 kidding,乌鸦传媒� Babych said with a laugh. 乌鸦传媒淗e wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a very nice person, first of all, that乌鸦传媒檚 just the way it was. He coached through threatening players and so on, but technically he was the worst coach I乌鸦传媒檝e ever seen, even from minor hockey to the NHL, and how he got jobs I don乌鸦传媒檛 know.乌鸦传媒�
Keenan enjoyed some success at every level of hockey, Babych noted, 乌鸦传媒渂ut it was very short-term, so for leadership like that, nobody needs it. I think I乌鸦传媒檝e learned a lot from all my coaches and probably the most from him of what not to do, you know, if that makes sense, because you乌鸦传媒檝e got to weed out a few things and then you can define what the right path might be. But yeah, I could say more but I better not. I did not enjoy being coached by that fella.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒� RELATED: .
Babs!!
乌鸦传媒� Vancouver Canucks Alumni (@canucksalumni)
Babych played in Winnipeg, Hartford, Vancouver, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and in 2000 ended his pro career in Switzerland with the Ambri-Piotta club.
The Canucks乌鸦传媒� 1994 Cup run was a highlight with heartbreak, ultimately, in a loss to the Keenan-coached Rangers.
乌鸦传媒淥f course New York, you know, they they kind of broke our hearts,乌鸦传媒� Babych said. 乌鸦传媒淲e should have won that, we could have easily won it, but it was not to be. We went to Game 7, and lost, I think it was 3-2 the final game.
乌鸦传媒淚t still stings,乌鸦传媒� he added. 乌鸦传媒淚 haven乌鸦传媒檛 really watched any of that series just because I know the outcome, doesn乌鸦传媒檛 change anything, I know. It乌鸦传媒檚 funny, before the series they made us give a ring size just in case, you know, you win the championship. I乌鸦传媒檓 thinking, 乌鸦传媒極h, here we go, here we go, this could be good.乌鸦传媒� Of course, it didn乌鸦传媒檛 happen. We lost.乌鸦传媒�
Today, Babych is vice-president of the , the members of which play hockey at North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex.
乌鸦传媒淚n the wintertime, we乌鸦传媒檙e older but we still enjoy going out for skates with our teammates and people we乌鸦传媒檝e played with before,乌鸦传媒� said Babych, who lives in North Vancouver.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been great because we have our own dressing room, which we share with the Knights (Surrey乌鸦传媒檚 junior team). Added to that is we乌鸦传媒檝e been connected with Wickfest, which is Hayley Wickenheiser乌鸦传媒檚 hockey festival for young ladies, and there乌鸦传媒檚 like 2,000 participants there.
乌鸦传媒淚 participated in sledge hockey for the first time ever,乌鸦传媒� Babych added. 乌鸦传媒淭he building is set up to be able to handle these kind of games and where everyone is included, and it was a lot harder than I expected, not going to lie. I was a little sore the next day in different ways than normally playing hockey, but it was terrific. Like I said, we乌鸦传媒檙e just so happy that we乌鸦传媒檙e included within the city, because most of us are from different places.乌鸦传媒�
at the 2023 Surrey Arts & Business Awards is posted on Surrey Board of Trade乌鸦传媒檚 Youtube channel, starting at the 23-minute mark.
