Former National Hockey League (NHL) player Mike Modano told an anecdote that proves what a terrible human Mike Babcock is during the podcast Spittin Chiclets.
• Also read: Babcock, an “intimidator” wherever he went
The one who played in the organization of the Minnesota North Stars and the Dallas Stars for 20 seasons before ending his career with the Detroit Red Wings in 2010-2011 remembered a very deplorable episode during his time in the automobile city.
As he approached the venerable milestone of 1,500 games, Modano was passed over by Babcock, the Wings’ head coach at the time, during the penultimate game of the season. He was subsequently reinserted into the lineup for the final game, ending the campaign and ultimately his career at 1,499 games played.
The worst part is that Babcock was well aware of the plateau Modano was about to reach.
“With three games left in the season, I arrive at 1498,” Modano said. Minnesota at home, I’m left out. Afterwards, he had me play in Chicago for the last game of the season to get to 1499. He said to me: “Mike, we didn’t bring you here to get to 1500 games, we brought you here to win a Stanley Cup.”
The now 54-year-old hung up his skates before the start of the following season in a match of the plateau reached by only 21 players in the history of the circuit.
“I got fooled a bit. I injured my wrist a few days before Thanksgiving and I went through a long recovery period,” said the man who played only 40 games during the 2010-2011 season.
He had even planned his return date based on being able to reach the plateau of 1,500 games during the last meeting of the season. But Babcock decided otherwise…
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