Jordin Tootoo was brutally honest about his stint with the Detroit Red Wings under Mike Babcock. He did not hold back, saying that it was a miserable experience.
Tootoo, 43, joined the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent in 2012. He was brought in to add grit and toughness to the lineup.
While Tootoo signed a three-year contract, his tenure with Detroit was short-lived. He split time between the Red Wings and their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Detroit used a compliance buyout on Tootoo following the 2013-14 NHL season, ending his time with the franchise.
In 53 regular season games with the Red Wings, Tootoo scored three goals and added six assists for a total of nine points.
Jordin Tootoo Says Mike Babcock Made His Red Wings Stint Miserable
Jordin Tootoo reflected on his tenure with the Detroit Red Wings, particularly his experience with Mike Babcock.
Babcock, currently the Edmonton Oilers‘ head coach, has been criticized in recent years for how he treated players. Since his dismissal from the Toronto Maple Leafs, many former players have spoken out about his coaching methods and behavior. They recalled instances in which he crossed the line professionally and personally.
Tootoo has been open about his mental health struggles and recalled how Babcock created an unpleasant environment. The former Red Wings winger did not name Babcock, but he insinuated that Babcock was the coach he was referring to.
“I’ve been on a few teams where you feel like, ‘Am I in the way here?’ And one particular coach who coached me in Detroit, it was hard. That’s when I was in the first couple years of my sobriety journey and you know every day is a test,” Tootoo told Ice Guardians. “I started hating the game [and] I got guys that [Brett Hull] played with in Detroit take me aside and go, ‘Don’t worry about this guy. We got your back.'”
He continued:
“I think when you have teammates like that, who genuinely care about the guy that they sit next to, that to me is what it’s all about because I want to play for you.”
Brett Hull Backs Tootoo After Experiencing Similar Experience
Brett Hull, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Famer, also chimed in and shared his own experience. He supported Tootoo and revealed that his experience was similar to that of many others in the NHL.
Hull recalled his experience playing for Mike Keenan after he became the St. Louis Blues‘ head coach. Like Babcock, Keenan did not have the best reputation with players in the league, despite having won a Stanley Cup.
“Trust me, I know because I had—it has to be [Babcock’s] mentor in St. Louis—because from the stories I’ve heard, they are the exact same human [Mike Keenan],” Hull said during the Ice Guardians episode. “They just like to belittle people and make them feel small. And I was the same way. I started hating hockey when I was here in St. Louis.”
He added:
“It wasn’t fun to come to the rink and you could see the teammates felt the same way. And it’s like, that’s not how it should be, so I get you.”
Jordin Tootoo Says Mike Babcock Made His Red Wings Stint a Miserable Experience