When the Edmonton Oilers hired Mike Babcock this summer, many former NHLers voiced their shock and frustration. Bullying and intimidation tactics from past head coaching stints have resulted in Babcock being dragged through the mud by plenty of former players who suited up for him. That said, there are a few who have come to his defence. One of them is Sean Avery, who recently praised the 63-year-old for the way he ran practices and prepared players during their time together in the AHL. “I love Mike Babcock,” Avery said on Daily Faceoff Edmonton. “He was my first professional coach. He coached me for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. I’d say one of the reasons that I made the NHL as early as I did was because of Mike Babcock.” Avery’s experience with Babcock wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows, either. In fact, the former NHL agitator remembers Babcock being extremely demanding during their time together. “He coached that way his first year pro, he f*cking rode us so hard,” Avery said. “He did some crazy sh*t with us. He let us run around like absolute animals, but he taught us how to work in practice, and he made us understand that there was a next level.” One thing Avery was blown away by was just how prepared Babcock made each and every player when it came to becoming an NHLer. “I’ll tell you another thing, it’s very rare for a non-NHL player to have had such a grasp at what it was going to take to play in the NHL,” Avery said. “I loved Babcock.” Now, Babcock has arguably the most talented player he has ever coached in Connor McDavid. Avery believes that could make the Oilers an especially interesting situation for the veteran coach. “Now he’s got Connor McDavid? I think there’s a real redemption story,” Avery said. That doesn’t mean Avery is pretending Babcock’s past doesn’t exist. “I don’t know what Babs did,” Avery said. “Babs is a bit of an a**hole, he’s ornery. He’s a miserable pr*ck. Whether or not it’s an act, sometimes it is, sometimes it’s a schtick, but I can tell you, the guy likes to win. Has he treated some people like sh*t along the way? Ya, he has.” While many have taken issue with the way Babcock approaches his job, Avery was, and still is, able to see what his true intention is. “He’s a devilish character, and he does this via motivation, or the end result is, ‘How do I keep my guys motivated and on edge?’” Avery said. Whether that approach will work for the Oilers remains to be seen. Either way, Avery is very excited to see how it all plays out. “This guy is a Canadian kid; the game is in his bones. I’m very excited.” You might also like: - Babcock details what fans can expect from Edmonton Oilers this season
