Darren McCarty has some harsh words for Mike Babcock.

When you are a 4 times Stanley Cup Champion people in the hockey community tend to listen when you have got something to say and recently former Detroit Red Wings forward Darren McCarty, a man who fits that aforementioned criteria, recently had a lot he wanted to get off of his chest. 

Although it has now been several months since former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was unceremoniously fired by the Leafs' organization, the first time Babcock was fired as a head coach in the National Hockey League, McCarty had some thoughts of his shown to share on the whole matter. More specifically McCarty had some pretty harsh criticisms for Babcock but to his credit he also took the time to praise the former Red Wings' bench boss for his positive attributes as a coach as well. 

First McCarty was pretty harsh when it comes to Babcock's personality. McCarty quite clearly implied that Babcock's ego was out of control, something many other players in the past have commented on, and added that he never trusted or respected Babcock as a result of his egotistical nature. 

“You always trusted Scotty (Bowman) because you respected him,” McCarty said as per The Detroit News. “I couldn’t say that about Babcock. … He’s the most egotistical person I’ve ever met, and I don’t understand that. Because like I said, I played with so many Hall-of-Famers, that when guys that are allowed to be that way, don’t act that way, and then you act that way, I don’t have respect for that.”

That is a pretty damning condemnation of a head coach if you ask me, and it only becomes even more damning when you realize that these words are coming from a guy who won a Stanley Cup Championship under Babcock. That being said Babcock must have done something right to lead the Red Wings to the promised land, and McCarty went so far as to acknowledge that in some respects he was better than even the legendary Scotty Bowman.

“I would say Mike Babcock is the greatest X’s and O’s, video preparation coach. Stats, I love stats, you’re all prepared like that,” McCarty said. “His practices are better than games. The way that he does the video, does the preparation, does all that stuff, I’m taking a page out of Mike Babcock’s book, not Scotty Bowman’s book.”

The sheer level of criticism and the sheer number of stories that have come out regarding Babcock will likely make it difficult for him to find another job in the National Hockey League, although no doubt there will be some team out there that will take a gamble on him. McCarty, again to his credit, believes Babcock should get another shot if he can manage to change his ways. 

“People are allowed to change,” McCarty said. “I think if his operating procedure’s different, and he figures out a new way, does he deserve another chance? I believe he does, if he’s changed.”

Babcock has been in the league for a very long time and has always done things his way, it remains to be seen if that change can be achieved.