Frank Corrado rips into Babcock for his coaching methods with Leafs
Former NHL defenceman Frank Corrado didn’t appear to have the best experience playing under Mike Babcock for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Corrado, who played 76 games in the NHL for the Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Pittsburgh Penguins, is one of the latest voices to respond to claims made by former NHLer Paul Bissonnette on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast about Babcock’s introductory meetings with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hired him as their head coach in July.
Bissonnette described Babcock asking to see players’ phones in an attempt to judge their character based on the photos they had in their camera roll.
While Babcock later said in a team statement that he didn’t deny asking players to see their photos, he called Bissonnette’s claim a “gross misrepresentation of those meetings and extremely offensive.”
Meanwhile, team captain Boone Jenner said his experience with Babcock was “a great first meeting and [a] good way for us to start to build a relationship. To have this blown out of proportion is truly disappointing.”
In a recent appearance on the Sekeres and Price Show, Corrado explained that his own experience under Babcock was a different one — but it wasn’t exactly a glowing review.
“I don’t even think the guy wanted to know my name,” Corrado said. “He’s a socially awkward guy. I just think he has a hard time getting to know people and like, that’s the problem when you’re not genuine and you’re not authentic… those are things that should just come up organically, it shouldn’t be this formal thing.”
Corrado played 41 games for the Leafs under Babcock in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, while also bouncing up and down to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
“He’s a weird guy,” Corrado continued. “He has a hard time kind of levelling with players. And like to be honest with you, I’ll be completely honest, he does not care about your family. He just doesn’t he’s not going to remember their names. He doesn’t care. That’s that’s my experience. I lived it. And it’s just for me it’s a little bit phony even if he is trying to get to know your families… all he cares about is himself.”
As for any advice for Babcock in his latest coaching stint? Well, Corrado thinks his former coach needs a bit more authenticity.
“Just have a little nuance and a little feel for relationships. I think the whole thing is weird,” he added. “But I’m not surprised because he’s just an awkward guy.”
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