Mike Babcock will be holding the reigns for Team Canada as they look to continue their dominance on the world stage, which means he won’t be around for the camp dates in Nova Scotia, or the first three Toronto Maple Leafs pre-season tilts.
What does that mean for the players attending the early stages of camp?
It means that the person they need to impress the most isn’t going to be there to watch them face to face. That never works out to a players’ benefit – in any sport. Sure, Babcock can watch film and take recommendations by a group of staffers that he most certainly trusts, but at the end of the day are recommendations and high-definition videos enough to sway the most high profile coach in the business?