Feb 22, 2021 11:11 PM
They say relationships are everything in business. It was a strong relationship that led Stanley Cup champion Mike Babcock back home to the Saskatchewan Huskies.
On the weekend the Huskies announced that Babcock would be taking over as coach of the men’s hockey team. A move that wouldn’t have happened without Chief Athletics Officer Dave Hardy.
“I taught Mike,” says Hardy. “I’ve known him since he was 13 or 14, knew the family pretty well.
“We managed to stay in contact through the years. Haven’t seen him much since he joined (the) Toronto (Maple Leafs). So I just took a chance. I phoned him–might have been Boxing Day–and we got caught up.
On Saturday, the University of Saskatchewan sent shockwaves through the hockey community. It announced former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach, Stanley Cup champion, and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Mike Babcock, as next coach for the Huskie men s hockey team.