Post by jets07 on Nov 1, 2009 12:30:42 GMT -5
Defenseman Dave Babych a franchise stalwart
I caught up with Dave Babych, one of the best defensemen ever to play for the Jets/Coyotes franchise – have him ranked No. 2 on my list, which is topped by Teppo Numminen.
No. 3: Dave Ellett; strong cases for top 3 inclusion also could be made for Randy Carlyle and Phil Housley.
Babych, who is president of the Vancouver North Shore Winter Club and helps out coaching, would like to return to the NHL in some capacity.
And, yes, his trademark mustache is still there.
He is third all-time on the franchise list in points (321) as a defenseman and joked that he'd like to be remembered “maybe as some that was never overpaid." Picked No. 2 overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1980, he knew he was expected to provide offense.
A top offensive-minded blueliner, Babych said shooting wasn't necessarily the attitude he had when he began his NHL career.
"… But there's not much glory just sitting around doing nothing," he said. "I have the utmost respect for a lot of the great defensemen, don't get me wrong. I know when I got draft in the NHL, the offensive game was probably two-thirds of the game at that point, the (Wayne) Gretzky era, then (Mario) Lemieux came in, obviously more goals scored at that stage.
"That's what people wanted. I know when I got drafted – I had pretty good offense when I was in juniors – but when I got to Winnipeg, they just told me, ‘Just go, go.'
"When you're young and stupid, you'll go anywhere. It's not that easy to generate points, but if you have some offensive ability, then you could do it, put more pressure on the other team."
He laughs when he remembers the hoopla in Winnipeg that surrounded his signing. Leading up to the draft, Babych "was working out like crazy" and was in great shape and knew he'd be coming into camp at the top of his game. At the signing, he was at a table with General Manager John Ferguson, coach Tommy McVie and a few others from the organization, and they all asked him how he felt about playing for the Jets.
So when he responded, "I sure hope I can make the team," they all began laughing.
"They're going, ‘If you don't make the team, we're all fired!' it was kind of a relief. You knew you had a good chance of making it, but then when I got there, they did kind of key on me as an offensive defenseman."
Babych's career, which lasted 19 years, was a memorable one. Asked to evaluate himself as a player, he said he respected opponents and that never maliciously tried to hurt anyone.
"I think I was a real honest player, just coming from me," he said. "I worked as hard as I could every game. Sometimes, obviously, it doesn't work out for you, but I think I was just a good honest player."
Babych, who had a role in the movie Slap Shot 2, fully expected to play for several years in Winnipeg, but he was traded to Hartford when he was 24 years old early in his sixth season with the Jets. He also had stints with Philadelphia, Vancouver and Los Angeles.
He said the trade shocked him.
"You think you get drafted, you put your 10 years into a city, you do well, and your sweater's hung up in the rafters," he said. "But there were other things going on personally that the team might have felt (were) affecting me, or maybe they just wanted to get rid of a problem or what they perceived as a problem. ...
"I remember, we won a game, and everyone's happy. (Coach) Barry Long comes up to me … and said, ‘Babs, you've got to go up and see Fergie,' and I'm thinking, ‘What the hell does he want?'
" Then all of a sudden after you're walking up to the offices, you start thinking, there's really only one option, and sure enough he was even a little choked by the deal, and he said, ‘We traded you to Hartford .‘ You don't know what to say. I think as stupid as I was the only thing I asked for was if I could get my jersey because it meant so much you, and you're proud of it."
He remembers getting calls all night when word of the trade was announced, one not so complimentary toward the general manager, but he said, "Fergie treated me great. He was a great hockey person."
Ellett, meanwhile, had 295 points for the franchise, and he battled every step of the way. His mind-set was simpley to try to outwork everyone else. He played in all situations against any one.
"That was something I was proud of, that the coach had comfort putting me on the ice at any time," said Ellet, who lives in Cave Creek.
Ellett is the owner of the New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League, but the team is inactive this season.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 01:51 PM
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Topics: SPORTS, coyotes, NHL, Babych
6 comments from 4 users
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posted by ToeBlake on Oct 30, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Dave Babych never had anything to do with either Phoenix or the Coyotes. It is an insult to the people of Winnipeg that the inference is even attempted. I've no axe to grind regarding the matter, but, honestly, am looking forward to the day when the Coyote history is co-opted by another city. It is coming soon, within one year likely. Karma.
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posted by JimGintonio on Oct 30, 2009 at 03:38 PM
The key word, Mr. Toe, is 'franchise.'
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posted by ToeBlake on Oct 30, 2009 at 04:17 PM
He was a Winnipeg Jet for a time, as was Ellett, period. Both had NOTHING to do with either Phoenix or the Coyotes. While your trip down memory lane might have interest to the one or two former Winnipeg citizens that now live there in Arizona, it means nothing in the grand scheme. What a waste of space.
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posted by JimGintonio on Oct 30, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Do you have any idea what the word 'franchise' means?
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posted by MrAzDiamondback on Oct 30, 2009 at 06:28 PM
ToeBlake has no time for actual facts regarding a franchise Mr. Gintonio. He has no axe to grind, nor does this article mean anything in the grand scheme of things (his words)... yet, he made a point to read it, comment and then comment again.
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posted by parcheesi on Oct 30, 2009 at 08:07 PM
Wait, don't chase ToeBlake away....I want to hear him explain why, if the Jets and Coyotes don't share the same history, the numbers worn by Steen, Hawerchuk, and Hull (BOBBY)...players who never played in Phoenix...are still considered to be retired by the Coyotes?
What a tool.
I caught up with Dave Babych, one of the best defensemen ever to play for the Jets/Coyotes franchise – have him ranked No. 2 on my list, which is topped by Teppo Numminen.
No. 3: Dave Ellett; strong cases for top 3 inclusion also could be made for Randy Carlyle and Phil Housley.
Babych, who is president of the Vancouver North Shore Winter Club and helps out coaching, would like to return to the NHL in some capacity.
And, yes, his trademark mustache is still there.
He is third all-time on the franchise list in points (321) as a defenseman and joked that he'd like to be remembered “maybe as some that was never overpaid." Picked No. 2 overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1980, he knew he was expected to provide offense.
A top offensive-minded blueliner, Babych said shooting wasn't necessarily the attitude he had when he began his NHL career.
"… But there's not much glory just sitting around doing nothing," he said. "I have the utmost respect for a lot of the great defensemen, don't get me wrong. I know when I got draft in the NHL, the offensive game was probably two-thirds of the game at that point, the (Wayne) Gretzky era, then (Mario) Lemieux came in, obviously more goals scored at that stage.
"That's what people wanted. I know when I got drafted – I had pretty good offense when I was in juniors – but when I got to Winnipeg, they just told me, ‘Just go, go.'
"When you're young and stupid, you'll go anywhere. It's not that easy to generate points, but if you have some offensive ability, then you could do it, put more pressure on the other team."
He laughs when he remembers the hoopla in Winnipeg that surrounded his signing. Leading up to the draft, Babych "was working out like crazy" and was in great shape and knew he'd be coming into camp at the top of his game. At the signing, he was at a table with General Manager John Ferguson, coach Tommy McVie and a few others from the organization, and they all asked him how he felt about playing for the Jets.
So when he responded, "I sure hope I can make the team," they all began laughing.
"They're going, ‘If you don't make the team, we're all fired!' it was kind of a relief. You knew you had a good chance of making it, but then when I got there, they did kind of key on me as an offensive defenseman."
Babych's career, which lasted 19 years, was a memorable one. Asked to evaluate himself as a player, he said he respected opponents and that never maliciously tried to hurt anyone.
"I think I was a real honest player, just coming from me," he said. "I worked as hard as I could every game. Sometimes, obviously, it doesn't work out for you, but I think I was just a good honest player."
Babych, who had a role in the movie Slap Shot 2, fully expected to play for several years in Winnipeg, but he was traded to Hartford when he was 24 years old early in his sixth season with the Jets. He also had stints with Philadelphia, Vancouver and Los Angeles.
He said the trade shocked him.
"You think you get drafted, you put your 10 years into a city, you do well, and your sweater's hung up in the rafters," he said. "But there were other things going on personally that the team might have felt (were) affecting me, or maybe they just wanted to get rid of a problem or what they perceived as a problem. ...
"I remember, we won a game, and everyone's happy. (Coach) Barry Long comes up to me … and said, ‘Babs, you've got to go up and see Fergie,' and I'm thinking, ‘What the hell does he want?'
" Then all of a sudden after you're walking up to the offices, you start thinking, there's really only one option, and sure enough he was even a little choked by the deal, and he said, ‘We traded you to Hartford .‘ You don't know what to say. I think as stupid as I was the only thing I asked for was if I could get my jersey because it meant so much you, and you're proud of it."
He remembers getting calls all night when word of the trade was announced, one not so complimentary toward the general manager, but he said, "Fergie treated me great. He was a great hockey person."
Ellett, meanwhile, had 295 points for the franchise, and he battled every step of the way. His mind-set was simpley to try to outwork everyone else. He played in all situations against any one.
"That was something I was proud of, that the coach had comfort putting me on the ice at any time," said Ellet, who lives in Cave Creek.
Ellett is the owner of the New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League, but the team is inactive this season.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Report a Violation
Topics: SPORTS, coyotes, NHL, Babych
6 comments from 4 users
<Reverse Sort Order>
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posted by ToeBlake on Oct 30, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Dave Babych never had anything to do with either Phoenix or the Coyotes. It is an insult to the people of Winnipeg that the inference is even attempted. I've no axe to grind regarding the matter, but, honestly, am looking forward to the day when the Coyote history is co-opted by another city. It is coming soon, within one year likely. Karma.
Report Violation
posted by JimGintonio on Oct 30, 2009 at 03:38 PM
The key word, Mr. Toe, is 'franchise.'
Report Violation
posted by ToeBlake on Oct 30, 2009 at 04:17 PM
He was a Winnipeg Jet for a time, as was Ellett, period. Both had NOTHING to do with either Phoenix or the Coyotes. While your trip down memory lane might have interest to the one or two former Winnipeg citizens that now live there in Arizona, it means nothing in the grand scheme. What a waste of space.
Report Violation
posted by JimGintonio on Oct 30, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Do you have any idea what the word 'franchise' means?
Report Violation
posted by MrAzDiamondback on Oct 30, 2009 at 06:28 PM
ToeBlake has no time for actual facts regarding a franchise Mr. Gintonio. He has no axe to grind, nor does this article mean anything in the grand scheme of things (his words)... yet, he made a point to read it, comment and then comment again.
Report Violation
posted by parcheesi on Oct 30, 2009 at 08:07 PM
Wait, don't chase ToeBlake away....I want to hear him explain why, if the Jets and Coyotes don't share the same history, the numbers worn by Steen, Hawerchuk, and Hull (BOBBY)...players who never played in Phoenix...are still considered to be retired by the Coyotes?
What a tool.