Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland didn’t mince words when discussing former head coach Mike Babcock, telling the Toronto Sun’s Mike Zeisberger he “wants to kick his ass!”
The words may seem harsh, but it’s not surprising Holland wants to take down Babcock, who coached the Red Wings for over a decade. It’s not a sign of anger or disrespect, but likely comes from the bond the two built together, which Holland talked about with Zeisberger.
“The last three years in Detroit, we found ourselves at points where you are on the bubble of making the playoffs and you are digging your fingertips in to find a way to make the playoffs and you accomplish those things together, well, all those things, like I said, combine to build relationships that last a lifetime.”
While Holland wants to kick Babcock’s ass on the ice, he said his relationship with the new coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs will go on for the rest of their lives.
“The relationship I have with Mike will go on for the rest of our lives. I have tremendous respect for what he does professionally and personally.”
But, despite that relationship, he reiterated how he wants to take Babcock down.
“Well, he decided he wanted to move on. And now, we want to kick his ass.”