Babcock gets choked up on a very difficult day for the Maple Leafs head coach.

Babcock chokes up while speaking to reporters.

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Published 5 years ago
Babcock gets choked up on a very difficult day for the Maple Leafs head coach.
Daniel Lea/CSM/Zuma

Today was clearly a very emotional day for Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock.

As is the norm for the Maple Leafs head coach he was made available to the media ahead of an important match up against the Metropolitan division's Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Although it was a normal procedure for Babcock ahead of a game it was obvious that Saturday was no normal day for the veteran coach, and he at one point even became choked up while speaking to the reporters in attendance.

Babcock was first asked about the passing of long time National Hockey League referee Mick McGeough and given that the former referee was a native of Saskatchewan it was no surprise to learn that Babcock was well aware of the situation as well as a number of details regarding McGeough's final moments.

"That was a hard for his family (electing to take him off of life support)," said Babcock as per the Toronto Sun. "When I talked to his wife, there were people waiting to visit and you have to make that decision. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. The refereeing group, sometimes they’re left out in our game, but they’re a huge part, great people, great personalities and they have a tough, tough job."

Babcock however managed to remain composed when discussing the sad situation surrounding McGeough's fate and the difficult decision that his family was forced to make. It was when the subject shifted to hockey fights cancer on Saturday night that Babcock was no longer capable of keeping his emotions in check. Babcock discussed both his late mother as well as two children lost by his friends to the terrible disease and it was clear that all 3 still weighed heavily on his mind.

"I lost my Mom (Gail) … a long time ago to cancer (in 1991). And since then (the sons) of two good buddies, one to a brain tumour (Andrew Rypien, child of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien and (12-year-old Jeffrey Thomas Hayden) who used to hang out with my son," he said. "So my wife and I got very involved in trying to help."

It's no surprise given these losses that have directly impacted the Leafs coach that hockey fights cancer remains so close to his heart.

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