Mike Babcock relives ultimate game collapse and offers Leafs-like quotes to explain playoff elimination

Mike Babcock was once again behind the bench as his team was eliminated from the first round of the postseason. On Sunday, his University of Saskatchewan Huskies were eliminated from the Canada West playoffs after losing to the University of Calgary Dinos 4-3 in the third and deciding game of their best-of-three quarter-final series at Merlis Belsher Place.

Babcock’s players led by three goals in the third period before the Dinos completed the comeback and reached the second round of the postseason.

This all sounds too familiar to Toronto Maple Leafs’ fans. Adam Wylde and Jesse Blake analyzed Babcock’s postgame comments with Steve Dangle on his podcast, and you have to admit we’ve heard it all from his time in the NHL.
He talks about depth, just like he did back in 2018 and 2019 when losing in the first round to the Boston Bruins.
Check it out, but warning to Maple Leafs fans, this is painful:

When asked about returning to the University of Saskatchewan, Babcock explained that he will take the time to speak with his wife and family.

“I’m going to hang out here and get organized. Then I’ll go see my wife, then we’ll kind of decide what we’re doing next. This stage of my life, I’m in no hurry to make any decisions.”

Babcock grew up in Saskatoon and played for the Huskies for one season in 1981-82. The decision to coach the team ultimately came down to spending more time with family and coaching alongside his son Michael, who is an assistant coach with the team.

There are many doubts that he would return behind the bench in the NHL. But Babs might need time to forget yet another heartbreaking playoff elimination before making the next call in his career…