Mitch Marner responds about bizarre Mike Babcock story

As the news broke late Sunday night, more details began to roll in on what exactly happened during Mitch Marner's rookie year. It appears the story is as bizarre as they come, as Mike Babcock essentially made Mitch Marner call out a handful of teammates during his rookie year.

As we reported earlier today, Terry Koshan from the Toronto Sun shared:

One tale was related to us in the past few days that is said to have occurred in the 2016-17 season, during the annual fathers trip. Babcock was alleged to have asked one of the Leafs’ rookies to list the players on the team from hardest-working to those who, in the eyes of the rookie, didn’t have a strong work ethic. The rookie did so, not wanting to upset his coach, but was taken aback when Babcock told the players who had been listed at the bottom.

Mitch Marner was asked today by the Toronto media on if the story was true, and his answer may surprise you:

It was just surprising. I was lucky enough that the guys that were there with me, none of them took it to heart and they knew it wasn't up to me. It was huge for a first year guy. I didn't really know what to think. But I was lucky enough to have that first-year group with me and our team was very tight and very well-knit together. That was a lucky situation.

Mike Babcock was contacted for a comment and had this to say via text:

Text exchange with Babcock who says he was focusing on role models and trying to work on Marner’s work ethic at the time. Says it wasn’t a good idea. He apologized to Mitch.

Do you think coach's should use players against each other to motivate? More to come as it comes, as the stories from Leafs land continue, now that Mike Babcock has been shown the door.
 

Marner speaks on the list of hardest/least hardest working Leafs players that Babcock had him make and then released during his rookie year. pic.twitter.com/BdALuolQGv

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 25, 2019