Mike Babcock addressed the media after the final preseason game, a 5-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
Jeff Blashill’s teams always come to work. Is that the case here tonight in terms of being outcompeted?
Babcock: Well, I thought so. I don’t know if their lineup was better than our lineup. It sure looked like it was. Bottom line is, at the end of the day, I’m a little disappointed. But we had a chance to watch our players play. I said it very clearly at the start that it’s an individual time of year. We are out there watching them and we are trying to find players to play for our team. Tonight was a tough night for us.
Did a night like tonight tip the scales for a player that was maybe on the bubble or you were unsure of?
Babcock: Well, every game you play — we don’t make decisions based on one game — it all adds up and in the end, you decide. You’ve got to make hard decisions. We’ll have to do that over the course of the next couple of days.
Are those going to be difficult, Mike?
Babcock: You like them not to be difficult. You like them to be obvious. There are lots of things that are very obvious and there are other things that are not quite as clear. You can use the rules with the roster and that to buy yourself time if need be. We’ll talk about those things and then make the decisions.
Does who require waivers and who doesn’t require waivers come into play now as well?
Babcock: Sure. I mean, you use everything you possibly can to make the decisions in the end. If there is something that can buy you time, then you take the time to make the best decision the best you can.
Neither Sparks or McElhinney really liked their last start. Did the preseason as a whole give you any clarity towards the goaltending position?
Babcock: Well, yeah. Freddy is going to start day one.
Do you have a timeline for when you want to make the cuts?
Babcock: We’ve got to decide. The beauty about that is I just get to provide my input and then Kyle will decide when he tells you guys. How’s that?
On Monday, you’d like to have that roster practicing?
Babcock: Yeah, but I’ve pretty much had the roster at practice. It’s right there, right? Right now, you’re talking about seventh and eighth D and you’re talking about the second goalie and the 13th or 14th forward if that’s what you decide to do.
Overall, do you feel like this team is ready to go?
Babcock: We’re going to be ready to go, for sure. Now, you know the National Hockey League. There is nothing between all of us. It’s tough every night. Every night you play, it’s a one-goal game and it’s a battle. And yet, the good teams win more of those one-goal games. At the end, it seems like you’ve won every night easily, but you didn’t. You scratched and clawed your way through the year. That is just what you do.
