HYANNIS, MA – Cape Cod Bluefins owner Mike Nugnes is out to prove the adage that “perception is reality” is a misnomer – particularly when it involves Billy Tibbetts.
Nugnes, who also fills the roles of general manager and head coach, cut against the proverbial grain in welcoming the oft-troubled former National Hockey League center to the fold in mid-December. From all accounts so far, the bond has proved beneficial not only for the fledgling franchise but for the 37-year old Massachusetts native as well.
“He’s come in here and been a positive influence,” Nugnes said about
Cape Cod player/assistant coach Billy Tibbetts is using his experience to shape the futures of younger players (PHN Photo by Bill Thebert)
Tibbetts has garnered an obvious cult following in registering a litany of well documented on and off ice incidents throughout the past two decades. At one of his previous stops, a sportswriter tagged him as an “urban legend” for some of his antics.
Nugnes deflected whispers that signing Tibbetts was fraught with a shade of trepidation within the organization by noting that in the overall scheme of life, nobody’s perfect.
“He’s not an angel. Neither am I or anyone else in the game of hockey,” Nugnes said. “Some of the teams are gunning for him, trying to get under his skin. Some officials carry the baggage onto the ice as well.”
Following his last professional stint with the SPHL’s Huntsville Havoc in 2009, Tibbetts took a lengthy hiatus before returning to the ice with the Bluefins. Following an intensive workout routine has been beneficial for Tibbetts, who Nugnes believes at times in a game is among the fittest performers on the ice.
When he arrived, Nugnes made Tibbetts the Bluefins’ player/assistant coach. Tibbetts has completely embraced the role because it falls in nicely with his desire to get the youngsters that dot the Bluefins’ roster like Corey Bellamy, Stephen Brown and Matt Harrington up the developmental level as quickly as possible.
“I’m trying to provide a blueprint for the guys to work off of,” Tibbetts said. “The NHL is not a pipe dream for some of our kids. If you keep working hard, learning the game and listening to me you’ll make it. I foresee them making the step soon. They could easily play (in the ECHL) right now.”
Tibbetts said that from the get go, Nugnes and the Bluefins were open to many of the suggestions he had to help improve the team.
“The main thing before I got here was that there were no systems and I was able to institute them and try and change the culture,” Tibbetts said. “It was very soft, undisciplined and unstructured. No leadership.”
Nugnes has bought into Tibbetts’ desire to present a renewed profile in the oft-tumultuous FHL.
“He wants to score goals and teach these kids how to play,” Nugnes said. “Sometimes it isn’t pretty but his whole thing is based on honesty. We have a very honest room. There is nothing that goes by in the game that doesn’t get discussed honestly. I’m impressed with the guy. I couldn’t be happier that he is here.”
To a man, the younger players have taken to Tibbetts. They realize that he has the experience that they need to progress within the game.
“Billy’s got a lot of experience so he definitely knows what’s going on,” Bellamy, whose sister Kacey took home a silver medal with Team USA at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, said. “You see it every day with Billy. We come to practice every day and he makes sure we do what we need to do to be successful.”
Right winger Kevin McCready added that Tibbetts’ no-nonsense approach to teaching the game has inspired more confidence in himself and his teammates.
“That’s the thing about Billy. He gives me a lot of confidence,” McCready said. “I’m sure it’s the same way with the other guys. He’s straight forward. He doesn’t feed us bs.”
The confidence that Tibbetts is building in the minds of the Bluefins isn’t something that has come easily to him. Whatever uncertainties that he harbored prior to reconnecting with his on-ice life were dismissed once he got settled in with the club.
“Sometimes I’m hesitant to put myself out there because I’ve been burned so many times. I’ve screwed up multiple opportunities to get back to the NHL,” Tibbetts said. “I never wanted to be one of those guys that were bitter about hockey and I feel like this is something that I can put my passion behind and continue to express myself and show people that I’m a nice guy and a hard worker. More or less it’s about God for me. After what I’ve been through, going to jail when I was younger and having to go back to jail a couple of times as an adult, it really humbles you.”
Tibbetts has been given numerous chances to right his ship in the past. The most notable came during the 2000-2001 season when he had a stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even though it was only for a short time (29 games plus a 33-stint in 2001-2002), he said his time in Pittsburgh left a lasting impression on him.
“The best people I’ve been associated with like Craig Patrick, Mario Lemieux, Neil Shea and Eddie Johnston are dear people to me ever since they gave me an opportunity as a 26-year old. People like Tracey Botsford (former Director of Administration for the Penguins) who did all my paperwork in order to get me to Pittsburgh,” he said. “They changed my life. I’m forever in debt to them. At the end of the day, these people really cared about me.”
Tibbetts’ sincerity is very evident when he talks about his Cape Cod teammates and wanting to do for them what the Penguins did for him.
“We’re here to care about our players. We want to help them not only in hockey but with the game of life as well,” he said. “If they have an off-ice problem, we’ll find a way to help. We want to put a first class product both on and off the ice. People will want to play here. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to play on the Cape?”
In Tibbetts’ own mind, he still has what it takes to play in the big leagues. He also realizes that his past will continue to haunt him so he is content to be a mentor to the next generation.
“I know for a fact that that I could play as a top six forward in the NHL right now on any team, all 32 of them. But the image has always been a problem” he said. “It’s like the AA credo that says God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and (the) wisdom to know the difference. I have to live by that.”
Contact the author at ken.castro@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.