Updates on Mike Babcock, plus the latest on Patrik Elias, Alex Galchenyuk, Kerby Rychel and more.Â
 Babcock decision expected today.
MLIVE.COM: Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock is expected to reach a decision today on his future plans.  The Wings have made several offers to re-sign Babcock, including a four-year contract worth $3.25 million annually.
THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sources yesterday claimed Babcock was in negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres, who are offering up a deal worth $5 million per season.
THE DETROIT NEWS: TSN analyst Bob McKenzie reports Babcock is definitely not joining the Toronto Maple Leafs.
STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues are considered a long shot to land Babcock.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Babcock’s choices are apparently down to the Wings and Sabres, with him apparently leaning toward the latter. If reports are accurate, we’ll find out later today what his decision will be. I realize some readers find rumors over Babcock’s future to be boring, but given the lack of genuine player trade and free agent speculation combined with the growing hype over Babcock’s choice, it’s not something to be ignored. Besides, unlike most trade and free agent rumors, this one isn’t going to drag on throughout the offseason. Â
Has Patrik Elias played his last game for the Devils?
 Update on Patrik Elias.
NORTHJERSEY.COM: Tom Gulitti reports long-time New Jersey Devils center Patrik Elias remains hopeful of finishing the final year of his contract with the Devils, but said he will understand if new GM Ray Shero wants to trade him. At this point, however, Elias doesn’t know what Shero’s plans are or where he fits in them. The 39-year-old also has a full no-movement clause, giving him say over potential trade destinations.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shero could call around to see if there’s interest in Elias. Given the latter’s age, contract and movement clause, he could still end up finishing his career as a Devil.
Highlights from Friedman’s latest “30 Thoughts.”
SPORTSNET: In his latest “30 Thoughts” column, Elliotte Friedman noted this interesting bit regarding salary arbitration:
“The average salary was $2,803,043, an 8.57 per cent increase over $2,581,827 from 2013-14. If a team wants to take a player to “cutdown” arbitration, that player must have made at least $1,899,943 this past year.This process allows teams to cut a player’s salary to 85 per cent of the previous season’s. Vancouver did this with Mason Raymond in 2012. And, teams can walkaway from any salary arbitration award of larger than $3,799,887 — as long as the player elected to go this route. Teams cannot walkaway from any award if it chose arbitration.”
The Colorado Avalanche will try to find a suitable defense partner for Erik Johnson this summer.
Friedman wouldn’t be surprised if the Montreal Canadiens could be among the teams interested in Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kerby Rychel. The Jackets have plenty of young forwards and are looking for defensemen. Rychel is 20 and only two years removed from being a first-round pick. Despite being sidelined by concussion, he’s reportedly clear of symptoms.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I realize the salary arbitration info isn’t a trade or free agent rumor, but it is worth remembering when the arbitration period begins this summer…Perhaps the Avs are seeking a skilled stay-at-home blueliner to put on Johnson’s line? They were among the worst teams defensively this season…If the Canadiens are interested in Rychel, maybe they offer up Tom Gilbert? He has a year left on his contract worth $2.8 million. The Habs could try to clear some cap space to make a serious effort at re-signing Jeff Petry.Â
Galchenyuk to the KHL?
Chempionat.com (via Habs Eyes On The Prize): recently claimed a source close to Montreal Canadiens winger Alex Galchenyuk said the restricted free agent is close to continuing his professional career in the KHL.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Not happening, for the reasons stated in the Eyes on the Prize blog.Â
Glibert for Rychel? Where do you come up with this stuff? Tom Gilbert is an over the hill 3rd pairing Dman who can step in for 2nd pairing minutes when needed. Rychel is a lock on the 2nd line at worst… Why would Columbus EVER consider this?
Relax, Adam. I didn’t say they would do that move. I was merely spitballing. The Canadiens might have interest in Rychel, who has promise but has yet to establish himself as an NHL player and was sidelined part of this season by concussion. He only played five NHL games. That doesn’t make him a lock for the second line.
The Jackets need blueline depth. The only one I can see the Habs possibly offering up (if the Jackets seek an established defenseman in return, which I assume they do) is Gilbert. Emelin has a full no-trade and is the closest thing the Habs have to a shutdown defenseman. Subban and Markov obviously aren’t going anywhere. They will have to shed some salary if they want to re-sign Petry.
How bout Boulieau. I realize he hasn’t established himself but if Richel wants out perhaps Boulieau and some prospects or draft picks could get the job done.
Wonder if Ottawa be interested. Possible top 6 guy. Send Cowen over in some package. Perhaps.
Seriously. Don’t make trade proposal if you don’t understand the value. Beaulieu(not boulieu) is worth probably more alone than rychel. And I’m no jabs fan saying this.
As far as Cowen. I’m sure that Colorado would like a Dman that can crack the top 4 let alone the top 6. Cowen’s value is way down. If there’s a guy we’d need out of Colorado it’s ROR. Can play centre and LW. Might be able to package Hoffman with a Dman + but I’m not sure Cowen is enough. I’m not sure we want to part with Methot either.
I wonder why the leafs aren’t giving more consideration to Guy Boucher as the head coach? I know the leafs had some interest in Rychel during his draft year. Would the leafs consider making a deal with Columbus with the leafs sending Phaneuf for Rychel and another prospect/pick?
Columbus already has an albatross Leaf contract in Clarkson still with several years to go – why would they take on an iffy $7 mil cap hit for 7 seven more years? For someone like Rychel – even with his recent concussion issue – there are probably any number of 2/3 D types who might become available in that deal and making a helluva lot less and for far shorter terms.
While I agree I do to know if Columbus would go for it with phaneufs salary. Maybe a bigger deal with anisimov, a second and kr for phaneuf, Percy or someone like that. If that wouldn’t work it could be gardiner, for kr and maybe one of their seconds this year.
The leafs could go for a neater deal with dropping gardiner, Kadri and Percy for kr, salary dump and their second rounders.m. Gardiner and torontos late first for kr and here second rounders? I really need this draft to happen, I’m bored silly!
I know Toronto won’t be trading absolutely everyone at the draft but boy oh boy I want them to.
On a side note, I’ve been talking to friends and coworkers about this and really get a wide range of answers (probably because I live in Calgary as opposed to Toronto) but what do people think Toronto could get for…
Kessel
Phaneuf
Bernierr
Kadri
Jvr
Lupal (he will stay, salary floor crap and no one will want him)
Gardiner
Bozak
Polak (I would keep him, he is valuable but also his value will raise at the deadline)
Here is what I think (again, please bare with me, I’m inconceivably bored)
Kessel – to Nj for gelenas, first round pick, a second rounder and a salary dump
Phaneuf for oleckiak, faska (or a pick and a dump)
Bernier and Kadri to San Jose for mueller and a pick
Jvr to Montreal for fucale, a first rounder and a second
Lupal stays
Gardiner and a prospect to Edmonton for the 16th
Bozak to Vancouver for kassian and a pick
Polak at the deadline for a second rounder next year
Most of these are to stir up debate. Pie in the sky stuff but hey, what else do we have to do. Have fun hammering away guys!
The Penguins will offer that deal for JVR if you want to play this game but substitute Fucale for Mathew Murray or Tristan Jarry and no second. Don’t need both of them. Murray was AHL goalie of the year, rookie of the year, first team all star, broke the record for consecutive games without giving up a goal, lead the AHL in GAA and save percentage. Jarry won the memorial cup last year with Edmonton and was supposed to be the better prospect of the 2.
Kessel – prob least likely to go unless its for top 10 draft pick (hoping NJ’s)
Jvr – stays unless packaged for a top D or C
Bozak – trade him + nash pick to move up to washington pick (draft Carlo (D)
Bernier / Kadri / Gardiner – give them 1-2 year now to reassess
Phaneuf – hmmmm highest bidder
Boucher will resurface this year in the NHL, as a head or associate coach. I agree, LEafs should be in on him but they also need a GM too.
I’ve commented on Boucher before. I like him, but information from his Tampa period made me pause a bit. Apparently a lot of Victor Hedmans problems there, under Bouchers regime, stems from Bouchers handling of him. Boucher apparently had a clear opinion that Hedman would merely be a competent stay at home D-man and played him accordingly, putting a glass ceiling on his development. For me, who has followed Hedman since he was 17, this was a ludicrous handling of that player. His upper potential was completely different then that, which has since been proven by Jon Cooper. Boucher has had some success with the club but that grossly faulty assessment of a young player and the subsequent handling of it is making me reconsider him. Anyone can be wrong, but be THAT wrong about something you’re supposed to understand? My critique may be considered anecdotal but it sure made me pause.
Now that news is in that Babcock is the man in Toronto, obviously Boucher won’t head coach there, so it’s a non issue now.
I don’t understand what the draw is for Babcock in Buffalo. Other than Eichel they have some solid but not spectacular prospects, many organizations have the depth in the league. I would not look at this organization and say “watch out in three years”. Buffalo is better positioned than the Leafs (for those who might think I was suggestion he come here), I totally get that, but to leave one of the best run organizations in sports to go to the Buffalo organization, wow. The Red Wings history of developing players is something the Sabres could only dream of in their history. I respect them don’t get me wrong, but when your in pro sports and are committed so deeply to winning, it just would not make sense.
Aside from the family reasons and Buffalo being a 4h drive (1h flight) from Detroit I don’t really get it either. Unless family is the primary motivator or they’re offering him a bunch more authority that he’s getting elsewhere Buffalo is quite the fixer-upper.
Its been reported many times that Babcock feels a responsibility to drive up Coaching Salaries. Perhaps that is all it is. But Buffalo doesn’t have much less than Detroit. Seems a good fit to me. After all the Owner is willing to spend money I can see them turning it around pretty quickly. If not Detroit isn’t going to be improving tremendously themselves the next few years.
Darren Drager is reporting that there is a bidding war for Babcock between Toronto and Buffalo. Also that Detroit has offered a 5 years at 4mil per year.
As a Sabres’ fan – I wouldn’t leave the Wings either. But Babcock has really not been keen on re-upping with the Wings over the last year, so maybe there is more to this than we know. Sometimes, you make the determination that it’s best to move on. Sabres’ system has alotta good players in it, Murray a better-than-average GM and Pegula has money.
Wonder is Babcock has had any conversations with Scotty Bowman about Buffalo? Scotty is a resident since he came to the Sabres in 1979. Bowman could offer an assessment of the team, city, etc.
how about rychel to philly
He is a phily kind of player but I doubt they have the dmen to get him. They pretty well need to trade everyone but their first line to fix the mess they’ve made on defence.
Umberger, vinny, read, streit, McDonald, grossmann, schenn all need to go. Someone will take schenn (Luke, should’ve said that) but the rest will take some movement to get rid of them. They can’t afford to move their picks so they are in a tough position. I’d like to think they will kind of rebuild on the fly as they go but lord knows they are confusing at times. Pin one stroke they could trade giroux for picks and prospects and with another trade for Kessel….you never know with them
Rumor has it that Vinnie is owed a $2 million signing bonus July 1/15. The rumor is he will take the bonus money, and then on July 2nd, the Flyers will announce that them and Vinnie have agreed to terminate the contract. No cap hit, and Vinnie is free to go where ever he wants.
This is legal, and will get rid of the cap hit.
Grossmann and Schenn I would be happy with picks. The Flyers signed Medvedev yesterday, so they now have 9 dmen. They will move at least 2 just to drop the salary.
Why did Columbus trade Wisniewski?
This trade made no sense to me.
Sounds like a pure salary dump to me – he has a cap hit $5,500,000 with 2 years to go, will be 32 next year, and has an injury history (I don’t think he’s ever played a complete season since entering the NHL way back with the Hawks). By sending him and a 2015 3rd round pick to Anaheim, they got Bourque ($3,333,333 cap hit with just 1 year to go) and minor-league C William Karlsson ($830,833 cap hit and an RFA in 2016-17). They have to look at UFAs next year like Letestu and Skille and RFAs Calvert, Collins and Goloubef so probably it was just forward-planning in action.
I forgot to add, Columbus also gets a 2nd round pick this year from Anaheim.
Yes but a very good offensive Dman able to play 20+ minutes a night that isn’t a train wreck defensively.
Now their talking about going & getting a Dman. A #4 Dman makes 4 mil plus now & getting higher every year.
Ah well,
In all likelyhood Mr. Babcock is heading to NOT Toronto. It was a longshot but fun to entertain. Between Buffalo and Detroit I’d suspect Buffalo has the advantage, but its hard to say.
If his partner has significant input, I could see San Jose being a more attractive day to day destination than Buffalo, but as the SJ players core is getting old I don’t see Babcock wanting to relive the latter Detroit years again.
If I had to throw a dart that didn’t include my bias of hope for Toronto, I’d lean towards Buffalo. There’s greater upside there for years to come imo.
trade the schenn bros. to toronto for jvr + a pick or a prospect….hextall please undo what holmgren did….
I would take them both on my team, I actually like the Schenn brothers but for JVR….nope! Just on production vs. cap hit….I hope to see JVR in blue and white for the balance of the contract. I could just imagine what a budget team like Ottawa or a cap team like the Hawks would work out to exchange pieces for that luxury.
cap hit is reasonable especially if he were on the top line with g and voracek….it would be one of the best lines in hockey….
Agreed…could you imagine what Chicago would pay for the chance to get jvr? Think of the salary Toronto could take on for them too. I never think of Chicago when thinking of these trade ideas
To Chicago, jvr and prospect for a first, bickell, versteeg, Hartman and maybe another pick. Chicago could then move sharp for a prospect and some depth.
chicago will be tight to cap…bickell too much at 4…versteeg back to to, nope, if they could move sharp then maybe some deal to take place but i think they will need to move sharp to sign other guys on the roster now,….with philly it will be similar salaries exchanged plus toronto gets the number 1 canter plus a decent stay at home shot blocker
for phaneuf and/or lupul?
We don’t want Toronto’s poop.
I Hope Paul McLean gets a shot with the leafs now that the Babwatch saga is seeminly coming to an end. He’s a good coach for working with younger players, and could do for Reilly what he did with Karlsson. As he also had won a Jack adams for coaching a team riddled with injuries and still making playoffs. To me he seems like a better fit then Boucher.
It may happen. When ottawa let him go it was reported the Leafs expressed interest.
Karlsson did what Karlsson did for himself. I don’t think there was a terribly good relationship between Karlsson and PMac. If anything mac might have been holding him back. Karlsson got. Ugh better when PMac left..
Oh I’d also like to add that Paul McClean served under Babcock in Anaheim when they went to the finals and won cup as an assistant with Babcock in Detroit.
That’s a guy I don’t think of often when talking about possible coaches. He would fit in very well. He seems to have the patience to deal with a rebuild. Here’s to hoping. I’d be cool with Marc Crawford too, I always liked his style. With saying that I’d love a tough coach, someone who will also focus on protecting the assets Toronto will have….in five years or so lol
Not paying your players for months doesn’t really attract other players to your league either. Ryan Whitney hasn’t been payed since January from his KHL club. http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/khl-hasnt-paid-ryan-whitney-since-before-january/
Must be nice to not remember the last time you got paid … Interesting interview none the less.
Hammond has signed in Ottawa. Time for the Lehner or Anderson to go debate.
Or we can wait till tomorrow. Perhaps Lyle will have an analysis of who will go.
My hopes is Anderson to the Oilers, not sold on Lehner. Also I don’t thing the Sens are either, which is why I think that Lehner will be the one that gets moved.
I never verified it but I read an article that lehner has similar numbers to Price when Price was Lehner’s age. Probably means absolutely nothing but it does raise the point of perhaps the Sens should be weary of giving up to early on a goal tender.
If you look at goaltenders and age, they usually break out a little later. Very few, if any, can land a starting role before 23y/o. However, Lehner (23y/o) might only find his groove within another organization. A change of environment sometimes has that effect. He has been in Ottawa now for a while without breaking out. Hearing Murray speak of his goaltenders after the season, he considered Anderson his no1 goalie, while he was unsure of Lehner. He knows what he has in Hammond and Anderson while O’Connor is slated to play in AHL. It’s not that hard to figure out Lehner is the odd man out.
This one is just hitting the office here right now so I’ll take a stab at the debate (I am starting to hear it enough already!).
Frankly I think moving either should be on the table and traded based on what the market will bare. Anderson is more accomplished, likely gets you more value and at 34 (if I remember correctly) his value and level of play will never be better. That said, keeping him provides a solid netminder for the kids to play in front of.
Lehner seems a lot to me like Marrkstrom – loads of talent, we’ve seen flashes, hasn’t 100% put it together. For a team looking to get an up and comer, you should get a nice return.
As for Hammond, as long as he asked for a reasonable amount of money, you knew he would be re-signed. He’s become a folk hero of sorts for the fans here.
That said, if it was me in the GM’s chair, I would stick with the kids and move Anderson because I think you’d get the best value for your buck.
The age thing is the issue with Anderson. Do you ride him now and allow Hammond to develope and then have O’Connor and Hammond duke it out for the starter role? Do you move him and have Lehner and Hammond duke it out for the starter roll now with O’Connor waiting to knock them both aside.
interesting times.
Yes these definitely are. I think it is safe to say that the decision on who stays and who goes will set the pace for how this team will be set up and what direction it goes in over the next 5 years.
It’s too bad – If Anderson is 30, this would be an easy decision.
I would lean towards Lehner. He is currently injured and he has not yet shown that he is a proven number one. With the right package (a la Cowen) he might fetch a top 6 forward (ha hum…oilers). I am a little scared of losing Lehner and Cowen, as I think they are going to be great,but with O’Connor signed we have a good youth in the system to one day replace andy.
I think most are leaning towards Lehner moving. It may simply come down to what is offered. If a team offers up a viable top 6 forward for a particular goal tender I think they will listen. It may be even Murray doesn’t know which he moves. Just put both names out their and try and get the pieces he wants with which ever tender he can.
You have to wonder about Ken Hitchcock and the Blues – Hitch has been hearing rumors of Babcock to St. Louis for a week or so.
If Hitch isn’t the Blues’ man, then let him go and find another job. I don’t think any of the current talk is good for the Blues. Players can’t know the coah is on thin ice in the offseason, yiou really think they will fully commit to him if he is back next season?
He’s a good man, kinda the Marty Schottenheimer of the NHL, even though he did get one Cup 16 yrs ago.
unless you hear it from an organization, then its a rumor
most organizations would say something privately to the person first so its mostly speculation, unless leaked to lyle (then its true)
“So you’re saying there’s a chance”
Bab-watch:
DET – OUT
BUF – OUT
STL – OUT (wonder why.. low $$$ offer?)
SJ – ?
TOR – ?
Holy crapballs..
The TSN crew reporting that St Louise is still in the running along with T.O. and San Jose. Buffalo and Detroit are out.
http://www.tsn.ca/leafs-blues-sharks-last-teams-remaining-in-babcock-sweepstakes-1.287208
STL is the best team for Babcock if he wants to win. I thought they were out.. did they lowball?
Pierre LeBrun is now reporting that San Jose is now out and focusing on other candidates. So Babcock is now down to T.O. and St. Louise.
LeBrun says source confirm that Babcock is now the new coach of the Maple Leafs.
Nobody will out bid the LEAFS nobody
Pegula spills more money walking around than the Leafs have and is at least an owner with a face – not some committee.
George, I figured BUF had the best chance.. this is so wierd.
Pegula has more money than Rogers, Bell and Larry Tannenbaum combined?
Man on TV you are so right. Babcock is a leaf. WOW
My money is on Toronto, you would become a hockey god if you helped bring a cup there.
Do you get as big a kick outa days like to day as I do Dino? lol
I didnt even really want Babcock just love to see all these peeps eat crow over and over again…never gonna get rid of Clarkson, neve gonna get Babcock, why fire the coach? Leafs are probably gonna hire Keefe to coach, no experiences on and on it goes bahahahah where is scott today?
Absolutely, even as a Flames fan I can appreciate this. My guess is we wont be hearing from scott on this one lol.
For some reason I get the feeling Dion stays now and possibly Phil. Maybe they arent tearing it all down as expected.
May cuse them to pump the brakes on trying to trade them anyway…Pretty sure the price just went up. Not sure there is going to be a big hurry, may see want to how they look with a different respected coach.
@shticky sorry I was away from the internet all day. Looks like I missed a big signing. Flyers inkYevgeni Medvedev from KHL.
Lol good to see ya have a sense of humor about it.
you can thank (1st burke for trying) and the new leaf committee & shanahan for committing to a full scale new vision (real hockey) long term
Hope they stop some of the “media” negativity somehow
Dreger, Freedman and Berger are all tweeting that the MLSE jet is landing in Detroit this afternon and that Buffalo, St. LLouis and San Jose have all been told they are out of the running. Dreger says he is going to the Leafs, we’lls ee this afternoon i guess.
a radio station in Detroit, and Howard Berger, reporting that Toronto has offered $8M/yr for him to be coach and gm…looks like McKenzie was wrong.
That would be something. If true, this could be a total disaster, or could be interesting. Either way it won’t be boring.
George you are such a leaf hater what are you going to do when he signs in Toronto I hope your not near a bridge
TOR got him.
now the leaf haters can sstart arguing how a) it was a bad decision by Babcock and b) that a coach doesn’t matter
Ha bad decision. It was a no brainer. Way to much money for a coach but the leafs have no issues spending money and the cost of this is way over the top. Have fun Maple leaf fans. I hope it works out.
Leafs get Babcock…8 years…$50 million..wow..who da thunk it..not me anyways
Agreed! Never saw this coming! Does this mean that the NHL’s version of the Jerry Springer Show is coming to an end?
aaaaaaaaahahahahahaha
You got that one tml and it will be led by George king of the haters
OMG…He heard me!
MURPH on May 19, 2015 at 3:37 pm
For all those claimimg Babcock is not going to be patient enough for a rebuild team such as the Leafs or Sabres. Lets add some perspective. Ten years as Head Coach, 1 Stanley Cup, 1 year lost in Finals, 1 year made it to third round of playoffs. All other years lost in first or second round. Better results than Sabres or Leafs, no doubt about it, but if he is the greatest living coach of our current time, as many hail him to be, why could he not take Buffalo or Toronto to those same results or better if the draft picks and prospects can be somewhat decent. Remember Detroit never drafted high because they always finished high in the standings. Imagine what Babcock could do with a few years of high end draft picks? Its easy to take a top team and push them over. Let him try it from the bottom up and lets see how good a coach he is. Take the challenge Mike!
Murph, your right he went to T.O. but it had nothing to do with anything you said. It came down to money.
All it took was the promise of a huge salary and lengthy summers off. Toronto can guarantee both. How could Babs say no to that.
All came down to mmoney? Really? Buffalo offerd almost as much longer term and has better has all these great young players and are 8h so much closer according to the majority of your opinions means so much so riddle me this now if you are talking the difference of 50 mill or 48 mill really you think the extra 2 mill 7s what he jumped at? Even before all this nonsense started Babcock himself has always stated his goal is to win and be the greatest coach of his generation…he threw all that out the window for an extra 2 mill? He is No longer interested in winning? Give it a rest Jeff. When it came down to it m8mey probably did have a bit to do with it of course but I am sure that there was alott more to it than 2 million bucks to a guy 2ho just signed a 50 milllon dollar deal, youre nuts if you dont think coaches would love to be the guy to turn the Leafs around…50 million bucks and if you succed youre a legend probably came into the conversation more than once. 48 million bucks and if you win in Buffalo is great but just not the same.
First off the long summers off thing with the huge salary was the joke. You guys can argue sarcasm’s death all you want but I am pretty sure this post I made sounds like a joke, I mean he gets long summers off and and extra 2 million.
Regarding that 2 million, I did not know Buffalo came that close. Last I heard they offered 5 mil over 4 years or something. But having said that, Shticky learned to see the Jokes in statements as much as you claim you do with Sarcasm. After all in a previous post i wished you leaf fans well,
Yet you will never convince me he did not go for the money. He has been on record of saying he feels responsibility to raise salaries for his coaching peers. Going to the highest bidder is exactly what he said he’d do.
I think Jeff Blashill is going to be a great fit. He has coached half of our roster (Griffins) to 2 AHL championships. Nobody knows better who is ready and who is not. He’s going to bring a similar system yet a fresh approach that I think our veterens will appreciate. I had also read somewhere that Babcock was a major reason some of the bigger free agents balked and signing with detroit. This year should be interesting.
Hey, gang! Just posted my take on the Leafs hiring Babcock in my “News” and “Canadian Corner” sections. Feel free to offer up your take. Is my assessment correct or am I full of crap? I’d like to read your opinions.
aaaaaahahahahaha
*still laughing…*
yeah the comments seem to have slowed down haven’t they?
aside from the $ you have to give Babcock credit. I don’t believe he would have taken the Leafs job if he did not think he could turn the team around, he is a confident person. I am sure he will have a voice in player personnel as well. Right now this signing is better than a high profile UFA signing. It will be interesting to see player movement prior to next season, the attitude will definitiley change in tne dressing room. As a Wings fan it is tough to see him go, he was a consumate professional with a proven track record.
Babcock is going to be the highest paid leaf next year.
Babcock will have personelle decisions.
Babcock will be the closest thing to a gm/headcoach in a long time (except for Lou).
Babcock is obviously a great coach but he demands his players to be robots. He had talent in Detroit and Anaheim so he got results.
if he doesn’t get results from the players in TO, it could get ugly.
wow. 8 million for the first year. Wow. Just wow.
Tod McLellan should have waited to negotiate his contract till after that number dropped. Holy cow!
An aside from all that. Other than maybe Montreal or New York, is there a more iconic team to be employed for?
As much as we all hate it. TML is the biggest brand in the business and just proved it again.
This will be taken as me thinking they’ll win the cup next year, which is not my point at all. I’ve said it before, winning a cup in toronto would be like winning the pennant with the cubs. it’s the biggest cahllenge left in hockey, Babcock has won everything else except a Jack Adams, so it’s arguably the most logical choice for him. To say you are going to win a cup in 8 years is unrealistic for any team in a 30 team league, but it’s the biggest challenge there is. Good for him for taking a chance to see if he’s the guy who can do it.
So much for the rebuild in Toronto. This is actually kinda good for people who don’t like the Leafs. They will be booing him by November 1.
Bet?
(If he is on team) Phaneuf improves noticeably next year because of babcock
Babcock is going to help turn that miserable team into a contender. 5 yrs they win the cup.
Babcock’s choices are apparently down to the Wings and Sabres,….LOL
Good luck to Babcock in Toronto, he’s going to need it. I bet there are a couple of Wings players that are dancing at the news of Babcock leaving. Would be sweet if Blashill is able to win another Calder cup and then get named head coach of the Wings.
I think this will end the Phaneuf to Detroit rumors. Babcock would be pissed if he got Weiss back and so would Weiss.
I can’t wait to post tomorrow about this Babcock signing.
Who does not make that decision on money alone- nothing else. All the rest is crap. Now we will see if he is worth it. I personally doubt it. There goes the theory in the saying ” Coach’s are hired to be fired ” 🙂
wicked game last nite
goalies shine; real hockey
if the nhl wants more scoring there retards
they could allow headbutt goals butt nooo
I wonder what kind of impact this Babcock deal will have on the potential Phaneuf/Weiss trade. I cannot imagine as bad as Babs wanted rid of Weiss that he would stand for being stuck with him again in toronto. He also likes phaneuf I hear and may just want to keep him.