Babcock once asked Holland if he could be Scotty Bowman’s successor

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

Story

Holland is Babcock's boss more than a decade after telling him that he wanted to lead the storied franchise on the ice while he was coaching a minor league team shared by Detroit and Anaheim. During the second intermission of a playoff game in 2002, Holland recalled Babcock telling him he wanted to be the next coach of the Red Wings.

"I don't hire interns,'' Holland said he told Babcock. "The next year, he knocked us out of the playoffs.'

Edited May 22, 2013 by MidMichSteve

[Guest RedWingsDad]

That's awesome... who knows, that little exchange could have been the fuel on the fire for Babcock from a coaching perspective that led to the Ducks knocking us out of the playoffs.

[Guest Crymson]

If we'd had Babcock, I think the Red Wings would have three-peated.

[LeftWinger 4,949]

Something was rotten in the NHL in 1999... Just swept the Ducks, won the first two in Colorado, then lose 4 straight? Something stunk about that and it still stinks...anyhow, I remember when Melrose was the coach at Adirondack and was pegged to be the Wings next coach behind Bryan Murray...then Bowman came along. To this day, Melrose will ALWAYS go against the Wings for that reason.

[Guest Playmaker]

Something was rotten in the NHL in 1999... Just swept the Ducks, won the first two in Colorado, then lose 4 straight? Something stunk about that and it still stinks...anyhow, I remember when Melrose was the coach at Adirondack and was pegged to be the Wings next coach behind Bryan Murray...then Bowman came along. To this day, Melrose will ALWAYS go against the Wings for that reason.

He picked them to upset the Ducks. I don't get the inferiority complex that seems so prevelent here. Everyone doesn't hate the Wings.

[LeftWinger 4,949]

He picked them to upset the Ducks. I don't get the inferiority complex that seems so prevelent here. Everyone doesn't hate the Wings.

I must have missed that prediction....ok in the past, he religiously picked the Wings to lose....even when they were the best team in the NHL

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

He picked them to upset the Ducks.

Link

He did. He also Picked the 'Nucks over the Sharks in 6.

[Guest Crymson]

Something was rotten in the NHL in 1999... Just swept the Ducks, won the first two in Colorado, then lose 4 straight? Something stunk about that and it still stinks...anyhow, I remember when Melrose was the coach at Adirondack and was pegged to be the Wings next coach behind Bryan Murray...then Bowman came along. To this day, Melrose will ALWAYS go against the Wings for that reason.

In my experience, Melrose has never hesitated to vociferously praise the Wings when such is merited.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

I don't know what you mean by going against the Wings, but I do think Melrose would always pick the Sharks to win the SC it seemed. He seemed to get a lot of his picks wrong IIRC. Never heard him say anything bad about the Wings though, mostly praise.

[13dangledangle 958]

Link

He did. He also Picked the 'Nucks over the Sharks in 6.

The bastard double dipped this year, I am trying to find it but Barry Melrose was on NHL network before the playoffs and said something to the extant of him liking the Wings chances for an upset but Ducks in 6. It was a video on NHL.com...No matter how you slice the cake of Barry Melrose it still tastes like sh*t

[Seraph 240]

I remember we had a major lack of effort problem after Bowman left. Guys were playing soft and felt way too comfortable under Lewis. It's a shame we didn't bring this guy in sooner.

[Z and D for the C 712]

vociferously

Niiiice.