Babcock granted permission to talk to other teams

[amato 3,210]

Tod Hess @railfan514 2m2 minutes ago

Babcock's Wife: "I want you to have more time off."

Babcock: "OK, Toronto it is."

Hahaha well at least Twitter will be entertaining

[gcom007 1,465]

Saw that $8 million rumor going around. In one breath it's laughable, and then you remember it's Toronto.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

oward Berger @Berger_BYTES

Detroit radio station is reporting #Leafs have offered Babcock $8 million a year! MLSE can afford it. But, wowser.

Not surprised

Only way they could of gotten him to go there

[Mckinley25 677]

oward Berger @Berger_BYTES

Detroit radio station is reporting #Leafs have offered Babcock $8 million a year! MLSE can afford it. But, wowser.

If that's true he better go there, he'll never get an offer like that ever again.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Ericsson for Phaneuf straight up? Maybe toss in Andersson? If Mike has a say in personnel....

I really am curious how this might influence a potential Phaneuf deal when/if Babs goes to Toronto. It seemed like the two sides were going to try it again this summer, but maybe Babs has different ideas.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Who wouldn't want to live in Toronto over Detroit, and for that kind of money no less?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

GM and coach almost never works in sports, but coaches have big enough egos where they wouldn't pass it up.

Agreed. If only for the simple reason that there's not enough hours in the day to do a good job at both positions.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I really am curious how this might influence a potential Phaneuf deal when/if Babs goes to Toronto. It seemed like the two sides were going to try it again this summer, but maybe Babs has different ideas.

Weiss and Kindl for Phaneuf?

Yeah, I see your point.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Who wouldn't want to live in Toronto over Detroit, and for that kind of money no less?

I wouldn't if the team I was about to coach is the biggest dumpster fire in hockey.

[Blood On The Ice 15]

Boston Herald reporting 8 mil too.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I wouldn't if the team I was about to coach is the biggest dumpster fire in hockey.

Babcock's ego thinks he can change that. Toronto is the hockey center of the universe. Plus, the money is too good to worry about dumpster fires.

[kipwinger 8,521]

Who wouldn't want to live in Toronto over Detroit, and for that kind of money no less?

Me.

Detroit has a bad economy and your money goes really far. Toronto has a bad hockey team and you never get value for what you pay.

I'd stick with Michigan.

Besides, it's not like Babcock was living downtown on Linwood or anything. The burbs are just fine in MI.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Who wouldn't want to live in Toronto over Detroit, and for that kind of money no less?

Toronto is where you go to die in sports.

Jays - 22 years since last WS, 22 years since last playoffs

Leafs - 48 Years since Stanley Cup

Raptors - Never won a damn thing.

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

Weiss and Kindl for Phaneuf?

Yeah, I see your point.

Ha can you imagine if he went then, then that trade happened. He'd kill someone.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Howard Berger ‏@Berger_BYTES 11m11 minutes ago

Can't confirm, but told in email from source #Leafs offered Babcock dual role of GM and coach. Why not, huh?

Lol if this is true then add it to the list of things Babcock said he wanted that ended up not being true.

1. Biggest thing is where family wants to be. - Family wants to stay in MI

2. Money doesnt matter - Takes massive contract

3. Wants to win - Toronto is terrible

4. Is a coach and doesnt want to manage - Toronto offers coach/gm role.

Toronto it is!

[toby91_ca 620]

I had heard Babcock has no interest in a GM role, he just wants to coach and coach with no outside influence. I can't remember if that was straight from him or from someone else. I'm pretty sure it was from someone else, so it might not be entirely true. Even if it was from him, it possible to convince him otherwise.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Babcock makes the same amount of money per year as Kessel.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I wouldn't if the team I was about to coach is the biggest dumpster fire in hockey.

*cough* Oilers *cough*

Though they may finally turn it around this time with Chiarelli and McLelland there. They just have to keep Mactavish and Lowe away from the controls.

[gcom007 1,465]

Not surprised

Only way they could of gotten him to go there

I agree, it's the only way they could've, as in could have gotten him there.

I mean, seriously, it's one thing to say it's not about the money, and it's another thing when they want to pay you twice as much as your former team. Well, in a sense. $8 million Canadian equates to a hair over $6.5 American. That's a thing, right? If you're signing an NHL contract in Canada, it's Canadian dollars, right?

[derblaueClaus 1,668]

Dave Hodge - TSN ‏@TSNDaveHodge

I am willing to explain to young Leaf fans if Mike Babcock gets off the plane in Toronto wearing a bag over his head.

[gcom007 1,465]

Weiss and Kindl for Phaneuf?

Yeah, I see your point.

Don't forget Smith...

[Mckinley25 677]

So, how would an 8 million/year signing affect say, Quenville's next contract? Especially if he wins another cup?

[marcaractac 3,962]

Toronto is where you go to die in sports.

Jays - 22 years since last WS, 22 years since last playoffs

Leafs - 48 Years since Stanley Cup

Raptors - Never won a damn thing.

CFL: Nobody cares

[WingedWheel91 271]

If you are a Detroit Red Wings fan, you should be very proud of Ken Holland for doing what he just did.

"Money will not be an issue" - yet we were always the lowest bidder in an attempt to resign Mike Babcock (while knowing him better than anyone). To me, I don't see this is as blind arrogance, but as a brilliant play by Holland to say and do what he had to - knowing the process would end with Jeff Blashill coaching this team for the next decade. I honestly am more excited with this information than I would have been had we re-signed Babcock, and lost Blashill.

Babcock is a good coach, and should be praised for his Stanley Cup here - but his resume only shines with accomplishments that were legitimate expectations as well. He inherited Nick Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in their prime - yet only took us past the 2nd round of the playoffs in 3 out of 10 years he was in Detroit... (2007,2008,2009). In 2007 we had the most regular season points in the league, and one of the best teams on paper - and we certainly had the best team on paper in both 08/09.

Blashill has coached professionally for less than 6 seasons - and if he wins the Calder Cup this year (which isn't a stretch) he will have 3 championships to show for it. He has also developed more than half of the current Detroit Red Wings roster (who won the Calder Cup 2 years ago), and has since developed players like Pulkinnen, Anthanasiou, and Marchenko the same way he developed the likes of Nyquist, Tatar, and Sheahan. This guy just continues to do it, and seems like he gets more out of these players than Babcock has - albeit at the AHL level.

I don't think we lost the Mike Babcock sweepstakes, but won the Jeff Blashill award.

[kipwinger 8,521]

So, how would an 8 million/year signing affect say, Quenville's next contract? Especially if he wins another cup?

It wouldn't. He's a worse coach than Babcock. Ask anybody.