Babcock thread: Decision Expected 5/20/15 (SEE MOD WARNING IN OP AND POST 568)

[ap3x]

I'm really hoping Babcock goes to Buffalo, would be fascinating to watch that play out.

+1

Everything better than that short term deal crap.

 

[Sabretip]

Babcock has always wanted to insert younger players in the roster, Holland hasn't allowed him to. People seem to think that Babcock has held some kids from getting spots on the roster, if he had it his way many of the kids who came up later would've been inserted in the roster years earlier.

Babcock had been public in the past about wanting Leino, Helm, Ericsson, Smith, XO etc... on the roster. He even made a joke about only getting 1/3rd the say in who is on the roster or not. Babcock can only coach who the GM allows him to keep.

He said last season that coaching the kids was the most fun he'd had in years.

That's incredibly encouraging to Sabres fans - I think the perception from the outside was always that Babcock was a hard-nosed, driven coach who hated to lose and only trusted his susperstar vets like Lidstrom, Yzerman, Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall - but I guess the willingness to go with the rookie Mrazek over the veteran Howard in this year's playoffs really gave a hint to Babcock willing to go with kids if they deserve the ice time.

John Vogl ‏@BuffNewsVogl 6m6 minutes ago
Coaching source says Mike Babcock likes the fact that Tim Murray isn't a daily micro-manager and is often scouting rather than with team.

This kind of lends substance to the theory that Holland may be the one forcing Babcock to play only veterans he acquired...

 

[alfbundy]

Scherzer, Suh and now Babcock all leave Detroit in a year. It was all about the money.

 

[Fugu]

Samuelsson? He played 30 games in two seasons with Detroit. As for Cleary? I thought you liked the signing.

No. I liked the Cleary signings through the point where it looked like he was going to go to Philly. It got ridiculous after that season.

 

[Brodie]

Buffalo? Really? I don't care if his bff is the GM, it's a terrible move. I'd get it if it was Toronto or San Jose.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

That's incredibly encouraging to Sabres fans - I think the perception from the outside was always that Babcock was a hard-nosed, driven coach who hated to lose and only trusted his susperstar vets like Lidstrom, Yzerman, Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall - but I guess the willingness to go with the rookie Mrazek over the veteran Howard in this year's playoffs really gave a hint to Babcock willing to go with kids if they deserve the ice time.

He's always been willing to play the kids. He inserted a rookie Helm into the lineup in the 08 playoffs, he did the same with a rookie Abdelkader in 09.

 

[Mort Divine]

Really miss Cap Geek right now. Would love to go see pending free agents the Wings may be able to lure here with the departure of Babcock.

http://www.generalfanager.com/freeagents

 

[ap3x]

Buffalo? Really? I don't care if his bff is the GM, it's a terrible move. I'd get it if it was Toronto or San Jose.

Long-term, it's a better choice. Rebuild in Toronto would take too long, and before picking the Sharks, he could stay here anyways.

 

[DanZ]

Buffalo? Really? I don't care if his bff is the GM, it's a terrible move. I'd get it if it was Toronto or San Jose.

I wouldn't get it if it was San Jose or Toronto. San Jose is declining and doesn't even have the propsects that Detroit has. Toronto isn't in a position to start improving and becoming competitive again. Buffalo makes way more sense than those two.

 

[Run the Jewels]

That's incredibly encouraging to Sabres fans - I think the perception from the outside was always that Babcock was a hard-nosed, driven coach who hated to lose and only trusted his susperstar vets like Lidstrom, Yzerman, Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall - but I guess the willingness to go with the rookie Mrazek over the veteran Howard in this year's playoffs really gave a hint to Babcock willing to go with kids if they deserve the ice time.

Babcock did the same thing during Jimmy Howard's rookie year: he had him replace Chris Osgood, a goalie who won a Cup in 2008 - Hasek was toast at that point - and would have won the Conn Smythe in 2009 if the Wings held on to beat the Penguins. So Babcock has no sacred cows, he showed as much with the goalie situation and the combo of Babcock and Howard was the only reason we made the playoffs in 2010.

Babcock is very much a "what have you done for me lately?" kinda guy.

 

[icKx]

http://www.generalfanager.com/freeagents

Additionally:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/freeagents.php

 

[alfbundy]

Buffalo? Really? I don't care if his bff is the GM, it's a terrible move. I'd get it if it was Toronto or San Jose.

It's all about Pegula. He opened up the wallet and gave Babcock everything he wanted. Toronto was probably not willing to give him that much power and Ilitch has obviously soured on him for turning this process into a media circus.

 

[Reality Check]

This kind of lends substance to the theory that Holland may be the one forcing Babcock to play only veterans he acquired...

In fairness, Babcock was a huge fan of Cleary and wanted Eric Cole at the deadline. Among other things..

I don't blame Cole for getting injured but I honestly didn't know he was still in the league.

Babcock has his faults just like Holland. Still a great coach but I don't want to lose Blashill and it's time to move on.

Blashill may bomb but Detroit needed a fresh perspective and Babcock needs a new challenge. Plus he is getting PAID...pass

 

[Brandel*]

ummm

 

[DanZ]

If it's in the $50 million range than Babcock is gone. Bring on Blashill. I'm perfectly ok with it.

 

[SimplySolace]

ummm

Just a stupid amount of money

Probably just wants clicks anyway

 

[ArGarBarGar]

ummm

 

[ap3x]

Goodbye, Babs. Welcome, Blash. Just win the Calder Cup before you come here.

 

[icKx]

ummm

Guess Babs is now on the same level as Belichick.

With a small fraction of the accomplishments.

 

[Fugu]

Guess Babs is now on the same level as Belichick.

With a small fraction of the accomplishments.

Like I said above, he'd be a fool not to take that kind of money. Even if he gets fired before the contract is up, he still gets paid the entire sum.

He shouldn't feel badly about it either. He put in a good ten years, which is fairly long by coaching standards. It's fine. Amicable departure.

 

[Boomhower]

Guess Babs is now on the same level as Belichick.

With a small fraction of the accomplishments.

I'll wait to see the official numbers, I'm not sure that is factual.

But it's funny the fan base would be sooooo worried about losing Babcock if Holland didn't position the organization so well. Most Wings fans are laughing at the reported contract offer, rather than crying.

 

[Winger98]

If the reported offer is accurate, it'll be fun to see what happens if/when the Sabres still miss the playoffs for the next couple of years, or when they blow a series like how we blew it versus TB this year. That's the sort of contract that'll put a bulls-eye on his back for any shortcoming of the team, real or otherwise.

On the plus side, it's Buffalo, so maybe no one will notice anyway.

 

[alfbundy]

Guess Babs is now on the same level as Belichick.

With a small fraction of the accomplishments.

Babcock is a great coach, but he has a long way to go to be on the same level with Belichick and Bowman. Until he wins another Cup, he's not even on the same level as Joel Quenneville.

 

[InjuredChoker]

caleb ‏@WingedOctopus 6m6 minutes ago
Mike Babcock: "basically I insist I am paid more money than Stephen Weiss"

 

[TheRatPoisoner]

ummm

If true, and Babs turns it down, I'd question his sanity.