Helene St. James Holland: Mike Babcock extension unlikely before season

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I think he's saying: let me ice the best team I can or I'll find somewhere else to do it. I'm sure Holland telling him that he can't have Jurco this year has him irritated.

Wouldn't be surprised if Mrazek is part of it too. He's been excellent.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I think he's saying: let me ice the best team I can or I'll find somewhere else to do it. I'm sure Holland telling him that he can't have Jurco this year has him irritated.

I really don't think a random kid like Jurco influences Babcock's decisions about what to do with his personal and professional future.

I could believe that Babcock's probably frustrated about Holland's inability to improve the defense, as well as bringing in players like Samuelsson, Legwand, Weiss, Tootoo.. all guys that seem to have ended up in Babcock's doghouse.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I really don't think a random kid like Jurco influences Babcock's decisions about what to do with his personal and professional future.

I could believe that Babcock's probably frustrated about Holland's inability to improve the defense, as well as bringing in players like Samuelsson, Legwand, Weiss, Tootoo.. all guys that seem to have ended up in Babcock's doghouse.

I'm not saying it's about Jurco as a player. It's about Holland not giving Babcock a piece that is right in front of his nose. How is he supposed to win when Holland won't give him the best they have? It's got to be frustrating when you're as obsessed with winning as he is.

 

[Fugu]

Sometimes Holland gave him the guys he really like (Cleary, Abdelkader, Filppula, Ericsson, Lilja) but failed to sign some of the players they targeted, who for various reasons, chose not to come to Detroit.

Just get used to it-- Life After Lidstrom.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

I have to wonder which side is preventing the extension from happening?

I can't imagine money being an issue.

 

[Fugu]

I have to wonder which side is preventing the extension from happening?

I can't imagine money being an issue.

It could be an issue. What if Babcock is asking for the kind of money Holland is being paid?

I'm just speculating as I have no idea how much KH earns, and only know that Babs gets $2 MM now. Quenneville was renewed sometime between now and Babs' last contract signing. I know several other coaches like Tortorella, Vigneault, and Tippett were all getting ~$2 MM (and all signed after Babs last contract).

 

[Frk It]

It could be an issue. What if Babcock is asking for the kind of money Holland is being paid?

I'm just speculating as I have no idea how much KH earns, and only know that Babs gets $2 MM now. Quenneville was renewed sometime between now and Babs' last contract signing. I know several other coaches like Tortorella, Vigneault, and Tippett were all getting ~$2 MM (and all signed after Babs last contract).

I don't think think that's an issue at all. In the article it says this:

The Wings want him back, and owner Mike Ilitch doesn't skimp on salary when he wants a high-profile person in his organization, so it's largely a matter of whether Babcock wants to come back, and how much term he wants, and how much of a raise he wants on the $2 million per year he's making now.

 

[Run the Jewels]

29 other fan bases would love our 'trash'.

Make no mistake, Babcock is the only remaining part of this organization that is still elite. So those who are cheering the fact he's moving on after this season should prepare for some dark days. Get your digs in now boys, pride comes before the fall!

 

[WingedWheel1987]

I definitely agree with the idea that Babcock is the most attractive thing left that the Wings have.

 

[Dotter]

I don't get it.

Illitches need to back the Brink truck up to Babcock's front porch and give him anything and everything he wants.

If Wings lose Babcock, then any chance we have at winning is gone for a long, long time. Say goodbye to the Playoff streak, cause that will be gone too and the most exciting day as a DRWs fan will be draft day. Nothing else.

 

[Fugu]

I don't think think that's an issue at all. In the article it says this:

But this part:

...and how much of a raise he wants on the $2 million per year he's making now.

Make no mistake, Babcock is the only remaining part of this organization that is still elite. So those who are cheering the fact he's moving on after this season should prepare for some dark days. Get your digs in now boys, pride comes before the fall!

Babs may still be an elite coach, but maybe he's not elite for this group of guys, has been tuned out--- which is something the people in this profession always talk about. Like I said above, ten years in one place is a very, very long time.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Illitches need to back the Brink truck up to Babcock's front porch and give him anything and everything he wants.

If Wings lose Babcock, then any chance we have at winning is gone for a long, long time. Say goodbye to the Playoff streak, cause that will be gone too and the most exciting day as a DRWs fan will be draft day. Nothing else.

I suggest you turn on a Griffins game and watch the way Blashill prepares that team and the speed they play with. He is a very good coach and winning has followed him at all of his stops. Part of the staff that got Miami of Ohio rolling, turned a wretched Indianapolis Ice team into USHL champions, pumped life into a morbid Western program and then won the AHL.

He knows are kids well and they trust the man a great deal. The bottom isn't dropping out if Blashill is promoted. You try to re-sign Babcock, but this chicken little idea isn't one I am buying into, Blashill is going to be a terrific NHL boss, especially if he inherits the Detroit talent he knows really well.

 

[Frk It]

Illitches need to back the Brink truck up to Babcock's front porch and give him anything and everything he wants.

If Wings lose Babcock, then any chance we have at winning is gone for a long, long time. Say goodbye to the Playoff streak, cause that will be gone too and the most exciting day as a DRWs fan will be draft day. Nothing else.

I don't think it would be quite that catastrophic.

Blashill is a very good coach in his own right, even if he is unproven.

 

[Frk It]

But this part:

Babs may still be an elite coach, but maybe he's not elite for this group of guys, has been tuned out--- which is something the people in this profession always talk about. Like I said above, ten years in one place is a very, very long time.

I do not think it is going to come down to money, but trying to see inside Babcock's head is damn near impossible anyways. He is a very tough read.

I would GUESS that he wants to keep his options open at this point, see how the season goes, and then mull his options over next summer. As pretty much the most high profile free agent coach in a very long time. Then he will either stay put, go to a place that is the 'ultimate challenge" (winning in the Toronto market), or go to a team that is closer to winning a Cup than Detroit (team like Pittsburgh).

But I genuinely don't think he knows which of those things he wants to do yet, and wants to see how the season plays out, and probably weigh his options next summer.

Totally just a guess though.

 

[Dotter]

I suggest you turn on a Griffins game and watch the way Blashill prepares that team and the speed they play with. He is a very good coach and winning has followed him at all of his stops. Part of the staff that got Miami of Ohio rolling, turned a wretched Indianapolis Ice team into USHL champions, pumped life into a morbid Western program and then won the AHL.

He knows are kids well and they trust the man a great deal. The bottom isn't dropping out if Blashill is promoted. You try to re-sign Babcock, but this chicken little idea isn't one I am buying into, Blashill is going to be a terrific NHL boss, especially if he inherits the Detroit talent he knows really well.

And Kirk Maltby was a 50 goal scorer in Junior, what's your point?

 

[Fugu]

I do not think it is going to come down to money, but trying to see inside Babcock's head is damn near impossible anyways. He is a very tough read.

I would GUESS that he wants to keep his options open at this point, see how the season goes, and then mull his options over next summer. As pretty much the most high profile free agent coach in a very long time. Then he will either stay put, go to a place that is the 'ultimate challenge" (winning in the Toronto market), or go to a team that is closer to winning a Cup than Detroit (team like Pittsburgh).

But I genuinely don't think he knows which of those things he wants to do yet, and wants to see how the season plays out, and probably weigh his options next summer.

Totally just a guess though.

I don't believe the Wings will wait to let him mull things over, and potentially be left without a head coach. It's also not really fair to Blashill, who probably resigned believing he might be moving up, so having him sitting around too, waiting for Babcock to decide isn't the best asset management.

Finally, if Holland believes that Babs is so uncertain about wishing to stay, maybe that is a message as well that it may be time to part ways. You want someone who's excited about the job, has some new and great ideas.

 

[ScottyBowman]

If he wants to leave, then let him go. We can find another coach and move on. He only won 1 cup in 10 years. Big deal.

 

[Frk It]

I don't believe the Wings will wait to let him mull things over, and potentially be left without a head coach. It's also not really fair to Blashill, who probably resigned believing he might be moving up, so having him sitting around too, waiting for Babcock to decide isn't the best asset management.

Finally, if Holland believes that Babs is so uncertain about wishing to stay, maybe that is a message as well that it may be time to part ways. You want someone who's excited about the job, has some new and great ideas.

His contract runs out next summer so I don't see the issue with him seeing how the season goes and deciding then. Blashill could just move up if he decides to go a different direction. I mean, we can't make him make up his mind right now, just because its better for the Wings.

 

[Kronwalled55]

I didn't expect a deal to get done before the season. I didn't read the article yet, but I would assume that Babcock wants to get a final look at the potential future of this club before setting a contract in stone. I wouldn't be worried yet.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

And Kirk Maltby was a 50 goal scorer in Junior, what's your point?

Not sure what that has to do with the coaching conversation.

Kirk Maltby has four cups as a NHL player and was good at his role.....

Winning in the AHL isn't easy, taking programs that weren't doing great at the three previous spots and winning suggests he gets it.

Ray Ferraro commented in one of his on-air interviews about his son, that Blashill was maybe the most prepared coach he had ever been around and was stunned by just how good of a coach he was.

I am not scared to let Blashill coach this team, I think he is a terrific coach. It is one area where we are quite fortified organizationally should it work out that way this summer. Just look at how good the kids are coming up, how ready they are. Sure they have a lot of talent, but look at the difference between the guys Blashill has had time with and Fraser had before. He is a very good hockey coach and he gets a lot out of guys that are likely to be the core of this team.

 

[The Zermanator]

Babs may still be an elite coach, but maybe he's not elite for this group of guys, has been tuned out--- which is something the people in this profession always talk about. Like I said above, ten years in one place is a very, very long time.

I don't agree, what is that based on? I don't think the Wings make the playoffs last year if Babcock was 'tuned out'. That was a masterful job he did last season.

 

[Fugu]

I don't agree, what is that based on? I don't think the Wings make the playoffs last year if Babcock was 'tuned out'. That was a masterful job he did last season.

Yeah, so they made the playoffs. Big deal. I didn't think they'd have much of a shot after that, no matter who the coach was.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

And Kirk Maltby was a 50 goal scorer in Junior, what's your point?

Apples and oranges.


I'm more than comfortable making Blashill coach.

 

[tfong]

I don't think its Bab's fault, we really haven't been able to fill the gap since Lidstrom. Kronner is good and all but he just doesn't have the creativity or the vision to run the back end offense like Lids.

I'm hoping Sproul brings that to our backline soon. Or if the Green rumours are true and we go after him.

 

[LeighDx59]

If Babs leaves I hope he goes somewhere like U of M to coach like it's been rumoured. I would hate to see him go to Pittsburgh.