Speculation: Babcock 2015: Who still has hope?

[indigobuffalo]

#BABWATCH2015

17.10.2014 http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/mike-babcock-has-turned-down-at-least-one-firm-offer-to-stay-with-wings-source/

11.12.2014 http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=743524

12.12.2014 http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/coach-babcock-more-likely-to-stay-in-detroit/

12.12.2014 http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-babwatch-reaching-new-heights/

06.01.2015 http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2015/01/06/gentleman-start-your-speculation-engines-mike-babcock-to-leafs/

07.01.2015 http://www.thestar.com/sports/breakaway_blog/2015/01/mike_babccok______where_are_you_.html

16.01.2015 http://www.torontosun.com/2015/01/16/dont-expect-babcock-to-tip-his-hat-on-career-plans

30.01.2015 http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ivey-business-school/maple-leafs-mike-babcock_b_6572482.html

Well, with the rebuild on, things look gloomy for Babcock to want to come coach our lousy team. But I think the major influences for Babcock to come to Toronto are still there:

• Leafs President Brendan Shanahan, who played under Babcock in Detroit
• Deep Pockets via Rogers that will ensure that of all the offers Babcock gets in the summer, the Leafs will be the top of the pile. Could see them tabling $10M/5-years if that's what they needed to do.
• Raising the bar for coaches in the NHL. I think it's also quite probable that Babcock includes a clause in a contract that makes him "un-fireable". I don't know how if would be worded, possibly if he is fired they pay-out his full remaining contract immediately?
• Winning in Toronto: This certainly has some appeal. He's easily got a good 5-10 years of coaching left in him, and adding a Stanley Cup in Toronto to his resume would look absolutely golden. If he signs for $5M/yr for 4 years, and manages to win a Cup in Toronto in that span... what will his next deal be like?? It would be a license to print money. Not to mention the glory and recognition. He'd probably get the Order of Canada, FFS.

Of course, there are lots of factors going against us. A ****** team in the beginning stages of a tear-down/rebuild... not a great amount of prospects coming up that hold much promise. It's pretty reasonable to say that a 4-year contract wouldn't be enough time.

Maybe Babcock would say, "I'll take a 4-year deal in Detroit and we can see about Toronto in 2019-20."

Anyways, curious to see where everyone is at. I know the Gloom-o-meter is off the charts right now, so I don't think people hold much hope, but I for one remain convinced that Babcock is coming in 2015.

Have at 'er!

Click to read more...

 

[613Leafer]

Still has hope? The longer Babcock goes unsigned the MORE hope we should have.

It was impossible for him to end up here this season, so there's no reason hope should have gone down. The only options were for him to re-sign in Detroit, or to leave to go somewhere else in 2015-2016. The longer he goes without signing there, the more it becomes a legitimate possibility that he might become available.

It looked like a pipedream last summer. It's still fairly unlikely, but we're getting closer to where it could become a legitimate option. If he's still unsigned in June after his team's out of the playoffs, I'd be thinking he might be looking for a newer/bigger challenge.

 

[indigobuffalo]

I'll add this. From the POV of a strategist, it makes sense to offer Babcock an obscene amount of money. If the end result is a massive bump in coaching wages, that could severely impact teams that operate on internal caps.

If a team like Nashville or Winnipeg can't afford to keep a "good" coach on payroll, that makes things better for the Leafs.

Of course, it could backfire by forcing the NHL to expand the cap to include front office payrolls as well, but to my knowledge that would be a first among the Big 4, so I wouldn't be too worried about it.

 

[SprDaVE]

Looks like there's a decent chance but I still don't see it happening.

 

[egd27]

Another Toronto pipedream IMO.

 

[Rare Jewel]

You forgot this article.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-of-babcocks-stature-toronto/article21136573/

“If he won here?†an MLSE exec said recently. “He’d be on the opening montage of Hockey Night in Canada 20 years after he retired.â€

I repeat that to Babcock. He laughs, clearly tickled. But he’s too clever to be drawn into filling the silence that follows.

He's coming.

 

[Gigi Elle]

Possible but not probable. I'd love to see it happen though.

 

[Durkin67]

I'd make him coach and GM and give him Sather-like powers of autonomy. Dubas and Hunter can do the grunt work. Players either buy in, or they get shipped out. It's Coach Babcock's way or it's the highway...

6 million a year, 8 year deal. Who's going to say no?

 

[Willy Styles]

I saw one of the TSN analysts talking about how players aren't exited to be "the one" that brings a Stanley Cup to the Leafs but management and coaches are always dying to come to leafs and be the one.

Anyone that brings Stanley cup success to toronto would be a literal god and would be very highly touted in the hockey community and the largest fan base in hockey.

Babcock would literally be the man if he were to bring success to the Leafs.

Also he might be looking for a challenge and a younger team. Det is old and he has had great success there so he might be bored. Toronto is a much better city than Detroit.

Babcock also will be less criticized by the media as he is a proven coach and is team Canada's coach. Never will we have the question the media loves to shove down our throats " is it the coach or the team"

If we get Babcock I can bet we will win in the next 10 years given he stays.

 

[BlueBaron]

You have to hope he really likes a good challenge because we are a mess and our circus-like ,media crazy market makes everything harder.

I'm guessing he stays a Red Wing

 

[diceman934]

I for one believe that if we ship out both Kessel and Dion.....the chances increase and not decrease.....what coach looks at the Leafs and say "wow the Leafs have Kessel and Dion"?

I think the fact that we have Rielly and Nylander as well as Kadri and JVR if still do not move him and Bernny in net that we have a start of a good core. With players such as Holland, Percy, Brown, Leivo, Loov and Gardiner all young and part of a good support to a core which can be moved when their replacements arrive. Add in another top pick this coming draft and the returns we get for Kessel and company...it may be enough to make him take the job.

Loov maybe our best young D man who is not in the NHL....love his game and development!

I also happen to believe that he would want to be the GM and coach as the starting point of any discussion.

 

[Shwaguy*]

Give him the Kessel contract 8x8 that's just so much more money than anyone can offer him and we can afford it.


I will say if we luck out and win the Lottery it's pretty much a guarantee at that point. It's likely he's not unsigned by that point though I guess.

 

[Apotheosis]

Doubtful. Not that he wouldn't come, but Babcock is the guy you bring in when you already have a team in place, he instills his system and then you go out and try to contend. Would he honestly be okay with coming in here and spending multiple years for a rebuild before contending at all?

 

[Shwaguy*]

I mean, if Babcock brought a cup to Toronto. He's probably the most famous coach ever in terms of legacy (combined with his success in Detroit of course).

 

[Leafidelity]

I for one believe that if we ship out both Kessel and Dion.....the chances increase and not decrease.....what coach looks at the Leafs and say "wow the Leafs have Kessel and Dion"?

I firmly believe the opposite. If he has the ego I think he has, he'd want a crack at getting through to both of them. No coach in the history of the NHL would prefer less talented players. Any good coach thinks they're the answer.

 

[Durkin67]

Doubtful. Not that he wouldn't come, but Babcock is the guy you bring in when you already have a team in place, he instills his system and then you go out and try to contend. Would he honestly be okay with coming in here and spending multiple years for a rebuild before contending at all?

Cant agree. The biggest problem in Toronto besides the distraction of media over blowing every syllable uttered, is lack of stability. Give Babcock absolute control, he's earned it...then step back and let him teach the kids to play the right way. Shanny can shoulder the media storm and let his coach and GM do what he does better than anyone, with the support of a deep, well funded infrastructure.

Can think of anyone Id rather have teach Rielly, Gardiner, Naz, Nylander, etc. how to win.

 

[ACC1224]

Rebuild makes it doubtful. Trading the core(Phaneuf, Kessel) makes it impossible.

 

[diceman934]

I firmly believe the opposite. If he has the ego I think he has, he'd want a crack at getting through to both of them. No coach in the history of the NHL would prefer less talented players. Any good coach thinks they're the answer.

In most cases I would agree, but these two are players that a coach like Babcock hate...

He has an ego and there is no doubt about that, but without the head ache of those two he can start right away instilling his values and his my way or the highway with young impressionable players who do not think that they are bigger then the team.

 

[diceman934]

Cant agree. The biggest problem in Toronto besides the distraction of media over blowing every syllable uttered, is lack of stability. Give Babcock absolute control, he's earned it...then step back and let him teach the kids to play the right way. Shanny can shoulder the media storm and let his coach and GM do what he does better than anyone, with the support of a deep, well funded infrastructure.

Can think of anyone Id rather have teach rielly, Gardiner, Naz, Nylander, etc. how to win.

See we agree again!

 

[leafstilldeath*]

Didnt Babs say in one of his interviews that he wants to win, wants both coaching and GM duties and isnt looking for a club that is rebuilding?

 

[Rufio65*]

Babcock is not going to leave one of the top organizations in pro sports, to come to one of the worst. If Holland tells Mr.Illitch that Babcock needs to stay then they will hand him a blank check.

Getting Babcock is a pipe dream.

 

[hoglund]

I don't think Babcock is any better than Carlyle. Has Babcock won any more Cups, no, I still don't see the logic or why people seem to think he's so good, please explain.

 

[leafstilldeath*]

I don't think Babcock is any better than Carlyle. Has Babcock won any more Cups, no, I still don't see the logic or why people seem to think he's so good, please explain.

Dude last season Babcock took a handicap team to playoffs. Come on man

 

[Durkin67]

I don't think Babcock is any better than Carlyle. Has Babcock won any more Cups, no, I still don't see the logic or why people seem to think he's so good, please explain.

wow.


major difference: players will go to war for Babcock. He squeezes the most and demands the most out of every player on the roster. He's Canada's coach for a reason. And he should be the coach (and GM) of Canada's favourite hockey team.

 

[diceman934]

I don't think Babcock is any better than Carlyle. Has Babcock won any more Cups, no, I still don't see the logic or why people seem to think he's so good, please explain.

When did you start watching hockey....I'm serious and its not an insult.

The Wings had a lot of key injuries last year and he got the Wings into the playoffs. If you knew nothing more then the above it should explain the difference!