News Article: Babcock Keeps Pushing Red Wings in Perhaps His Best Coaching Job Ever

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I think what we're seeing is that Holland actually proved himself right this time. Babcock is using the guys that Holland wanted, not the guys that Babcock himself wanted, and that's made a difference.

But let's not pretend that dispute is over. When it comes time for Jurco/Jarnkrok/Sproul, we'll be talking about Babcock's aversion to youth and finesse all over again.

 

[waltdetroit]

His best coaching job by far.

A successful organization has room for differing opinions, what is far more important in my mind is what happens when those ideas come up against tough times.

Babcock had a bit of a revelation this season regarding younger players to me at least that's all you can ask for. Would it have been nice if he was playing them from day 1 ? Sure but you can't ask guys who have been super successful doing one thing to be ok with drastic change overnight.

In terms of structure and match ups he's been as good as it gets this run.

I gotta say though I think the single biggest factor in the mental realm has been the influence of the young bucks. Everyone wants to play, they are interested this year, considerably more so than the last couple years.

Babs is great behind the bench running lines

 

[Bench]

Maybe the push and pull between the coach and GM actually benefits. Iron sharpens iron.

 

[SirKillalot]

Awesome article and a lot of good on point posts in this thread as well.

I think Holland and Babcock have been somewhat off between themselves the last few years, and have managed to use that and really started to adapt to each other the last year or so, when the challenge after Lidstrom and others(veterans) really has been there.

 

[Squirrel in the Hole]

I think what we're seeing is that Holland actually proved himself right this time. Babcock is using the guys that Holland wanted, not the guys that Babcock himself wanted, and that's made a difference.

But let's not pretend that dispute is over. When it comes time for Jurco/Jarnkrok/Sproul, we'll be talking about Babcock's aversion to youth and finesse all over again.

Disagree, I don't see Tootoo, Sammy or Bert in the lineup, and those are all on Holland.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Disagree, I don't see Tootoo, Sammy or Bert in the lineup, and those are all on Holland.

That's sort of misleading. By that logic, every player on the roster is a Holland player.

 

[VladTheImpaler]

I think what we're seeing is that Holland actually proved himself right this time. Babcock is using the guys that Holland wanted, not the guys that Babcock himself wanted, and that's made a difference.

But let's not pretend that dispute is over. When it comes time for Jurco/Jarnkrok/Sproul, we'll be talking about Babcock's aversion to youth and finesse all over again.

To be fair, it is kind of a mix of both philosophies. This team is not solely getting by on skill and finesse, as hard-work grit and "swarming" is playing just as big of a role (if not a larger role) in our success during the last month.

 

[Fugu]

Disagree, I don't see Tootoo, Sammy or Bert in the lineup, and those are all on Holland.

I said it earlier, but I see these two, and especially Sammy as Babs-type players.

 

[Bench]

To be fair, it is kind of a mix of both philosophies. This team is not solely getting by on skill and finesse, as hard-work grit and "swarming" is playing just as big of a role (if not a larger role) in our success during the last month.

Hard working and skilled? Sign me up.

 

[FlashyG]

Disagree, I don't see Tootoo, Sammy or Bert in the lineup, and those are all on Holland.

Last off-season Babcock asked for Right handed shots, more speed, a scorer capable of playing in the top 6 and players who are difficult to play against.

Bert when healthy fits the last 2 categories, Sammy is a Right handed shot who can play in the top 6 when needed and Tootoo fits 3 of those categories.

I think they were all players Babs wanted or the closest available to what he wanted and they just didn't work out how he and Holland likely hoped.

We really have no idea what the inner workings are like between Babcock and management, and considering how well this season has gone compared to what we expected maybe we should all chill out a bit and stop second guessing them.

 

[SoupGuru]

In the same way that the players recognize that Babcock is improving their game even if he can be an ******* and they don't get along now and then - I'm sure the relationship between a coach and GM can be the same.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

To be fair, it is kind of a mix of both philosophies. This team is not solely getting by on skill and finesse, as hard-work grit and "swarming" is playing just as big of a role (if not a larger role) in our success during the last month.

No, I agree totally. It was a misstatement to say that Holland "won". It's more like he got Babcock to compromise.

 

[dtones520]

Last off-season Babcock asked for Right handed shots, more speed, a scorer capable of playing in the top 6 and players who are difficult to play against.

Bert when healthy fits the last 2 categories, Sammy is a Right handed shot who can play in the top 6 when needed and Tootoo fits 3 of those categories.

I think they were all players Babs wanted or the closest available to what he wanted and they just didn't work out how he and Holland likely hoped.

We really have no idea what the inner workings are like between Babcock and management, and considering how well this season has gone compared to what we expected maybe we should all chill out a bit and stop second guessing them.

Agreed and we should also realize that Holland has this team is set up pretty well for the future as well. Despite the lack of trades at the deadline we still have our top prospects and a lot of them are getting a ton of great experience right now. Nyquist, Tatar, Jurco, Jankrok, Frk, Oullett, Sproul, Smith, Mrazek, Shehan, Ferraro, etc are all still in the organization. Dekeyser was a great signing. Brunner could turn out to be a good player for us for a few years if he sticks around.

We also have a great situation with the salary cap and outside of, maybe, Franzens contract, we don't have any terrible contracts on this team. He didnt go blow money on guys like Matt Carle when we missed on Suter. And we will have some money to play with this offseason to pick up scraps from teams shedding salary or to save money for when Datsyuk leaves.

Babcock has done a great job with this team, but Holland also had a part in assembling it too.

 

[TheLotusEater]

The younger this team gets, the more Duck-like they will become in regards to grit and toughness and that is by no means a bad thing. It's really cool to see Babcock with a young impressionable group. We could be already starting a new era in Wings dominance regardless of what happens from here on out these playoffs. My opinion anyway.

 

[YostisHome]

What exactly is Cleary doing? He's doing a better job forechecking but for someone who gets a good chunk of ice time he can't finish to save his life and is has been a turnover machine all year. I don't see how he could be a "good locker room guy", I'd resent him if I was in that locker room, he essentially is the only one on the team never held to any type of standard and no accountability.

 

[Frk It]

But the dude is doing his job. I agree with people who believe Nyquist deserves more IT, but Cleary has been here before, he knows what to do and he's doing it. He's not nearly as effective as he once was - but the coach trusts him and for the majority of the time he's trustworthy.

I think his deficiencies (Cleary) definitely outweigh his experience and locker room presence, but that's just my opinion.

 

[pdd]

That's sort of misleading. By that logic, every player on the roster is a Holland player.

Only because Lidstrom retired.

 

[Fugu]

What exactly is Cleary doing? He's doing a better job forechecking but for someone who gets a good chunk of ice time he can't finish to save his life and is has been a turnover machine all year. I don't see how he could be a "good locker room guy", I'd resent him if I was in that locker room, he essentially is the only one on the team never held to any type of standard and no accountability.

When you're playing a highly skilled, high scoring team like the Hawks, whom you will never outgun, great forechecking is pretty important. The more you can pen the opposition up in their own end, and not roaming freely in the defensive zone, the better. He gets chances but realistically, I don't think Babs has him on the team because he thinks he's a sniper.

 

[obey86]

But wait, I thought the GM and coach should be fired and we should have kept Steve Yzerman instead (he's doing a great job in TB btw)? Plus, we should have signed Eric Cole for 5 million a year long term and gotten rid of Ericsson because he's wayyyyyyyyy too expensive/has a ridiculous contract and he sucks.

 

[Fugu]

But wait, I thought the GM and coach should be fired and we should have kept Steve Yzerman instead (he's doing a great job in TB btw)? Plus, we should have signed Eric Cole for 5 million a year long term and gotten rid of Ericsson because he's wayyyyyyyyy too expensive/has a ridiculous contract and he sucks.

Ericsson did suck. Babs made a comment in another article about how much E has improved this year.

 

[Bench]

Ericsson did suck. Babs made a comment in another article about how much E has improved this year.

I've got my eye on you.

 

[norrisnick]

Ericsson did suck. Babs made a comment in another article about how much E has improved this year.

Does Smith suck?

 

[Fugu]

Does Smith suck?

He's making a lot of rookie mistakes. How well do you think E would have done three years ago playing third highest TOI/gm-- on this type of team? He would have sucked worse than Smith.


No idea why you even ask the question with such incongruous situations.

I've got my eye on you.

He's vastly improved this year. I see him sticking closer to the net instead of skating around all over the defensive zone like he used to, for example.

 

[norrisnick]

He's making a lot of rookie mistakes. How well do you think E would have done three years ago playing third highest TOI/gm-- on this type of team? He would have sucked worse than Smith.

That would be very hard to do.

No idea why you even ask the question with such incongruous situations.

I was just wondering if you're willing to categorize one of your favorites in the same way as you've done with others you didn't take a liking to. You certainly had no patience for other players' growing pains.

 

[Fugu]

That would be very hard to do.


I was just wondering if you're willing to categorize one of your favorites in the same way as you've done with others you didn't take a liking to. You certainly had no patience for other players' growing pains.

I was tougher on E three years out than 1 year out. Besides, this all started with Babs' impression of his improvement over that time period.