Holland and Babcock on the same page regarding Contract talks

[FlashyG]

This was the main point in the article and the most definitive proof I've seen yet that Babcock will be back with the Wings.

"Ken Holland and I have a great relationship. I have a great owner. I like Detroit. I have no concern at all with my situation. We'll find a way to get a deal worked out. But it's not like I'm in any rush. If it happens, it happens, if not, we'll get it done at the end of the year."

Here is the full article

Click to read more...

 

[Vladdy84]

This was the main point in the article and the most definitive proof I've seen yet that Babcock will be back with the Wings.



Here is the full article

See ya Mike.

 

[Frk It]

I am not trying to be a jerk in any way-- but I don't think that proves anything.

 

[FlashyG]

Outside of actually signing a contract how could he have made his intentions any clearer?

Personally, I think the only way he's not back with the team next year is if Holland doesn't want him back.

 

[Kronwalled55]

I'm not getting that headline out of that article at all. (Not pointing at you Flashy, its the actual headline of the article)

It seems like Mike wants to stay, but is keeping his options open. "If it happens, it happens" referring to the current situation just doesn't jive well with me. And "getting it done at the end of the year" could mean anything. The first line gets me the most though. Holland and Babcock might have that "great relationship" as friends, but I don't see it from a hockey standpoint. Mostly from years past, but even last year with the Legwand thing. Holland spends an arm and leg to get him, and Babcock puts him on the 4th line during the games that matter most.

Maybe I'm overthinking it. I guess I'll believe that he's staying when I see the words confirmed with link.

 

[Flowah]

I'm not getting that headline out of that article at all. (Not pointing at you Flashy, its the actual headline of the article)

It seems like Mike wants to stay, but is keeping his options open. "If it happens, it happens" referring to the current situation just doesn't jive well with me. And "getting it done at the end of the year" could mean anything.

The "if it happens" bit is referring specifically to getting a contract done during the year, from the context anyway.

So he's saying basically "if we can't get a contract done during the year, no big deal, we'll just do it at the end of the year."

Seems like a lock to me.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Outside of actually signing a contract how could he have made his intentions any clearer?

Personally, I think the only way he's not back with the team next year is if Holland doesn't want him back.

I agree. The two of them have worked together for 10 years. There isn't some big rift between them. That much is pretty clear. Babs isn't going anywhere.

 

[Frk It]

Outside of actually signing a contract how could he have made his intentions any clearer?

Personally, I think the only way he's not back with the team next year is if Holland doesn't want him back.

Because if he doesn't sign before camp, it's because he's going to want to test free agency.

He's not going to outright say that, but that's going to be why. Holland pretty much acknowledges that in the last paragraph of the article.

"The guy's got an opportunity of a lifetime," Holland added. "He's an unrestricted free agent. He's 52 years of age. His stock isn't going to get any higher. He's coming off his second Olympic gold. He was finalist for coach of the year. People feel the job he did last year with our team was as good as he's done here in a number of years."

Yeah Holland would love to have him back. So would every other team in the league. And Babcock may want to have his options open. Who could blame him.

I don't really think this article gives any definitive answer one way or the other.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

The thing that stuck out to me was Babcock backpedaling on the whole free agency thing.

Babcock blames himself for letting his contract be the main topic of discussion over this summer, saying that he was caught "off guard" when asked about it on locker-cleanout day. He thinks he said too much to the press that day, which created a lot of overblown speculation.

http://www.foxsports.com/detroit/st...n-alfredsson-still-undecided-on-future-090314

 

[Chance on Chance]

doesnt really sell it for me. Whats the hold up in him signing before the season starts? He wants to see how the team does and keep his options open. He wants another cup and doesnt think if we can get there will go somewhere else

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Money is clearly not going to be an issue, so why wouldn't a contract between two people who love to work with each other not get done before the season started?

I believe Babcock is gone if he doesn't sign an extension before the start of the season.

 

[detredWINgs]

Money is clearly not going to be an issue, so why wouldn't a contract between two people who love to work with each other not get done before the season started?

I believe Babcock is gone if he doesn't sign an extension before the start of the season.

I don't see it that way at all. I think Babcock is going to hold out for most of the playing season to see if (a) enough prospects and young players take the next step (b) Holland can address team needs via a trade or at the deadline (c) the health of Hank and Pavel and (d) the overall direction the team looks to be heading in.

We can talk all we want about the "bright future" of the Wings, but the fact of the matter is, as it stands, we have a lot of quality over quantity. Or perhaps a better way of putting it would be having a lot of "secondary" over "primary." Even a guy like Nyquist isn't someone you hitch your wagon to without more. In fact, even if Mantha blows us away, you don't build championships off of an elite winger. We have no heir apparent to Datsyuk or Zetterberg and not even an heir apparent to Kronwall (let alone Rafalski or Lidstrom) right now.

At the end of the day, no coach is going to win a Cup without the requisite talent and its a lot easier to build around a team that already has great puck-movers and a reasonably-aged #1 center than to sit around twiddling your thumbs hoping that your current organization can even produce such players, let alone wait for them to develop.

 

[chances14]

some good lebrun quotes from today

“I could tell you this from talking to Mike last week. The expectation was that Babcock and Ken Holland were going to sit down together, whether it was this week or next week, between now and puck drop in October they were going to sit down and talk contract. Whether or not that produced an extension remains to be seen.

“I can tell you this: I think this is really difficult for Babcock. I think he’s gone back and forth all summer long. The bottom line is he works for the best ownership group in the NHL and who wants to leave that in the Ilitch family?

http://www.nicholsonhockey.com/worthreading/2014/9/10/lebrun-sensed-complete-indecision-from-babcock

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I think the biggest thing here is what other power does Babcock get? He will get that from every other team. He likes our ownership a great deal, raves about them every chance he gets and we know the money will be there. How much personnel input does he want? He looks around, he should be the top paid coach, but he likely wants at least what Roy has in terms of say. That will be harder to manage, do they give him some other title, will it simply be a promise, they have drafted more of his kind of guys lately so I think his voice is heard, but does he want it in firm writing and with a title on the door?

 

[YostisHome]

Pretty clear to me... I think he will stay if things go well and the future is bright at the end of the season... if not, he has an out.