Confirmed with Link: Maple Leafs hire Mike Babcock for reported 8 years, $50 million

[rudos1]

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25190731/report-mike-babcock-leaving-detroit-red-wings

Top likely team Toronto? Would Sweeney even consider if he can be had???

MOD UPDATE

Maple Leafs hire Mike Babcock for reported 8 years, $50 million

Click to read more...

 

[Estlin]

On the main board, they're saying that Toronto reportedly offered Babcock $8 million per year (!) and, possibly, some say in personnel decisions.

 

[Man Rocket]

He's going to Toronto

 

[NinthSpoke06]

8 years, $50 million.

Oh Toronto...haha

 

[Fire Sweeney]

 

[Alicat]

Babcock is good but that is a serious overpayment.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

8 year contract and some say in personnel decisions.

LOL

 

[BruinsFTW]

The Wings have sweetened their offer to Babcock from $3.25 million annually to around $4 million, over as many as five years. The Sabres were rumored to be offering 10 years and $50 million, an annual breakdown that would have made Babcock the highest-paid coach in the NHL by more than $2 million per year more than the Chicago Blackhawks' Joel Quenneville.

If Babcock signs elsewhere, the Wings will be compensated a third-round draft pick once within the next three years. The leading candidate to replace Babcock in Detroit is Grand Rapids Griffins coach Jeff Blashill. Blashill told the Free Press last week that his "ultimate goal is to coach in the NHL." He's presently preparing the Griffins for the third round of the AHL playoffs.

 

[BruinsFTW]

8 years 50 million...6.25 a year....thats just insane...and like what...3 mill more than any other coach...

Why Babcock why! WHY TORONTO!

Oh yeah. Money.

Always about that $$$$$

I think its frontloaded as well...First 3 years is 8m per year

 

[alg363636]

Holy guacamole that's a lotta years and a lotta $$$

 

[BMC]

And in other news....water is still wet

 

[ODAAT]

Holy guacamole that's a lotta years and a lotta $$$

with a lotta crappy players

 

[Absurdity]

with a lotta crappy players

He's got 8 years.

 

[Dellstrom]

Babcock is a tremendous coach but he's overrated, IMO. I guess the money doesn't matter because it's Toronto, they can do whatever the hell they want financially, but it's throwing money around.

Let's see what Babcock can do with a group of losers who don't even know what the word "leadership" means. Not every team is going to have a Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, etc. to set the example.

The Leafs definitely have some guys who lead by example. Kessel goes on month long dry streaks and blames the media, Phaneuf is an absolute pylon, and Lupul threatens to fight his fans because they make fun of him. Shocker, the team goes on a colossal losing streak and tanks after all of that drama happens... Every. single. year. Babcock can help turn that organization around, but it's 100x more player based than it is coaching. You're not going to win with a group of losers and that's what they have.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I never heard of a coach that is tremendous and overrated at the same time.

 

[Hnidy Hnight]

Good move by Toronto. The terms are huge, but they can afford it. Doesnt effect the salary cap. I don't see anything negative about this from their perspective.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

He's unanimously considered the best coach in the league, he gets to dictate the terms of his contract.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Clode is a steal at 2,5M.

 

[kytem2]

He's unanimously considered the best coach in the league, he gets to dictate the terms of his contract.

I seriously doubt it's unanimous...Detroit has won 1 playoff series in the past 4 seasons.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

I seriously doubt it's unanimous...Detroit has won 1 playoff series in the past 4 seasons.

Read this. Holland hasn't made a good trade in over 10 years.

http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Ken_Holland/138

 

[kytem2]

Read this. Holland hasn't made a good trade in over 10 years.

http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Ken_Holland/138

And Babcock had no say in personnel decisions ? Good luck selling that, his ego is enormous.
Anyway, if the league now lets the Leafs get away with all the interference Detroit did, they will obviously be a better team.

 

[Dellstrom]

He's unanimously considered the best coach in the league, he gets to dictate the terms of his contract.

Coaches are so hard to rate. Look at the Jack Adams winners since the lockout.

2005-06: Lindy Ruff (Sabres) - fired
2006-07: Alain Vigneault (Canucks) - fired
2007-08: Bruce Boudreay (Caps) - fired
2008-09: Claude Julien (Bruins) - in jeopardy
2009-10: Dave Tippet (Coyotes) - has been in jeopardy for a while
2010-11: Dan Bylsma (Pens) - fired
2011-12: Ken Hitchcock (Blues) - most likely going to be fired
2012-13: Paul Maclean (Sens) - fired

The only coach that is pretty safe since the lockout is Roy, and he was just hired last season. Look at when Ruff got fired, when the Sabres got bad. Vigneault, after the Canucks choked multiple years in a row, and needed a scapegoat. Boudreau, Bylsma, probably Hitchcock: same as Vigneault. MacLean when the Sens got bad, maybe Claude since we're getting bad. Babcock has never won a Jack Adams trophy, but his job has never been in jeopardy. He's undoubtedly the most consistently good coach in the league. IMO, that's what you look for in a coach. Sure, Ruff/Vigneault/Boudreau left their teams and joined others and have had a lot of success. But they got fired because their teams got bad. Detroit has never been bad... They've never needed an excuse. Babcock is leaving on good terms, he wasn't fired. He's not going to have the luxury of having a guaranteed good team in Toronto.

Babcock vs. other coaches is almost like Kessel vs. Bergeron. Do you want one guy who's going to be elite some nights, but invisible for most of them, or someone who is going to be consistently good in multiple areas, and a proven leader? Most teams will take the Bergeron, Babcock. He's the best coach in the league, sure, he's earned that title. But I have a feeling that's going to change in the mess that is Toronto.

 

[Mount Kramer Cameras]

Babcock to the Leafs, Eichel to Buffalo, Florida on the rise. Man, our division looks a lot tougher than it did not too long ago

 

[Man Rocket]

Babcock to the Leafs, Eichel to Buffalo, Florida on the rise. Man, our division looks a lot tougher than it did not too long ago

Tampa becoming serious contenders with that young team too

 

[whatsbruin]

8 years 50 million...6.25 a year....thats just insane...and like what...3 mill more than any other coach...

Why Babcock why! WHY TORONTO!

Oh yeah. Money.

Always about that $$$$$

I think its frontloaded as well...First 3 years is 8m per year

It isn't about the money.
It is about respect.
It just so happens the team that is willing to pay the most always has the most respect.