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

[What The Puck]

I hope Toronto keeps losing. This will just make it that much more amusing.

 

[corpfan1]

Also included in the contract a promise to begin summer vacation in early April every season.

 

[missingchicklet]

Obviously a great move by Toronto. They still have a lot of problems that even a good coach cannot fix.

 

[BostonBob]

Pretty pathetic that the Leafs had to pay Babcock such a ridiculous amount to agree to be their Head Coach. Babcock is actually going to make $ 1 million more than the next 2 highest paid NHL Head Coaches ( Quennville $ 2.75 million and Julien $ 2.5 million ) made last season. According to Sportsnet only 44 players in the NHL will make more money than Babcock will earn next season.

 

[robert terwilliger]

this'll be fun.

it's always said that it's hard for coaches to get through to players who are making more than they are.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Pathetic is a pretty good word for that organization.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

 

[Replicator]

"It's not about the money!"

Rumor had it that Babcock was looking for a big payday in order to boost salaries for coaches across the league.
I'm sure personal gain had nothing to do with it.

But it kind of makes sense - Top NFL & NBA coaches are getting north of $7m - so the NHL could do with a little wage inflation behind the bench. And the Laffs are just the guys to do it.

 

[Gee Wally]

29 other franchises just screamed in unison, 'are you ******** me? ! "

That just bumped coaches salaries way out of whack.

 

[Johnmbs1962]

It doesn't solve their problems.......but if you're a franchise as rich as MLSE and the best coach in the world finally becomes available and you're not throwing the one thing you do have ($$$$$$) at him then you're not doing it right......contract is ridiculous but it doesn't go against the cap and they can absorb the risk.......

 

[Number8]

It doesn't solve their problems.......but if you're a franchise as rich as MLSE and the best coach in the world finally becomes available and you're not throwing the one thing you do have ($$$$$$) at him then you're not doing it right......contract is ridiculous but it doesn't go against the cap and they can absorb the risk.......

Babcock is certainly good. Very good.

However what makes him the best coach in the world? What am I missing?

 

[boston77]

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

Why ? Is Babcock going to waive a magic wand and make the Leafs play better? He is going got install his style of play but that is going to take a few years, they need to upgrade their talent level first. As for Eichel he is good but he is also young and the Sabres are not going to be contenders anytime soon. This team (B's) have a good core of young players , we have to play a more aggressive style and get players who can make plays and skate (I love the way Tampa plays) . Babcock will also have to deal with a media that is not like Detroit, they will be on his case constantly, there are no breaks for a hockey player or coach in TO .. 24/7 365 hockey talk no where to hide.

 

[Over the volcano]

Hopefully this lets JJ know he wont have to pay a dime for julien if they decide to let him go.

 

[qc]

All of it.

Dayum.

 

[DominicT]

How long before the NHL locks out the coaches to bring down their skyrocketing salaries and save the owners from themselves by implementing a 2% HRR sharing and a cap on coaches salaries?

 

[DKH]

Hopefully this lets JJ know he wont have to pay a dime for julien if they decide to let him go.

Claude would be in Buffalo by nightfall

 

[Dynasty]

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.

I totally agree. Babcock is an elite coach who will right the ship in Toronto. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the Leafs in the finals even three years from now. I just finished watching the presser and in a very subtle way Babcock implied that the Kessels of the world will be a gone. Babcock stated that it was going to be a very long and painful process but that he is committed to building a winning team that will be comprised of real men. Kessel never was a real man and will never be a real man. That's just the way some things/people are in life and next to impossible to change.

I just hope we are not stupid enough to bring him back here.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

...

Good move for Toronto. They picked their guy and did what it took to get him. I applaud that.

It's a crazy price/commitment. No doubt about it. But that's what it takes to get the best to go to Toronto and face the media and the fans there. And it's not as though money isn't something that they're hurting for.

Joel Quenneville though? When his contract is up, he's going to be asking where his $60M is hiding... What Wally says is the big news with this contract - NHL coaches salaries are about to jump.

 

[BostonBob]

I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the Leafs in the finals even three years from now.

Not a chance.

 

[mislysBB]

This is still hilarious every time I watch it

 

[GarbageGoal]

I think there's a lot of whistling past the graveyard here. Toronto has shown they have the talent to get on streaks and win. Babcock could be the guy to sustain that.

 

[ashnathan]

How long before the NHL locks out the coaches to bring down their skyrocketing salaries and save the owners from themselves by implementing a 2% HRR sharing and a cap on coaches salaries?

I wondered this myself yesterday maybe they should make them count against the cap