Babcock has plenty of options
If leaving Detroit, he has his pick of enticing opportunities, writes Michael Traikos.
Moments after the Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs, head coach Mike Babcock was asked about his future in the city he has called home for the past 10 years.
“I’m not talking about that now,” he said, rather curtly. “We’ll have a meeting and final news conference, I’ll be happy to talk about that crap then.”
And yet, in his post-game remarks on Wednesday, Babcock kept hinting at the so-called “crap” that has been bubbling beneath the surface all season long. For a coach who did not want to talk about his future, Babcock sure sounded like a coach who will not be returning to Detroit. Then again, free agency can change a lot of things. Maybe the Red Wings are just a free agent or two away from convincing Babcock to stay.
Of course, they are not the only team vying for his services this summer. Here are seven spots where he could be coaching next season:
DETROIT
Could Babcock return to the team he has coached for the past decade? Of course he could. The Red Wings organization is built on loyalty. It is why players like Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Zetterberg have never played elsewhere. It is clear that Babcock is growing tired of being a non-contender, but landing a couple of topfour defencemen like François Beauchemin, Christian Ehrhoff, Andrej Sekera or Cody Franson could solve some of these problems.
PITTSBURGH
The Penguins have thrown their support behind first-year head coach Mike Johnston, but would Babcock’s availability — and interest — change things? Babcock coached Sidney Crosby to two Olympic gold medals and coached against him in two Stanley Cup finals, so he knows what the Penguins captain can do. And while the Penguins have underachieved recently mostly because of injuries, the window is wide open for more championships.
EDMONTON
Connor McDavid convinced GM Peter Chiarelli to come to Edmonton. Could Babcock be swayed? No question, the Oilers have a lot of potential. They just need a coach to teach the young players. For Babcock, the allure is obvious.
SAN JOSE
Babcock might not want to go from one past-its-prime roster to another. But there are differences between San Jose and Detroit. The Sharks have young players who have taken over the offensive load. Maybe all the Sharks need is a new voice behind the bench.
PHILADELPHIA
Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek are not Datsyuk and Zetterberg, but they make Philadelphia interesting. The Flyers organization is not afraid to swing for the fences and alter the roster. Philadelphia might make sense.
TORONTO
This seemingly most unlikely fit is also the likeliest, simply because the Leafs can potentially offer the most money. Is that enough to get a coach who has made the playoffs for the past 10 years to take over a rebuild in its infancy? It sounds unlikely. But perhaps Babcock would be interested in a role in shaping the roster like Patrick Roy is doing in Colorado.
BUFFALO
They didn’t win the chance to draft McDavid, but the Sabres are still going to end up with Jack Eichel (a No. 1 pick in most other years). Buffalo has the foundation of a young roster that should be competitive for years. Now, they just need a coach to teach the kids.