OT- Mike Babcock destination
April 10th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
Mgoblog posters told me he was coming to Michigan though!
/s
April 10th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^
I realize there's about a 1% chance of Babcock in Ann Arbor, but can you imagine having our flagship programs in the hands of Jim Harbaugh, John Beilein, and Mike Babcock? That would be unreal.
I know you said "flagship" but don't forget the women's soccer coach had the USWNT before coming to A2. Our softball and swimming coaches are elite as well!
April 10th, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^
if he didn't stay with the Wings.
Who am I to contradict Mike Babcock? I sure hope Jim Hackett doesn't turn him down.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:55 PM ^
there is nothing incorrect in my post.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^
NFL.com says Babcock is going to the Oakland Raiders.
April 10th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
I hope he stays in Detroit, but can see his going to a Canadian team if there is a spot open.
April 10th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
Yost Ice Arena
April 10th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
I think this is right. He's got a young core to build on and they take care of him. He's staying.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
My honest guesses would be 1) Stay in Detroit 2) Pitt 3) Toronto on some ridiculous deal
April 10th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
Take off your Wings fan glasses. If people think Toronto won't be a realistic option or a serious factor in this thing then they are delusional. Toronto can offer roster control (by eliminating Dave Nonis) which Babcock won't ever get with Detroit and they have the ability to pay him ridiciulous amounts of money with term (neither Pittsburgh or Edmonton have these types of resources). Is that the right move? Hard to say. On the other hand, the guy who actually wins consistently with the Leafs will be sainted like a combination of Bo/Return of Harbaugh (only more sainted and twice as beloved).
I don't think it's an unreasonable belief to think he'll stay in Detroit. That's not a homer opinion. Might he leave for Toronto? Sure. But Detroit treats him well, he has upper management who know how to draft and develop, and he has a say in everything. It's not like Wings fans are bitching that he needs to go because we haven't won the Cup in a few years. He's not going to be "sainted" like he might in Toronto, but he is beloved in Detroit none-the-less. There are legitimate reasons to think he'll stay beyond just Wings fans' homerism.
Toronto is a realistic landing spot for Babcock it's YOU who is delusional.
First of all Toronto is the laughing stock of the NHL and has one of the most insatiable and predatory media markets in sports. Second, you obviously don't know much about the relationship between Babcock and Shanahan...to put it lightly, they're not big fans of one another. Third, not even Babcock could turn what Toronto has into a winning team let alone build a consistent winning culture.
They have no goalies, brutal defense, not a single useful forward beside JVR and Kessel, and no future stars save for maybe Morgan Reilly. That entire organization, along with the Toronto sports media, is a downright disgrace to hockey and Uncle Mike isn't going to ride in on his white stag and put the fire out any time soon.
April 11th, 2015 at 12:12 AM ^
Says a guy with a Wings photo in his profile. Toronto can offer him money, term and control. If Shanahan is willing to move Nonis and give Babcock personnel control this is a very different situation for him. I do not think he would come to Toronto in a million years for anything less than huge money, term and total personnel control.
The current state of the Leafs roster is, evidently, terrible but control and money might inform a different set of decisions for Babcock. That's not delusion, it's fact. Of course the Toronto media is focused on hockey; despite the brutal nature of the Leafs for a thousand years the passion of that fanbase is unmatched. I'm old enough to have lived in Windsor in the 80's and recall the 80's and early 90's Wings teams (see Larson, Reed) and the very empty Tampa like JLA. Those teams, and the Wings in general, were as bad as this generation of the Leafs. I find the arrogance of Wings fans of the current era kind of amusing given this parallel.
Bottom line, if Babcock were to come to Toronto and win he'd be sainted. He can't ever achieve anything like that in Detroit. I think he probably doesn't go to Toronto but he'd have compelling reasons to think about it.
But that seems their best selling point since they might be headed to a full rebuild. I think Dion Phanuef has better chance of being a Red Wing than Babcock uprooting himself to Toronto. He and his family are pretty ingrained in the Plymouth/Northville community so it would have to be an unreal offer to get him to bolt.
April 11th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^
I hear Flint is developing a solid new franchise to merge into the NHL. Maybe they'll change the name to the Tropics too.
RIP Plymouth
April 10th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
I cant see him leaving Detroit. All those young guys he basically brought into the league...Smith, Nyquist, Abs, Helm, Mrazek, Dekyser, Kindle, Tatar, Jurco, Sheahan, now Pulkinan, Ferria, etc.. (sorry on spelling)... Plus he has so much young talent waiting in Grand Rapids, Europe and at MICHIGAN. He's been a Detroit guy for over a decade, and Detroit is basically Canadian when it comes to hockey....How could he leave..
April 10th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^
Toronto and Edmonton are not close to competing. In fact, fans and media in both cities pretty much screwed themselves out of any chance to land a top tier coach.
The Wings on the other hand are trending up. Why would he want to leave?
April 10th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
Maybe if Toronto was even close to competing, but not like this.
Whoever takes the Leaf's job next will be given a C-List roster and be expected to make the playoffs. Then the coach will be ran out of town.
Mike Babcock is smarter that. He won't take this job.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
Canada is right over there. He can probably see it from his office.
2nd, if he wants more money, I'm sure Illitch is willing to pay it. Look how much he's spending on the Tigers. Dude obviously wants a few more championships before the long nap.
I'd honestly be surprised if Babcock leaves.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
And neither of us knows what's going on inside either of their heads. I think Illitch would pay if he thought Babcock was going to being him another Stanley Cup, and do it in short order.
Also, you and I are paying for most of that new arena.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
Stays where he is. He isn't going to get "total" control somewhere else. Just like Harbaugh wasn't going to get "total control" anywhere he went in the NFL.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^
I think it all depends on what he wants. If he wants the most money, he probably stays in Detroit or goes to Toronto (which, IMO, are his two likeliest destinations). I highly doubt he is going to get control over player peronnel decisions in Detroit, so that could be something another team could offer to lure him away, if that is what he is interested in.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
i think he'll jump for most money - he might be crazy enough to take on the Leafs challenge
NBD, bring on Blashill
April 10th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
Probably one of Red's assistants next year
April 10th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
Pittsburghs run is over.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
They still have two of the best three offensive players in the league. And a Malkin trade might net them a ton.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^
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April 10th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^
If they miss the playoffs they'll consider trading Geno or Letang, absolutely. Crosby is untouchable but the other guys could go. The core has failed to win more than one cup.
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Crosby is a diver
He's also the best player in the game.
Ownership in Anaheim treated him poorly. That's why he left.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:15 PM ^
He'll probably end up somewhere on the Michigan Football staff.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
Yost.
April 10th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^
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April 10th, 2015 at 12:32 PM ^
April 10th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^