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On Mike Babcock + a possible Johnson/Bird-type rivalry with McDavid/Eichel |
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Although I won't say that I wasted 25 minutes of my life watching TSN's Darren Dreger interview Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland and his coach (as of now) Mike Babcock nothing out of the ordinary was revealed during the session. I could have waited for the highlights and have gotten as much from it.
Yes, one could construct a myriad of opinions after an attempt to read between the lines and/or focus upon body language as well as other forms of non-verbal communications, but why bother?
It's well known that Babcock likes being a part of the Detroit Red Wings family. It's also been made known that his wife likes where they are right now. We also know that the team is going through a transitionary period where the old guard is nearing the end of the line and the young turks are expected to step into those roles by carrying the weight of the franchise. Which is something that will play a key role in Babcock's decision.
What it comes down to at this point in time is that one would be better off going to the roulette wheel and plunking a stack on red or black--as in Detroit or Buffalo--when it comes to where he'll end up. No one knows, maybe not even Babcock himself, where he'll put his chips and the Dreger interview really did nothing to clarify to the situation. Sure there's the aught and double aught of the green spaces on the wheel that keep its from being 50/50 or a true, two team race, but in this blogger's opinion, it's either sticking with the Wings or guiding a young Sabres squad.
Much respect for Dreger and the work he does for TSN. Thanks to his interview we now know that Babcock will be making his decision by May 20th instead of the 25th.
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When it comes to Babcock, I like WGR's Paul Hamilton and his take on why he's most interested in what the coach can do, mainly with Sam Reinhart, a player who could become an integral piece of any Sabres success moving forward.
Reinhart was picked second overall in the 2014 draft by Buffalo and spent last season playing for his junior team. He has all the tools to go with his supreme hockey sense, but he still needs to work on his skating a bit, and he really needs to grow a little more into his 6'1" frame to be able to handle the rigors of the NHL. "I told him he’s just not heavy enough. He’s not strong enough yet," Sabres GM Tim Murray said after sending Reinhart down.
By the looks of it, Reinhart doesn't seem as if he'll be able to put on much more without adversely affecting his game. Adding just five pounds of bulk might be too much, so where he is right now is probably pretty close to his playing weight. And that's where Babcock comes into play.
"I would not be as worried with Reinhart being weak and slow and growing into his body and becoming a better player," said Hamilton on WGR's Mike Schopp and the Bulldog Show yesterday. "I would not worry as much about that if Babcock were here (in Buffalo) because he would find ways [to overcome that].
"[Detroit's] Pavel Datsyuk isn't a weight-lifter. He's not a professional wrestler or anything like that and he certainly wins battles for pucks. I'm not saying Reihart's going to become [Datsyuk] but I think [Babcock's] the type coach that can find ways to bring out what needs to be brought out in those players."
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Probable second-overall pick Jack Eichel will be in action today along with Team USA as they take on Team Russia in the IIHF World Hockey Championship semi-finals.
Before we go any further, much thanks to the NBCSN for televising Team USA's games throughout the tournament. That being said, today's game at 1:15 EST can only be viewed live on the NBC Sports Live Extra stream. The game will be aired on a delayed basis later at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN later tonight.
Which is unfortunate.
Anyhow, Eichel is the last remaining interest for Buffalo fans as the Erie Otters were eliminated from the OHL playoffs last night meaning Sabres prospect Nic Baptiste is done for the year. Also, a pretty good teammate of Baptiste named Connor McDavid is also done for the season.
I like how the whole McDavid/Eichel thing is shaping up as a possible Magic Johnson/Larry Bird rivalry.
Early indications may have the NHL in a similar situation as the NBA was back in the late-70's/early 80's when the league did have some stars and a superstar or two but not nearly the national appeal as the NFL or MLB.
Julius "Dr. J" Erving was working his magic for the Philadelphia 76'ers, introducing air-time that had not been seen before. The Boston Celtics with John Havlicek and Los Angeles Lakers with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, amongst others on both teams, were loaded with most of the day's stars, but as the ABA folded some great players like George "The Iceman" Gervin, Moses Malone and Artis Gilmore would be dispersed throughout the league joining some unheralded superstars like the Buffalo Braves' own Bob McAdoo.
Rich Barry was an early ABA defector who also came back to the NBA and helped lead the Golden State Warriors to their only title in 1974-75.
Even though the NBA had many Hall-of-Famers playing the game in the 70's it wasn't until Johnson and Bird came into the league that the NBA really took off in popuilarity. Johnson with his million dollar smile and Bird with his down-home approach were very appealing to the uninitiated and soon sides were formed. They met three times in the NBA Finals during the 80's with the Lakers winning two of the three. Los Angeles would win five championships during the decade while the Celtics would claim three.
It may be a reach but isn't all that far-fetched to believe a McDavid/Eichel rivalry could fuel a surge in popularity for the NHL. Both are highly touted, some would say, "generational," prospects who could elevate a team to Stanley Cup contender some day and the contrasts--from their birthplace to their games--have all the makings of classic rivalry. McDavid will likely be drafted by Edmonton and Eichel likely to go second to Buffalo. Edmonton is in the western conference, Buffalo in the east. McDavid is Canadian. Eichel, American. McDavid played in the Canadian Hockey League, Eichel played at Boston University. McDavid glides across the ice, Eichel has a more powerful stride. The Oilers have Stanley Cups, Buffalo does not. And so on, and so on.
The NHL tried to fuel a Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin rivalry post 2004-05 lockout but it was not to be. Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins would dominate the eastern conference for a few seasons and appear in two Stanley Cup Finals (winning one) while Ovechkin's Washington Capitals have not made it past the second round of the playoffs in seven tries. It didn't help that both were in the same conference either even though they met in the playoffs only once.
This could be much different, more akin to Johnson/Bird. And don't think something like that is lost on NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman. He began in the NBA in 1981, and saw just what a "personal" rivalry between supreme talents could do for the league.
Granted, the NHL is much more a team sport than the NBA which limits the individual impact of a superstar like Crosby. But it's star-power none-the-less.
Both McDavid and Eichel seem like class acts and hockey itself, despite the ruggedness of the game, is a class act right down to where the opposing teams shake hands at the conclusion of a playoff series.
With the sport growing as it is, a McDavid/Eichel rivalry could very well take it to the next level.
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