Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock flew from Prague to Detroit on Sunday. on Monday or Tuesday, the pending unrestricted free agent head coach will travel to San Jose to discuss the Sharks coaching vacancy.
San Jose is one of four teams that sought permission to speak with Babcock, whose contract with Detroit expires on June 30. The Sharks have not commented on the report.
It is believed that Babcock met with St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong while the two men were in Prague for the IIHF World Championships.
As of this moment, only the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs have filed the requisite paperwork that would allow their clubs to hand over a third round draft choice as compensation in the event that they hire Babcock.
I get the San Jose interview. They are a team without a head coach right now. Todd McLellan and the Sharks agreed to part company in April after the Sharks failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Sharks are also said to be interested in former NJ Devils head coach Peter DeBoer.
I'll be honest with you. I think that it's greasy that that the Blues have interviewed Babcock while Ken Hitchcock is still their head coach. What's more, Babcock and Hitchcock are great friends. They have coached with one another on two Team Canada Olympic gold medal winning squads. Talk about awkward. How does a friend interview for his friend's job while the friend is still employed in that job? The Blues were a first round casualty for the third straight seasons and Hitchcock is clearly in the cross hairs right now. For weeks, there has been rampant speculation about Hitchcock's future with the Blues. Doug Armstrong and the Blues have been conspicuously quiet since they cleaned out lockers three weeks ago. Hitchcock's contract also expires at the end of June.
I can't see Blues ownership paying Babcock north of $5 million per season on a 6-7 year contract. That's just me.
Last summer, the Wings offered Babcock a four-year contract extension for $3.25 million annually. He declined to sign off on the deal and opted to pursue offers on the open market.
On May 8, Wings GM Ken Holland granted Babcock permission to meet with teams that are interested in speaking with him about their coaching vacancies. On May 9 he met with teh Toronto Maple Leafs. On May 10, he visited traveled to Buffalo and met with Buffalo owners Terry and Kim Pegula, and, Sabres GM Tim Murray. In the past few days, Babcock sat down with Armstrong and the Blues in Pragie.
Babcock has said he will make his final decision on or by May 20.
According to the report, Toronto, Buffalo, St. Louis and San Jose have sought permission to speak with Babcock.
Red Wings, four other teams in the mix for Babcock as decision nears. Story: http://t.co/Tdc9MpXidY
Most Valuable Player (selected by the media)
Jaromir Jagr, Czech Republic
Individual Awards (selected by the tournament directorate)
Best Goaltender: Pekka Rinne, Finland
Best Defenceman: Brent Burns, Canada
Best Forward: Jason Spezza, Canada
All-Star Team (selected by the media)
Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck, USA
D: Brent Burns, Canada
D: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Sweden
F: Jaromir Jagr, Czech Republic
F: Jason Spezza, Canada
F: Taylor Hall, Canada
***
Last May, a seventeen year old phenom named Jack Eichel was leading Team USA at the IIHF U18 Tournament in Finland. Today, he is a bronze medal winner for Team USA at the IIHF World Hockey Championships. Connor Hellebuyck shutout the host Czechs 3-0.
Nick Bonino, Trevor Lewis and Charlie Coyle all scored for USA.
Eichel, Bonino, and Coyle did proud their alma mater Boston University.
Eichel's trajectory has been astonishing. Mature beyond his 18 years, Eichel routinely made plays that that 27 year old NHL veterans make and he made it look easy. Eichel scored two goals and added five assists in his 10 games played at the Worlds. He was +2. His creativity, vision, and skating were ultra impressive on the 200 by 100 international ice sheet. Eichel didn't look one iota out of place nor was he intimidated by older, professional players.
The line of Nelson-Eichel-Lewis combined for 26 points in 10 games played. Lewis(LA Kings) finished the tourney with 3G, 6A, while Nelson (NY Islanders) had 6G, 4A.
Eichel controls the puck for large stretches of games. Eichel controls the game.
If you missed any of the televised game action, here is a smidgen of the dominating performances that you missed from future Buffalo Sabres 200 foot center Eichel.
Buffalo Sabres fans have been salivating, and rightfully so, while they watch Eichel impose his offensive and defensive will on opponents at the IIHF Worlds. Sabres fans should get used to seeing Eichel representing the stars and stripes as he will be a prominent fixture on Team USA's Olympic squads for years to come. Imagine Eichel, Pat Kane, Zach Parise, Ryan Kesler, David Backes, TJ Oshie, Dustin Brown, Ryan Suter and others laying waste to international opponents at the World Cup and at the Olympics. It's going to happen, folks.
Eichel had quite the hockey year. He led the the NCAA in scoring as a freshman. He won the legendary Beanpot Tourney. His BU Terrier made it to the NCAA Frozen Four, however, they lost the National Championship game to Providence College.
He can now take a day or two off to reflect, rest and recover. Then, it's back to the gym. He, Connor McDavid, Dylan Strome, Noah Hanifin and dozens of other top prospects will converge on Buffalo later this month for the pre-draft NHL Combine.
The bronze victory gives the Americans an IIHF World Championship for the second time in three years. That has not happened since 1952. During that stretch of three years, Team USA earned silver in 1950 and 1952. They finished sixth overall in 1951.
From recent history, this was expected to be a closely contested game. Seven of the last nine games between these two teams have been decided by a single goal. Coming in, Team USA was 3-3 in bronze medal play, including a 1-0 win over Slovakia at the 2004 IIHF World Championship also here in Prague.
Last year, the Czechs eliminated the Americans in the quarter-final with a 4-3 decision at Minsk Arena.
It was better luck this time around.
"I’m very proud," captain Matt Hendricks told the IIHF.
"We had a quick turn-around. Obviously we wanted to be playing for the gold medal. But we were able to rally the troops and come out tonight and play a very, very strong game, backed by a great performance from our goaltender."
The game featured a head-to-head matchup between Winnipeg Jets goaltenders of the present and maybe the future. Ondrej Pavelec was coming off an admirable effort against Canada in a game where several important saves kept it close. Jets prospect Connor Hellebuyck rebounded nicely from the 4-0 loss to Russia last night. Hellebuyck leads all goaltenders in the tournament in both goals against average and saves percentage. Big stops in front today showed why he’s been tough to beat.
"Connor [Hellebuyck]’s our best player night in, night out," said Lewis. "He was there to stop pucks for us, and clear rebounds. We knew if we had a breakdown he was going to be there, he was a calming presence for us. I can’t say enough about him."
Hours from now, Mike Babcock will leave his cone of solitude in the Czech Republic. Once Dylan Larkin and Team USA have completed their bronze medal match with the host country, it's back to life. Back to reality. Back to the daily grind.
Babcock will board an airplane that will carry him home safely to his home in Detroit where he and his wife will have a heart to heart. Or three. When it's all said and done, Babcock will look back on this fantastic voyage that he has embarked upon. Hopefully, he won't look back in anger or with any regrets. Watching the TSN Darren Dreger sit down interview on Friday night, I saw a side of Babcock that I haven't seen before. He seemed nervous and on edge. His usually stoic, assertive, direct, in your face attitude gave way to dry mouth, shrugged shoulders, and head-spinning uncertainty. Seeing Babcock's softer side reminded me of one of Rob Lowe's alter egos from the TV ads. Personally, I like the firebrand, tear out your jugular vein Babcock version better.
Babcock can't run anymore.
He has a potentially life-altering decision to make. He's been in total control of this process since last summer. That's when Red Wings GM Ken Holland first approached him about re-signing a long term contract extension to remain as bench boss in Detroit. Babcock declined to sign the deal instead opting for the opportunity to go outside his Red Wings relationship to speak freely and openly with other teams. He has done that.
The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs have filed the necessary paperwork to transfer a third round draft choice as compensation for hiring Babcock. In other words, Tim Murray and Brendan Shanahan have upped their ante. Conspicuous by their Babsence are the Oilers (will hire McLellan), Sharks, and Flyers.
Its down to Buffalo, Toronto, and Detroit.
Babcock visited with Toronto brass last Saturday. He then invested quality time with the Pegulas and Tim Murray on Mother's Day. The only thing that awaits us now is whether or not Babcock will develop a case of cold feet and stay in Detroit, or, if he will go all-in on a new opportunity in Buffalo. The Pegulas can be very persuasive people. They look people in the eye and don't like taking "No" for an answer. They hate losing. They hated that their Sabres finished dead last, in 30th place the past two seasons. It was part of the plan. It was necessary in order to secure the generational talent who will help usher the Sabres into their new era of winning championships. You better believe that Terry Pegula will be seeing and raising the best offers from Detroit and Toronto. It was reported Saturday by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that the Sabres are preparing a "big pitch" for Babcock. That's true. More like a "bigger pitch". In the past week, the marketplace has spoken. The Leafs and Wings really want Babcock to themselves. The Sabres won't allow for that to happen without a fight. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Terry Pegula offered Babcock $40+ million AND his own natural gas well in Pennsylvania when it is all said in done. Can MLSE and the Illitch family offer a sustainable energy source on, multiple cupboards stocked with sick young talent, and $40+ million?
I didn't think so.
On his visit to Buffalo last Sunday, he toured the gorgeous, state-of-the-art facilities. He asked lots of questions of Terry and Kim Pegula and Tim Murray. They answered his questions. They asked him for a commitment on the proposal that they made to him. He respectfully declined to sign off on any deal as he had to first review the offer with his wife. That's commendable. It's the way that things should be. This is no impulse buy like a 90" flat screen TV or a brand new red convertible sports car. This decision will impact the rest of Babcock's coaching life. He won't get a do over. No reset button. One. Done.
No more calling out for "life lines" to help him. He's traveled the world over, listened to the pitches from the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. Now, he must give the hockey world his final answer.
Later tonight, after he walks through the front door of his home, kisses his wife, pets the family dog, cracks a cold Stella Artois, and puts his feet up on his favorite recliner, the answer will hit Babcock right between the eyes.
Tomorrow, he will awaken and set in motion the processes of moving on.
You can't teach reach. Eichel uses a hockey stick that is seven feet long. It allows him to toe drag and dangle like a champ.
Eichel ripped this beauty assist to Trevor Lewis for the 2-0 USA lead.
What how Eichel transofrms into a one man cycle machine, using his posterior to shield the puck from the Czech dender. His explosion and start-stop-laser pass instincts are impeccable. No wonder the Sabres wanted to finish 30th overall in the standings for the past two seasons.
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