Red Wings give Babcock permission to test market




DETROIT (AP) -- Mike Babcock can start testing the open market.

The Detroit Red Wings have granted a request from the highly respected coach for permission to speak with other teams. Babcock's contract is expiring this offseason, and his status is the main question facing the Red Wings as they try to figure out their plans for the future.

''He would like to explore the market,'' general manager Ken Holland said. ''I feel that this is the way to treat Mike with the respect that he's earned.''

After the Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs, Holland said although the team had exclusive negotiating rights with Babcock until the end of June, it wasn't in anyone's best interest for the process to linger that long. He echoed that sentiment Friday.

''I'd like to know in the next couple of weeks,'' Holland said.

Now Babcock can get a better sense of what his options are ...

read more: Yahoo! Sports

Babcock declines comment after meeting with Sabres owner

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Mike Babcock's coaching interview tour took him to Buffalo on Sunday for a meeting with Sabres owner Terry Pegula.

The Detroit Red Wings coach declined comment to The Associated Press, and referred questions to Pegula when the two got out of an SUV at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. Pegula said ''Hello,'' before making a remark on how much rain had fallen. The two then walked away and boarded a private jet ... read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/babcock...3794--nhl.html

Who are the top contenders for Mike Babcock?

... The top three contenders? The Detroit Red Wings, the Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers ...

read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...152618943.html

Mike Babcock in contract talks with Buffalo Sabres: Report

The Mike Babcock sweepstakes will come to a end this week. Finally. And while reports state it's down to two teams, the Buffalo Sabres look to be pulling away from the Detroit Red Wings in the race.

According to the Associated Press, Babcock and the Sabres have initiated contract discussions.

From John Wawrow of the AP:


The person said negotiations were taking place by phone between Babcock and Sabres general manager Tim Murray on Tuesday afternoon. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks are private.

Wawrow followed up with a Tweet stating nothing is done, but the two sides spoke on Tuesday, which would make sense since Babcock has said he'd like to make a decision by Wednesday ...

read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...204606011.html

Big risk, big reward: Mike Babcock takes the money as Maple Leafs' boom-or-bust bench boss

Now we find out how great Mike Babcock really is.

Now Mike Babcock finds out how great he really is.

He took the money: reportedly $50 million over eight years. He took on perhaps the biggest challenge in hockey: turning around the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even if he is the best coach in the NHL, is he worth more than twice as much as anyone else? Can he win with a roster full of holes? Can he remain patient through the rebuild? Can he put up with the BS in the Centre of the Hockey Universe? Can he get the job done?

This is boom or bust. If he succeeds and the Leafs win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1967, ending the longest drought in the NHL in one of the most passionate hockey markets on the planet, he will be a legend. We’ll rave about his ability and belief in himself. If he fails, he will be the latest in a long line of big-money, big-name disappointments. Maybe we’ll say even Mike Babcock couldn’t win in Toronto, or maybe we’ll talk about his ego and hubris.

But this is what he’s all about.

“I’m not a gambler, but I love ‘going for it,’ ” Babcock ... read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/toronto...20492-nhl.html