Waiting Game Continues For Red Wings As Babcock Explores Options
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Even as Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland spoke with media on May 1, when he indicated he was unsure whether Mike Babcock would need to explore all his options before possibly re-committing to the Red Wings, Holland must have sensed this was coming.
Fast forward a week and a half, and Babcock is checking out all his opportunities. After receiving permission from Holland to talk with teams, Babcock has reportedly met with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. The coach's exploration process is expected to continue at the world championships. The Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks are also conducting coaching searches.
At this point, Holland can do little more than wait for Babcock to make up his mind.
Holland will only wait so long, however, and Babcock does not want to drag out the process either.
"Obviously, I don't want to be waking up and if things don't go your way and I'm doing coaching interviews when everything's been filled, and I think Mike's the same," Holland said after the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Red Wings from the playoffs in the first round. "I'd like to think that over the course of the next month I get a good sense of where we're at."
Holland insisted that Babcock not signing an extension last season does not mean he will definitely not re-sign with Detroit. Clearly, however, the fact Babcock did not re-sign earlier could indicate that he had questions about the direction of the Red Wings organization and was uncertain whether he wanted to recommit.
Holland said last season was important for Babcock because it gave him a better idea of what the young players on the team can do and where the team is headed. Whether what transpired will be enough to keep Babcock, who has repeatedly questioned who will replace Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, obviously remains to be seen.
If the Red Wings do not re-sign Babcock, Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill would be an obvious candidate to replace him. Though Holland did not say where Blashill ranks on the list of options if Babcock departs, Holland made it clear he likes Blashill enough to keep other teams away from him, at least for now.
"I'm not letting everybody run around and go interview and then I've got to do an interview process after the fact," Holland said. "I got some calls last year on Jeff Blashill. Now you might not get any calls on Blash [this year], but I think to be fair, the sooner that we can come to a conclusion is better for everybody ... I think Mike understands that. I understand that."
If Babcock returns, it will not be because of any dramatic sales pitch by Holland. The longtime Red Wings head coach already understands the situation he would have, for better or worse - the leadership of Holland, the ownership of the Ilitch family, the passion of the fans, the excitement about a new arena, the talented youth on the roster and the aging superstars the team will eventually have to replace.
The Red Wings have made the playoffs in 24 straight seasons, and they want to continue to have success while rebuilding to the level of legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Holland can only hope Babcock believes the strategy will work and return to the organization for which he has worked the last 10 years.
"I'm hoping to fulfill Plan A, and then if I don't deliver Plan A, then I've got to look at Plan B, C and D," Holland said. "But right now Plan A is Mike Babcock, and then certainly I would say to you I think Jeff Blashill is an NHL coach in the making, and will be behind an NHL bench at some point in time. I'm not sure when or where, but Plan A for me is put Mike Babcock behind our bench."