NHL 2015 Off-Season Thread

[Psyblast]

For those teams not playing anymore...

Babcock decision coming by next Friday, per Dreger.

[ImTellinTim]

Grapes Twitter Time!

Quote:

1) I have some advice for Mike Babcock, the most sought after free agent in hockey. Nobody knows where he is going. It is known that he will 2) get about 5 million dollars a year. Some people say that’s ridiculous. I ask you why? Should not Mike make more that the 3rd line centre 3) or the 4th defenceman? I hope Mike doesn’t make the same mistakes I made when I was the most sought after coach 4) Yes, I was the most sought after coach. I was the darling of hockey. Coach of the year, over 600 percent with the Bruins. 5) . I had 4 teams after me. I was promised to be the highest paid coach. I could have gone to 3 contending teams. But I thought it would be 6) be great fun to go to a team out of the playoffs and the GM and I could turn it into a playoff team. So, I shook hands with the GM of 7) Colorado and my fate was sealed. Yes I was the highest paid coach in the world but maybe the unhappiest. I remember I had to go to the 8) dentist during the season to get a mouth guard as I was grinding my teeth away at night. Actually, we had a pretty good club. 9) Lanny McDonald, Bobby Schmautz, Rene Robert, Joel Quenneville. We were alright except for one thing. The GM signed this goalie from 10) from Sweden, who was a human sieve. He wasn’t a bad guy actually. He had one problem… pucks. The GM held his ground as he did not want 11) want to look bad in front of the owners for signing this guy. So, that’s why I am telling you Mike don’t go to a rebuilding team. 12) I know, I’ve been there. San Jose looks good. Good team, good GM and great place to live. But my guess Mike, is you’ll stay in Detroit. 13) Why shouldn’t you? Datsyuk and Zettberberg still have a lot of years left and good young talent coming. Mike seems go get along with GM 14) Kenny Holland and I know he’s working for the best owner in sports, Mr. Illitch. Take my advice from a guy who has been there Mike. 15) . Don’t take the money and run. Stay where you are. Believe me the grass is not greener.

[Kobalt]

Can't wait to see how Sakic ****s up this O'Reilly situation.

Hoping we re-sign him, but I'm guessing that ship has sailed.

[redsox4evur]

Over/under Claude Julien is gone by June 1.

[gopher_guy]

So, what was the genesis of all this Babcock leaving Detroit stuff?

I mean, at times I've seen people almost talk like it's a sure thing that he's leaving Detroit.

Has he said that he wants to move on? Or is Detroit wanting a change? I can't imagine why they would want that......

[Psyblast]

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher_guy

So, what was the genesis of all this Babcock leaving Detroit stuff? I mean, at times I've seen people almost talk like it's a sure thing that he's leaving Detroit. Has he said that he wants to move on? Or is Detroit wanting a change? I can't imagine why they would want that......

He's an insufferable, dictatorial *** who doesn't get along with anybody. His tyrant act was fine when the Wings were getting to the Finals and contending for Cups. As they've tried to thread the needle the last couple years and transition to a new batch of players while still making the playoffs, his act has worn thin with the early playoff exits. He's clashed with management over roster moves, and five separate free agents taking less money than the Red Wings offered them to go elsewhere (including three defensemen last summer) hints at something seriously stinking in the organization - IE, Babcock's reputation for being a vindictive jerk.

I believe he's still a top 3-5 coach in the NHL, but it's reached a point where I'm okay with him moving on, if both sides are tired of each other. I don't know what the track record is of AHL coaches jumping to the NHL, but Blashill will almost certainly be the guy if Babcock leaves, and Blashill has extensive experience coaching a ton of the Red Wings' current players, including a championship in Grand Rapids, so...who knows.

I think it was Scotty Bowman who once said that no matter how successful you are as a coach, if you stay in the same place long enough, eventually they will tune your voice out. Might be time for a new voice in Detroit.

[Kovalev]

Blue Jackets threw out Kerby Rychels name in a trade for a dman today, my guess is they are looking for a D prospect of Rychels like (one of someones top 2 d prospect) or a youngish 24-28 range top 4 Dman. Nashville seems like a really good trading partner something like a Rychel for Ellis type deal.

[015]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kovalev

Blue Jackets threw out Kerby Rychels name in a trade for a dman today, my guess is they are looking for a D prospect of Rychels like (one of someones top 2 d prospect) or a youngish 24-28 range top 4 Dman. Nashville seems like a really good trading partner something like a Rychel for Ellis type deal.

i think something like Rychel to NJ for Merrill, Rychel to Arizona for Gormley, Rychel to SJ for Mueller, or Rychel to Minnesota for Spurgon is something that happens around draft time. i think the Rychel to NJ is more likely.