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The big problem is the leaves have no GM. A new guy is going to be second fiddle to Babcock. It will be a strange relationship for a new GM to come with a golden boy coach, with a major say in player personnel and player moves, on a contract that lasts for eight years.

Tsn4 is all over this right now.

NHL apparently not pleased.

Great move by the leaves. Babcock brings credibility and should help in attracting talent. Good thing it's an 8 year deal...he's going to need all the time he can get before the leaves are competitive.

Hockey Widow wrote:The big problem is the leaves have no GM. A new guy is going to be second fiddle to Babcock. It will be a strange relationship for a new GM to come with a golden boy coach, with a major say in player personnel and player moves, on a contract that lasts for eight years.

I'm not sure I understand the strategy of paying a coach that much without the GM in place. Seems like a recipe for complete disaster should things not work out. A GM will struggle to convince MLSE to terminate that contract, should coaching become an issue. I suppose they shielded themselves by making it front loaded.

You have 8 years to bring the leaves a cup Babcock, good luck.

Buffalo, to me, gets what they deserve. They lost the draft lottery, although they still get 2nd, now they lose out on Babcock. I love it when a tanking plan falls apart.

BurningBeard wrote:

Hockey Widow wrote:The big problem is the leaves have no GM. A new guy is going to be second fiddle to Babcock. It will be a strange relationship for a new GM to come with a golden boy coach, with a major say in player personnel and player moves, on a contract that lasts for eight years.

I'm not sure I understand the strategy of paying a coach that much without the GM in place. Seems like a recipe for complete disaster should things not work out. A GM will struggle to convince MLSE to terminate that contract, should coaching become an issue. I suppose they shielded themselves by making it front loaded.

You have 8 years to bring the leaves a cup Babcock, good luck.

There's no way the GM convinces anyone to terminate that contract. IIRC, coaching deals are guaranteed. Babcock gets that money regardless of if he's actually coaching the team or not. The only way the leaves are off the hook is if they fire him and he signs on elsewhere.

Gretzky for GM.......lets keep going with the unfireable.......come February when the Leaves are 24 points out of the playoffs.

So now word is leaking out that Buffalo thought they had the deal done and wanted to hold a presser on Monday. Babcock asked for a couple of days to think through all the offers, he did after all just get back from Prague.

Babcock went back to Detroit and they made their final best offer, 5 years at 4 per.

He then had final chats with St. Louis and the SJS. At round this time talks with Toronto were re initiated. Toronto matched Buffalo's offer. Babcock took last night to sit down and talk with his family and sleep on it. Early this morning he began to contact SJS, St. Louis and Detroit to tell them he wasn't going to accept their offers. He then picked the leaves which is said to be a family and personal decision. Buffalo was then told and they apparently are very upset.they feel he used their deep pockets to drive up the leaves offer.

Hockey Widow wrote:Buffalo, to me, gets what they deserve. They lost the draft lottery, although they still get 2nd, now they lose out on Babcock. I love it when a tanking plan falls apart.

Well, Eichel could turn out to be a heck of a player...almost as good as McDavid. And I don't think losing Babcock is a fail by any means. Toronto had to have him, as it turned out. And Buffalo may end up with a coach as good as Babcock. So it's a bit early to say their tank job didn't work.

Isn't that what an agent does?

Hockey Widow wrote:Buffalo was then told and they apparently are very upset.they feel he used their deep pockets to drive up the leaves offer.

Yeah, that's called negotiating.

Wow, what did they expect? They've proven they're committed to winning how?

BurningBeard wrote:

Hockey Widow wrote:Buffalo was then told and they apparently are very upset.they feel he used their deep pockets to drive up the leaves offer.

Yeah, that's called negotiating.

Wow, what did they expect? They've proven they're committed to winning how?

I was thinking just that. Buffalo has blatantly, deliberately tanked for at least two years and made no attempt to hide it.

Hockey Widow wrote:I was thinking just that. Buffalo has blatantly, deliberately tanked for at least two years and made no attempt to hide it.

Yeah, coming from Detroit I'm sure Babcock was jumping to make that a part of his legacy. At least Toronto tries.

BurningBeard wrote:

Hockey Widow wrote:Buffalo was then told and they apparently are very upset.they feel he used their deep pockets to drive up the leaves offer.

Yeah, that's called negotiating.

Wow, what did they expect? They've proven they're committed to winning how?

Playing off different offers is negotiating 101. That's exactly what every UFA player does.

From the outset, for whatever reason it seemed like Babcock wanted to leave Detroit.

I actually thought Babcock was using Toronto to drive up the price Buffalo would have to pay.

Didn't think MB was going to the leaves, but Buffalo's a dump and Tim Murray seems like kind of an idiot. Pegula strikes me as the meddling type as well.

Gotta give Shanahan credit. He landed the biggest free agent of the year, coach or player. The leaves now have one of the best coaches in the world. Lots of work to do, though.

Holland just had a presser. He said he couldn't handicap the odds of Babcock ending up anywhere. Said the process came down to 11:00am EST, today. He had one final sit down meeting with Babcock at 8:00 am EST this morning. He told Babcock he could not go past 5 years on term. That he felt he had had 10 great years, that there is a shelf life and anything past 5 years was stretching it. In terms of money, he pitched his team's final offer of 4 per, said they had no interest in anything past that. Babcock left the meeting still undecided. Holland said many other factors were in play, none of which he would elaborate on, but did say Babcock has a close family that are always part of his decision.

He didn't seem too upset, saying he only wants people who want to be in Detroit but he knew it was an emotional, painful process for Babcock. He didn't know the details of all the offers but said he told Babcock, like he tells all his FA in the prime of their careers, when you hit UFA you will be blown away with the offers that come your wY and you have to make a decision where you see yourself as having the best fit.

Babcock contacted him by 11:15 and told he he had accepted the Leaf offer.

I don't think it came down to just money for Babcock and I don't think he played teams off of each other as his prime negotiation tactic. I think fit, family and term were important. There are stories now out there that many people in the business are shocked he picked the leaves as he often described the city and the media as an absolute circus. I suspect that the Mrs, being faced with a choice of Buffalo and Toronto had a big say in the final outcome.

Both teams are rebuilding, both teams are several years away from being playoff competitive, thus the 8 year term was critical to Babcock. Given a choice I thin Toronto is by far the more preferable city to live in.

Babcock sold his soul for a few dollars more and 2 extra months of golf every year.

Hockey Gods gonna get him for that one…

Does "front loaded" mean he's be making $10M+ next season?

I'll bet Phil choked on his cookies when this story broke...