Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com writes on Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock’s appearance on WDFN Wednesday talking about what type of assistant coaches he is looking for after losing Brad McCrimmon and Paul MacLean this off-season.
“What I’m looking for is two guys to come and make our program better.
“I’m looking for ideas, and I tell ya, I’m being totally self-serving,” he admitted on WDFN-AM 1130 Detroit. “I’ve been here six years; I’m going into my seventh year. I think I’ve been a good coach in the (NHL), but I want to be a better coach in the (NHL), and in order to do that, you’ve gotta change.”
Babcock also mentioned that he believes that the same message coming from the same guys can get a little stale overtime and that a change was needed in the coaching staff.
“Your players get tired of you,” Babcock explained. “You become like Charlie Brown’s teacher – wah, wah, wah, wah, wah – (players) don’t hear anything. So we need change.”
Knowing what you’re looking for and knowing how you’re going to get it are two totally different things, though. Babcock can’t answer the “when” and “where” questions yet. And don’t even think about the “who.”
“Is it young, fired-up guys full of passion that wanna make a difference,” he asked. “Is it experienced guys? That’s the process I’m in, trying to figure that out, and see who’s out there.
“I can tell you right now I have no idea on timeline, and I have no idea who those people are going to be.”
Ken Hitchcock and option for the Wings as an assistant?
The Columbus Post Dispatch recently ran a report that former NHL head coach Ken Hitchock was in the mix to fill one of the vacant assistant head coaching positions with the Wings. They say it even went as far as Hitchcock discussing the possibility with Wings head coach Mike Babcock.
Babcock however said this wasn’t the case.
“I talk to Hitch a lot, but we haven’t talked about that (assistant’s job),” Babcock said.
According to Ansar Khan of Mlive, Hitchcock may currently be seeking a head coaching job in the NHL with Minnesota and Winnipeg currently in need of one.
Source: Mlive.com, Columbus Post Dispatch
