I’ll say it. I didn’t think I would be saying this in October of last year but after ten season of solidifying his Hall of Fame credentials, maybe now is the time for Mike Babcock and the Detroit Red Wings to part ways. I say this with no anger, the man has more than earned his spot as a great Wing coach, he’s won a Stanley Cup, is the winningest coach in Wing history…a team with a history that has Scotty Bowman and the namesake of the Coach of the Year Jack Adams as their coaches that’s a nice feat. He’s reached 500 victories faster than any coach in NHL history save the aforementioned Bowman.
That being said no matter how great, successful, historic your coaching regime has been, eventually even the best get tuned out. Lombardi knew this, Landry didn’t. I think in the midst of two of his better regular season coaching jobs, getting every bit of talent squeezed from players that are on last legs or not the talent we’re used to seeing on the Wings, it’s hurt him, Ken Holland, Mike Ilitch and the fans that three of the last four years the Wings have been ousted in the first round. I don’t believe it entirely to be Babcock’s fault. Rules of the NHL have hamstrung Holland, the players have just so much talent or gas in the tank…(Cole injured, Zetterberg 0 points in the seven game series?) A ten season run coaching is amazing in any sport in any age, to do it with one of the great franchises in sports history is probably even more amazing.
The only mountain as a coach for Babcock to climb is to take the mess in Toronto and make them formidable again. It appears to be a desire of his and I think Red Wing fans should be okay with this happening. I believe Ken Holland and Mike Ilitch and Mike Babcock are ready to move on…I think with no anger or remorse and nothing but fond memories, we should too.