Who Replaces Mike Babcock Behind The Red Wings Bench?
By: Jamie Samuelsen
@JamieSamuelsen
Speculating on the next Red Wings head coach is a little like speculating on the next Democratic nominee for president. It's going to be Jeff Blashill. It's going to be Hillary Rodham Clinton.
But just as Clinton will have to work through a field of other nominees, I'm sure that the Red Wings will least pretend to look at some other options to replace Mike Babcock.
Here are a few names that they should or will consider.
DAN BYLSMA - Red Wings fans don't have fond memories of Bylsma who was behind the bench when the Penguins won Game 7 at Joe Louis Arena to steal the Stanley Cup in 2009. Bylsma was fired by Pittsburgh a year ago and has been out of coaching since. He had little postseason success with the Pens after winning the Cup, but he is highly thought of enough that he was selected to coach Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
KEN HITCHCOCK - Technically, he still has a job as the head coach of the St. Louis Blues. But that relationship is fraying. A lot was expected of the Blues this year but they were knocked out rather easily by Minnesota in the first round. The Blues were one of the teams reportedly after Babcock to replace Hitchcock. Hitchcock once coached in Kalamazoo and has long been considered a Scotty Bowman knock-off - a little stand-offish socially, but a brilliant tactician. The problem, if the Wings are looking for a more player-friendly coach than Babcock, they certainly aren't getting it with Hitchcock.
PAUL MacLEAN - Two years ago, MacLean accepted the Jack Adams Trophy as Coach of the Year for the Senators. He was fired after just a year and a half later. Such is the fickle nature of hockey. He played for the Red Wings and was Babcock's assistant along with Todd McClellan for the glory years that Babcock had in Detroit. He knows the players well and is a friendly and gregarious fellow.
DALE HUNTER - The former NHL bad boy coached the Capitals for just one year before stepping down to return to London, Ontario to run and coach the Knights of the OHL. Hunter frustrated some in Washington for running a defensive style that thwarted the abilities of Alexander Ovechkin. But perhaps that's exactly what the Red Wings need given their deficiencies on the blue line. If Hunter wants to be nearer to his family, London is a short drive from Detroit.
JEFF BLASHILL - Oh yeah, the guy who is actually going to get the job. The Red Wings extended Blashill's contract last year to provide insurance in case Babcock bolted. He has patiently waited his turn, and won a lot of games in Grand Rapids in the process. The Griffins won the Calder Cup in 2013 and have advanced to the third round this year. He knows the organization. He knows the players. He knows the system. After ten years of Mike Babcock, the veterans on this roster will likely welcome Blashill's style.
I suppose you never say never. As of Tuesday afternoon, Babcock's choices were down to Buffalo and Detroit. Now he's on his way to Toronto. But given the fact that the Red Wings calmly waited for Babcock to make his decision and didn't blow open the bank to try to keep him, you get the strong sense that Blashill was option 1A all along. That should be official very, very soon.
