Last night we looked at the favorite to land the Oilers’ coaching job, Todd McLellan. Tonight, we look at the favorite candidate for the job in the fans’ eyes, Mike Babcock. Admittedly, Babcock is likely a pipe-dream, as he is the best free agent coach arguably to ever hit the open market like this.
Babcock is under contract with the Red Wings until the league year ends, and Detroit will certainly make a big push to bring him back. Babcock likes it in Detroit, and the Wings are one of the more stable organizations in professional sports. It will take a lot to get him out of Detroit, no doubt.
Babcock’s Resume:
Babcock started coaching in the college ranks, the Canadian college ranks that is. In 1988, he served as the coach of Red Deer College, where he spent three seasons, winning coach of the year honors in 1989.
Babcock moved to the WHL in 1991, taking over the Moose Jaw Warriors for two seasons. He returned to college, taking over the University Of Lethbridge team for the 1993-94 season. That season, Babcock led Lethbridge to a National Championship, their first ever.
1994 brought more WHL fortunes to Mike, who took over the Spokane Chiefs for six seasons. He finished with a solid 224-172-29 record with the team, emerging as a legit professional coaching prospect.
He was noticed in 2000, as the Anaheim Ducks hired him to coach their AHL team in Cincinnati. His record was a respectable 74-59-20-7, and he led the Ducks to the Calder Cup Playoffs in both seasons. His work was noticed by the NHL club, who turned to him after a disappointing 2001-02 season.
Babcock took over Anaheim, and held the head title for two seasons, leading Anaheim to a 69-62-19 record and a 15-6 playoff record. Babcock led the young Ducks to the playoffs in his second season, taking them all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to fall in the seventh game to New Jersey.
Following the lockout of 2004-05, Babcock rejected an offer to return to Anaheim, and took the head job in Detroit, a spot he has held ever since. Babcock has posted a 458-223-105 record in Detroit, holding a .627 points percentage in his ten seasons at the helm.
Babcock won the 2008 Stanley Cup with the Wings, and led them to the 2009 finals, while guiding them to the playoffs each and every season. In 12 total NHL seasons as a coach, he’s made the playoffs in eleven of them. That’s impressive.
What Does He Do Well?:
Mike Babcock does a lot of things right. His system is one of the best in the NHL, he gets the most out of his players, he knows how to win, and his special teams units are always very good. On top of that, Babcock works extremely well with young players, he has proven that in both Anaheim and Detroit.
Babcock’s teams always compete hard, as he is able to instill a solid work ethic into his teams. He wants his guys to play a certain way, and is willing to use hard love to get them to that point. He’s molded skilled guys like Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Nyquist, Tatar and more to play this hard but skilled game.
He knows how to integrate young players, which is a massive plus. He knows how to put young guys in spots that will allow them to succeed, and he rarely overuses them. We’ve seen this in Detroit in the way that he has handled Nyquist, Tatar, Smith, Kindl and others. He puts them in spots where they can succeed, and success is the usual outcome.
Is The Fit Right?:
Oh yes, the fit is absolutely right. Mike Babcock is, in my mind, the best coach in the NHL. He’d be a great fit for any team if we are being honest. Babcock has had a ton of success with young players and with skilled players, which Edmonton has a ton of.
He’s an established, respected coach who is a real veteran and can bring stability to the position, another thing the Oilers desperately need. On top of that, his styles are considered some of the best in the NHL, an area Edmonton was weak in under Dallas Eakins and the ‘swarm’.
Lastly, Babcock knows how to get players to play a skilled, yet hard game. Edmonton plays a skilled game, but they rarely play hard and rarely do what it takes to win. If any man can get this roster to do it, it will be Mike Babcock.
If he is willing to come, you hand him a blank check and you make it happen tomorrow, but I have my doubts. Yes, Edmonton’s management is a competent group now, McDavid is on the way, and the connections between Nicholson/Chiarelli and Babcock are there, but Detroit is still a better situation. Everyone will be after this guy, I’d be stunned if he came.
But hey, I was stunned that the McDavid lottery fell in our favor, and stunned again when Peter Chiarelli came to town. We wait.
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