Detroit Red Wings' coach Mike Babcock's contract is up at the end of this season and many are wondering just what, exactly, his future with the club - and the NHL - will be.
Complicating matters is a strained, to say the least, relationship with general manager Ken Holland. Recently, there has been something of a rift building between the men, emanating from the determination not to keep young defenseman Xavier Ouellet on the big club to start the season.
Babcock, it seems, wanted the youngster to stay in Detroit. Holland wanted him with AHL-affiliate Grand Rapids.
Babcock sounded a little annoyed at the decision.
"I got my two cents in, so I get one vote," Babcock said. "He (Holland) gets two, so he can win, 2-1. It's almost exactly like at home: I get one vote and my wife gets two, and I lose 2-1 lots."
Holland made the point that, as a GM, he has to think beyond today.
"I guess I look at this differently than a lot of people," Holland explained. "The NHL season is a marathon. It's 82 games and we're going to need depth over the course of those 82 games. I expect we're going to get injuries. I expect we're going to have to tap into our depth. I don't like to lose players. I like to add depth. I think the depth has been a big factor over the last two seasons that has allowed us to stay in the race and play our way into the playoffs."
If Detroit had kept Ouellet, they would have been forced to place veteran defensemen Jakub Kindl or Brian Lashoff on waivers - where they could be claimed by any team - to assign them to Grand Rapids.
Holland and Babcock reportedly spoke about a contract extension in May or June. Nothing got done, partly because Holland was waiting on an extension of his own, which he signed in August.
Babcock is currently making $2 million for this season. A comparable extension could be the Chicago Blackhawks Joe Quenneville who, as the highest-paid coach in the NHL, has a salary of $2.75 million.
Quenneville has two Cups with the Hawks; Babcock has one with the Wings and came within a game of another.
The question of Babcock's future really boils down to what he desires in a coaching position. If he wants more power or more money, there are most likely teams out there - like the Toronto Maple Leafs - that will provide it. If he wants a stable GM, a healthy salary and a chance to win, staying in Detroit is probably his best bet.
