Moving Forward! Discussion on the future!

Well, like, I'm not trying to sound like a jerk or anything here. :) I like most of what you said about other folks... soooo... Just don't take this as me being "argumentative" or whatever, okay? Just want to add some info (because I'm a Michigander and the press has been discussing this for 18 months now) so you don't get your hopes up too high.

I think the issue Babs has with Detroit right now is that his salary is much lower than it should be. Reportedly, he's making around $2m a season. Ilitch is a pretty loyal owner, so I could see him giving Mike a raise, which might be what it comes down to. The University of Michigan was interested in bringing him in since Red Berenson is about ready to retire. With all his duties, he makes about $500,000 a year. (Keep in mind the college hockey season is much shorter than NHL and they only travel every other weekend.) U of M just threw a boatload of money at Harbaugh to land him as their football coach, so Mike may have some leverage there, if he's interested. College aged team = new challenge than already pro players.

Babs has indicated that family is a big deal to him. Sadly, last week, his dad passed away in Saskatchewan. He couldn't get up there for like 3 days. Staying with the Wings or going to the Wolverines, he'd get to spend more time with his wife, travel a lot less, etc. I would think that since he just lost someone close, he might appreciate that. His oldest daughter goes to U of M. His son has committed to playing hockey for Merrimack (Massachusetts).

His youngest daughter graduates HS this year, has committed to playing soccer in Portland. Beyond that, the rest of his family is on the other side of the Mississippi. As a family guy, I don't think he'd pack up him and his wife and move to SJ when their other two kids are still young adults. Boston's elimination throws them in the mix if Ilitch won't pay up (he will), and Babs wants to be a little closer to his son, who wants to go pro.

Then there's Toronto, which is only about 4 hours away from Detroit. Toronto is hosting the World Cup Of Hockey in 2016, and Babcock will likely have a coaching or GM role in assembling that team. Already being settled in to where you're going to be practicing is a creature comfort. That means Detroit or Toronto (where he has an established relationship with their management). Taking the job at U of M would give him the most extra time to be able to workout stuff with the World Cup. If he isn't ready to go to the college level yet, is sick of Detroit and wants a "project" that is NOT the Leafs, I think Buffalo might create a perfect scenario for him, if they can buyout their coach's contract.

Babcock has mentioned recently he is interested in handling some more GM duties, though, which makes it seem like being a GM is the end game. I would see the Wings giving him 1-2yrs, and pulling up Blashill from GR to kind of "learn the ropes," under his supervision, in exchange for Holland bringing Mike into more of the GM meetings to help him kind of "learn the ropes" from the non coaching side of things.

Of course, another team could make an insane offer he can't refuse. That could always happen. I just don't think it'll be the Sharks... and even if it was the Sharks, I don't think it'd be the best idea. McLellan used Babcock's system. It's not working for us. We need something else. Plus, a lot of players don't like Babcock too much. He's kind of a dick, tbh. He has his favorites, as any coach likely does, but he can really mindfuck the rest of his team. It has happened a number of times and with all the captaincy, reset, rebuild, etc. bullshit, I think that type of coach is the last thing the Sharks need.

/r/SanJoseSharks Thread Parent