Babcock has narrowed it down to 3....Detroit, Philly and Buffalo...

[J0e Th0rnton]

That would be a nice upgrade in net for sure.

https://hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/272

[Podein25]

I watched the Worchester playoffs. GOD is that kid stick thin. He was definitely having problems in the AHL sharks. needs another year in the AHL I think.

I didn't even realize he had come over for the AHL playoffs. I guess that means he's here (in North America) to stay eh?

[OccamsRazor]

https://hockeyscap.com/armchair-gm/team/272

 

 

So you want Backstrom for your backup goaltending spot?? Where would that leave Stalock?

[J0e Th0rnton]

So you want Backstrom for your backup goaltending spot?? Where would that leave Stalock?

Nah. Scratch him like Minny did for a year. Only taking him as a cap dump. Need to do something to entice them to give us Spurgeon for Nieto lol

[OccamsRazor]

Nah. Scratch him like Minny did for a year. Only taking him as a cap dump. Need to do something to entice them to give us Spurgeon for Nieto lol

 

 

Ok i got it....yeah why not. So who will be the starter and backup in Minny then???

[J0e Th0rnton]

Ok i got it....yeah why not. So who will be the starter and backup in Minny then???

Well, i am assuming they want to resign Dubnyk and they still have Kuemper, who failed as a starter this season, but has potential.

 

They just have cap problems.

[OccamsRazor]

Well, i am assuming they want to resign Dubnyk and they still have Kuemper, who failed as a starter this season, but has potential.

 

They just have cap problems.

 

 

Wonder how much Dubnyk will want??? If he is smart he won't price himself out a job.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Wonder how much Dubnyk will want??? If he is smart he won't price himself out a job.

I think he is quite happy to be on a good team. I suspect he will sign for around 4.5 million a year. term could vary, but let's say 4 years at 4.5.

 

He played very well for arizona too and had a winning record there and ended up a Vezina finalist. Look how well Smith just played for team Canada away from that Arizona pit

[ruxpin]

I just think in terms of fit, the Blues make sense for Babcock because he wants to win now. He could be the coach that helps lead them to their first ever Stanley Cup.

 

The other teams aren't really options at all:

 

- Toronto is entering rebuild number ten billion. They're going to be worse next year!

- Buffalo is starting from ground zero. They are years away from winning anything.

- Philadelphia has a mess to sort out. They always bounce back quickly, but there's major work to do.

- San Jose is about to blow up their roster and start over. They're entering a down cycle.

- Detroit is on the cusp of starting a rebuild and wants to make changes. (Including coaching.)

 

If they don't screw it up of course. 

 

I just think in terms of fit, the Blues make sense for Babcock because he wants to win now. He could be the coach that helps lead them to their first ever Stanley Cup.

 

The other teams aren't really options at all:

 

- Toronto is entering rebuild number ten billion. They're going to be worse next year!

- Buffalo is starting from ground zero. They are years away from winning anything.

- Philadelphia has a mess to sort out. They always bounce back quickly, but there's major work to do.

- San Jose is about to blow up their roster and start over. They're entering a down cycle.

- Detroit is on the cusp of starting a rebuild and wants to make changes. (Including coaching.)

 

If they don't screw it up of course. 

 

I think you definitely have a very plausible theory.  I still suspect Buffalo or Detroit.   But I agree that the Blues are the best fit for him based on where the team is and where it needs to go.

 

Many here are probably tired of my saying that I have no faith in the Blues' franchise.  Quenneville wasn't good enough. Hitch isn't good enough.  I have no reason to believe Babcock is either.  I don't know what the universe has against the Blues or if it's simply (like the Flyers) a team destined to be incessantly one undefined and infuriatingly one or two steps away that shoots itself in the foot at the last moment.  But I suspect Jesus Christ himself couldn't coach that team to a Cup. Someone would always dip their bread in the cup at the same time.

[WordsOfWisdom]

I think you definitely have a very plausible theory.  I still suspect Buffalo or Detroit.   But I agree that the Blues are the best fit for him based on where the team is and where it needs to go.

 

Many here are probably tired of my saying that I have no faith in the Blues' franchise.  Quenneville wasn't good enough. Hitch isn't good enough.  I have no reason to believe Babcock is either.  I don't know what the universe has against the Blues or if it's simply (like the Flyers) a team destined to be incessantly one undefined and infuriatingly one or two steps away that shoots itself in the foot at the last moment.  But I suspect Jesus Christ himself couldn't coach that team to a Cup. Someone would always dip their bread in the cup at the same time.

 

Well I don't follow the Blues very closely but I can remember when the Leafs made it to the conference finals (the past four times: Carolina, Buffalo, Vancouver, Los Angeles). Whenever the Leafs made it that far, they were defeated convincingly in the conference final. And each time, the team that the Leafs lost to, went on to lose in the Stanley Cup final! You always knew (as a Leafs fan) that the Leafs were one or maybe two tiers below championship calibre. Year after year they went into the playoffs with the same flaws (usually weak defensively) and those flaws were eventually exploited by superior teams. The Leafs were never the favourite going into the playoffs in any of those years. I wonder if the same sort of thing applies to the Blues. ie: They position themselves to be good, but not good enough. Thoughts? 

 

Recapping the Leafs final fours:

 

• Losing to Carolina in 2002. Carolina would get swept (I think) by Detroit in the final.
• Losing to Buffalo in 1999. Buffalo would lose to Dallas in the final (the famous Brett Hull toe in the crease goal).
• Losing to Vancouver in 1994. Vancouver would lose to the Rangers in 7.
• Losing to Los Angeles in 1993. The Kings would lose to the Canadiens on the famous stick measurement penalty.

 

FYI:

 

The Stanley Cup finals in those years could have been:

 

Toronto vs Detroit in 2002. Original six match-up.

Toronto vs Dallas in 1999. (Who really cares?)

Toronto vs New York Rangers in 1994. Another original six match-up.

Toronto vs Montreal in 1993. The most epic original six match-up.

 

None of those happened because Toronto refused to acquire an elite defenceman (and in that era they could have bought one through free agency).    

[NRH]

Well, Philly dodged the Babcock bullet.

[WordsOfWisdom]

Retool, not rebuild

They played 5-6 rookies on the roster this season and almost made the playoffs. Some rookies turned out better than expected. The whole point of the "rebuild/Retool" was to not trade away picks, and it has been going on for 3 years. Trading Clowe and Murray for multiple 2nd's, stuart for a 2nd, etc

 

The Tierney/Hertl combo was deadly in the last 12 games. Karlsson had an amazing rookie campaign. Mueller looked great compared to Irwin/Hannan and is likely a roster lock now.

 

Wilson already said he expects the upswing back this season and he felt the torch is being adequately passed to Couture/Vlasic/Pavelski from Thornton/Marleau. Sharks have a pretty young Roster bud. Average age is 27. The only old guys on the roster are Marleau/Thornton, and they have 2 years left with no intention to waive.

 

The Sharks owner got on the mic last week and shot Wilson a look when he mentioned we needed a defenseman or two, and from Wilson's comments, I actually expect them to make some moves this offseason. Of course the owner also implied he has no interest in paying a mint for a coach, which is why Babcock seeking out San Jose for talks instead of vice versa caught me by surprise. Babcock has long been praising and wishing he had specific players like Marleau/Burns/Vlasic.

 

Sharks need a goalie, defenseman and we are set to compete again. Everyone knows how bad the tandem of Niemi/Stalock was and how TMac was making strange lineup choices by the end there.

 

Karlsson/Thornton/Pavelski

Marleau/Couture/Wingels

Hertl/Tierney/Donskoi

Goodrow/Smith/Nieto

 

Torres/Brown LTIR

 

Vlasic/Burns

Dillon/Braun

Mueller/??????(UFA or Trade for Spurgeon)

 

Cam Talbot/Ramo(Trade with cap strapped Rangers or UFA)

Stalock

 

Sharks now have a glut of top 6 forward prospects. Goldobin, Lebanc, Chartier, Jevpalovs, and I can see Nieto or Wingels being dangled as trade bait for a top 4 Dman like Spurgeon or using one of our 2016 2nd rounders as a plus)

 

Also, we have 20 million in cap space. Which is, well, a TON of room to make moves.

 

Kessel? Phaneuf? What? You want both? Here you go! 

[OccamsRazor]

None of those happened because Toronto refused to acquire an elite defenceman (and in that era they could have bought one through free agency).

 

Don't feel bad it just seems not to recently that the Flyers have figured they need a good defensive core to go deep as well....that giving away draft picks and prospects for other teams guys they developed is no way to develop a team.

 

So since about 2012 they have spent more resources on the draft and scouting and have changed philosophies that they are no longer going to give away prospects and picks for the grass is greener type guys...they will try and develop them themselves....bravo damn it took long enough.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Kessel? Phaneuf? What? You want both? Here you go! 

Wilson is pretty dead set on only getting younger during this retool, so nah

 

Spurgeon and Talbot fit the mold. 25 and 18 years old. Kessel might fit the mold, but he is exactly the kind of guy Wilson does not like going after. He tends to shy from guys who are not physically fit or willing to become so. He shipped Setoguchi's butt quick once it became obvious even though he was a 30 goal scorer.

[jammer2]

  Sportsnet 360 reporting the Babcock is in Buffalo discussing contract terms....WOW...did not really see this coming. Guess Bab's in the mood for a challenge. With all their talented prospects, should only be a few years away from being legitimate. Bab's is gonna turn the Sabres into a perennial winner.....WTF>>>

[RJ8812]

more like he's interested in the money and control he'll have in Buffalo 

[jammer2]

  Good riddance, never wanted him anyways....

[ruxpin]

  Sportsnet 360 reporting the Babcock is in Buffalo discussing contract terms....WOW...did not really see this coming. Guess Bab's in the mood for a challenge. With all their talented prospects, should only be a few years away from being legitimate. Bab's is gonna turn the Sabres into a perennial winner.....WTF>>>

 

 

Honestly, if he wasn't staying in Detroit, I'd have been shocked if it wasn't Buffalo.   I think it was Words of Wisdom who made a great case for St. Louis.  That made sense to me.  But I've really thought it's Buffalo or Detroit.

 

That said, it's not done yet and it's still possible he ends up elsewhere (I still think he stays in Detroit if it's NOT Buffalo).

[jammer2]

hat said, it's not done yet and it's still possible he ends up elsewhere (I still think he stays in Detroit if it's NOT Buffalo).

 

 It looks like a 2 team race at this point, with Buffalo being the frontrunner. One thing I heard on a Detroit sports broadcast was that Babbers young teenage daughter will be playing college hockey for Merrimack (sp...lol)...SO, it was imperative from day one that the team he goes to is in the Eastern time zone.....so I don't think San Jose was ever seriously in the running.

[ruxpin]

 It looks like a 2 team race at this point, with Buffalo being the frontrunner. One thing I heard on a Detroit sports broadcast was that Babbers young teenage daughter will be playing college hockey for Merrimack (sp...lol)...SO, it was imperative from day one that the team he goes to is in the Eastern time zone.....so I don't think San Jose was ever seriously in the running.

 

I didn't know that tidbit.  Between that and the possibility that McLellan probably told him to stay (far far) away, you're probably right that San Jose wasn't an option.

[OccamsRazor]

It looks like a 2 team race at this point, with Buffalo being the frontrunner. One thing I heard on a Detroit sports broadcast was that Babbers young teenage daughter will be playing college hockey for Merrimack (sp...lol)...SO, it was imperative from day one that the team he goes to is in the Eastern time zone.....so I don't think San Jose was ever seriously in the running.

For 6 mill i think he is good as gone...and like Yave stated maybe it's time...like it has gotten stale there the last 4 or 5 years...Blashill is ready to take over...let him walk.

[WordsOfWisdom]

LOL. Babcock signs with the Leafs. 

 

Apparently he's a glutton for punishment too. 

[ruxpin]

Honestly, if he wasn't staying in Detroit, I'd have been shocked if it wasn't Buffalo.   I think it was Words of Wisdom who made a great case for St. Louis.  That made sense to me.  But I've really thought it's Buffalo or Detroit.

 

@jammer2

 

Like I was saying...

[WordsOfWisdom]

When St. Louis wins the Stanley Cup next year, and Babcock looks like Gollum (from Lord of the Rings) because he ripped out all of his hair and aged 100 years in 1 year from the stress of coaching Toronto's roster, we will see if money truly can buy happiness! 

[ruxpin]

When St. Louis wins the Stanley Cup next year, and Babcock looks like Gollum (from Lord of the Rings) because he ripped out all of his hair and aged 100 years in 1 year from the stress of coaching Toronto's roster, we will see if money truly can buy happiness!

Jesus Christ will return and buy a Lexus in Toronto and drive it to Rochester for some Applebees halibut before St. Louis wins a Cup.