Holland, Babcock enjoy mutual respect

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has one year remaining on his current contract and Tuesday he said it's 'no priority whatsoever' to get an extension done.

“I’m real comfortable with the owner and the manager; that’s not a concern for me one bit,” Babcock said, via Michigan Live. “When you’re at the stage of your career that I am, I’m real comfortable with whatever they want. I want them to be happy. If they’re not happy then I’m not happy. I have no problem. I can go year to year.”

He added, “I know Scotty Bowman went year to year sometime here and I’m real comfortable with that. I can get a job. I’m not worried about that. The owner is better than great to me. They do things right. They treat people right. The GM is a driven guy who can’t stand losing and I like to be around ultra-competitive people.”

GM Ken Holland, for his part, offered this:

"I want to to talk to Mike in the next couple of months," Holland said, via The Detroit News. "I want him back behind the bench. I respect the job he does, the work ethic, the job he did this year putting young players into the lineup and sticking with them.

"If you put down a list of the best coaches in the NHL, he's on the short list. I want him back. We work well together."

Source: Ansar Khan, Michigan Live

Source: Ted Kulfan, Detroit News