Babcock on Leafs, Lidstrom, 24/7

Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock was on Sportsnet 960 The Fan Wednesday. Fantastic interview.

On the Babcock-to-Leafs speculation:

“Well, that’s not right for Randy Carlyle. So let’s get that straight. The second thing is, I’m real comfortable in my situation. I’ve been working for an owner and a general manager for nine years. We have a good relationship.”

“When I went to the media and they asked about my contract, I actually was a little bit surprised. And I just made it very clear. I said, you know, I’m real comfortable, and I am totally. When you’ve been there as long as I have, if they don’t want you, they shouldn’t employ you. I’m totally good with that.

“When you get a new job, you go in and you sign a new four-year deal. I think it’s a lot easier for a team who you’re starting with to give you a four-year deal. When you’ve been there 10 years and you’re asking for a new four-year deal, I think that makes it hard on them.

"I don't want anyone to be forced to have me. I'm going to work somewhere. I'm not concerned about that. I love what we've got going on in Detroit. I think we’re really building a program.

“I also think as a head coach, when you’re looking at opportunity out there - if you’re thinking of moving - you’d better make sure the grass is greener on the other side. What I’ve found in life is it usually is not.

"So, we like the program we've got going in Detroit. Ken Holland likes the work, likes hockey, I have a good relationship with him. The owner gives us the resources and basically gets out of the way. Pretty good situation. My kids are all done high school next year, so I'm much moveable. In saying that, my wife likes it. I got a good place to water ski, I got good places to hunt, I don't know why I'd move."

Related: Babcock: Grass isn't greener elsewhere

Related: Holland, Babcock enjoy mutual respect

On the loss of Nicklas Lidstrom:

"We didn't realize how good he was on the power play. You know, that's been the biggest thing. Nik Kronwall has been a heck of a player for us and a heck of a leader and yet he doesn't shoot the puck from the blueline in any way like Lidstrom does. He's more of a passer. We have been looking for a shot from the back end for a long time. Now, it just so happens we got a 6-foot-4 right-handed d-man in Sproul who was Canadian Hockey League d-man of the year two years ago in Grand Rapids. He doesn't quite look ready yet, but he's got an absolute bomb. We're hoping he can arrive here sooner than later and really help us with that.

"Nick's a fantastic player. I mean, he's a generational player. You're not going to have another one probably. And saying all that, we also had a great supporting cast around him and our supporting cast has suddenly got very young. But we really feel the growth of Dan DeKeyser, who we signed out of college, we think he's a great top-four D who really gets the puck going. Smith, who we drafted in the first round I don't know how many years ago, started to settle in and play and move the puck for us. We put him with Kronwall. And then big Ericsson, who missed - we call him Big E - who missed basically the last half of the year with a hand injury and never played in the playoffs - he's a 6-foot-5 d-man who can move the puck, so when you look at that suddenly, and you add Backman... he can really move the puck. He's a 6-foot-2 guy. I think our back end is really going to move the puck next year, which is so important to have success."

On getting all fired up on HBO 24/7:

"Well, I tell you what though. They ambush you there. I talked to a guy nicely walking off the bench. I handed him my microphone, I said 'keep the cameras out.' I hadn't asked them the whole time. The next thing I know, they're in the room. So my wires touched a little bit. But I think that's a reasonable request. You're the head coach, you ask them to stay out, they don't stay out and I thought the reaction was appropriate.

"Now, I gotta tell you, I haven't watched one second of that. Got a little feedback from people on the outside. I haven't watched one second of it. Obviously the NHL really thinks it's great for promoting the game. I think it's hard on the players and the coaching staff. Sometimes as a coach or a player, things that happen, you probably don't need in the public eye, but that's the new world we're living in."

On the possibility of teams trading coaches:

"You know, what's interesting there is that's something I'm not sure isn't going to happen one day.

"The other thing I'd say to you is when you develop a whole bunch of people and then the other organizations get to take them, I think there's going to be value in that. So when I look at our group here in Detroit since I've been here is Todd McLellan, Paul MacLean have moved on. Jim Nill has moved on to be a GM. Steve Yzerman's moved on to be a GM. Pat Verbeek's their direction of player personnel in Tampa. I'm trying to think of who else we've lost. Maybe it'll be Jeff Blashill out of Grand Rapids next.

"It'd be nice if you could get something for the development you've done. So I think that would be a positive thing.

"Second thing as far as this coach goes, I think now with the new CBA and Collective Bargaining Agreements from '04-5, I think every owner believes their team should be there winning. And when they're not, I think there's a ton of pressure that goes on the coach and the manager. Is it right? I don't know the answer to that. That seems to be the way. You know, when you're out there and you've got a coach and you decide to fire him, all I think you should do is make sure you got a better guy to hire. Just removing him doesn't necessarily make him better. You better have a plan."

On goal-scoring prospect Anthony Mantha:

"I always like 6-foot-5 guys who can score goals."

Also: "I've been here nine years, we haven't had a prospect like this in the nine years I've been here."

Also: "They're playing against kids. You know, so you're a man playing against kids. But his instincts, his hockey sense, his hands, his ability to knock down pucks is unbelievable. His pace - don't get me wrong, he's a great skater - he just doesn't play with pace, so that's going to have to improve. What I've found with most talented guys is put them with the big guys and suddenly they play at a pace because they want to play there.

"So it'll be interesting to see. I don't think we'll really know until the fall whether he can fit in, whether he needs half a year in GR or whatever. But I just went to Grand Rapids here last week, I wanted to see them before I came here just to see how far he away, or how close is, because we're moving in so many kids in to our group that's obviously going to have to compete for a top-six forward job or at least a top-nine job. I don't know if he could do it or not. We'll know over time."

Source: Sportsnet 960 The FAN