Holland on Babcock extension, Mantha's dominance

Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland shares his thoughts with The Edmonton Journal on several subjects.

On head coach Mike Babcock:

“Two years ago, we won our last four games to get into the playoffs. This year, we got in again (despite a terrible run of injuries),” said Holland. “Mike’s a tremendous coach, if not the best coach in the league, then one of the best.”

On an extension for Babcock:

“We just haven’t got together. He went to Montreal. I went to Grand Rapids to watch our farm team. He’s out west. We haven’t been in the same city, but we’ll sit down in June. I’d like to talk to him about an extension.

“We work well together,” Holland continued. “I challenge Mike, he challenges me. We’ll argue, but we’ll come back the next day and start over.

“He pushes our players. Sometimes they don’t like it, but the players respond. I believe there’s respect between the coach and the players.”

On stud prospect Anthony Mantha:

“He had a fabulous year. Eighty goals in, what, 80 games. I don’t know if there was a player in junior as dominant. Doesn’t matter what league you play in, that’s a lot of goals. He’s six-five with a great scoring touch.

“My philosophy is you go to the American League. There’s no entitlement, but if he can beat out guys … we’ll see how he is at camp. I wouldn’t put him in a checking role, but we haven’t had a player like him. We did have Ryan Sproul, who was CHL defenceman of the year, but he went to Grand Rapids. There’s no trouble with his size; physically, he’s more prepared, but there’s still the mental aspect.”

There are more quotes on Babcock and Mantha in the article, as well as thoughts on Tom Renney drawing interest from other teams.

Source: Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal