The coaches.

I just don't want him going to STL or another Central team.

 

rightfully so.

you think Hitchcock is gone?

 

how did i miss this before? its hilarious. they nailed Buffets.

 

I don't think Armstrong will want to, but I think the powers above will push for it. I don't have a good idea about Stillman's plan as it relates to spending, he surprised me by doing everything he said he was going to do last year. Hitch is going to be a tough sell for the business people trying to grow the brand and raise season ticket prices, and after 3 years of 4 consecutive playoff losses, players are going to start falling away from him too.

 

Running free with Barry now:

 

Laviolette to Smashville.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport.../06/peter-laviolette-nashville-coach/8766273/

 

Didn't expect that hire. Nashville just got alot more interesting, how is he going to use Weber and Jones?

 

Booth or bench?

 

why is he all of a sudden a hot commodity? i don't really have a strong opinion of him one way or the other and know that he coached right after he finished playing but why now is his name getting thrown around? maybe he has let teams know that he's interested or something? he has the 1 kid that plays at Penn St so I gotta assume that his kids are either grown up or getting there.

 

anywhere but on microphone works for me. also see: pierre.

there are 29 teams in this league that would be instantly upgraded by hiring either of these guys - as a coach, a GM, president of hockey operations, beer vendor, valet parking attendant, u name it. what are u waiting for? pull the trigger.

Just do it.

 

I'm not sure that he is.
He likes to do stuff and he has a bad taste in his mouth about how everything went down in Pit. He's been open about it. I just heard an interview of his yesterday where he said he didn't know how the rumors start or where. Then he does the whole "I'm happy here, blah blah blah" which I believe, and then he talks about "family" like Rafalski, Sopel, TT, etc. so I think Lennie may not have been barking up the wrong tree. His kids are grown up, I think his youngest is in lower jrs right now and I know he's active with all his kids and their programs in the area.

Many thought he wants to get back into coaching because he sure acts like it, but now with so many bench spots open this year and maybe next, maybe a gm is willing to gamble.

I think he wants to coach, I think the list of gms that would hire him is short. Not sure if that makes him "hot" or just a candidate.

 

all great posts guys!

 

I dont understand why all of these teams are supposedly positioning for Babcock. Why is anyone assuming that he's leaving Detroit? Has there been anything said to that by anyone that matters here- Babcock/ Holland/ Ilitch? Obviously Lennie is doing his thing here but this seems crazy even for Lennie's standards. Still a full year away from Babcock's deal running out.

 

I don't think it's everyone. Some think he's gone, some are just speculating on the "if".

It's been a decade, he's an ego maniac (good trait for winners), it's been 5 straight without getting to a CF (21-23 in that span in the postseason), Holland wouldn't allow teams to talk to Blashill, it's the end of his contract, highest tenured coach in the league, his youngest graduates from H.S. next spring, a number of quality opportunities appear to be within reach, he's a high value coach, and a few comments seem a little different from 2010 when he worked on his last extension.

It is all guesswork, there is no reason to assume he's leaving, but there's plenty there for people to get their heads around the idea that he and Detroit are ready to switch gears soon. Rare enough for a coach to be behind one bench for that long as it is.

 

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