Don't be surprised if Babcock joins Leafs

Youth and money will be key talking points as Mike Babcock decides this week whether to remain as coach of the Detroit Red Wings or leave for, not necessarily, greener pastures.
Two key questions will be: Does a team wooing Babcock have enough talent to win in the near future? And, can it meet his salary demands?
Here are some points to ponder on both fronts.

1. Money is not No. 1.

As Babcock has already indicated, the size of his salary will not be the driving force in his decision. Also, the Red Wings can afford to match any offer that he receives elsewhere. Ultimately, Babcock will stay or go based on a team's chance for a championship in the relatively near future and the situation which he feels is the best fit for himself and his family.

2. Detroit has a relatively young roster.

This point will draw criticism from analytics lovers, but the fact is that Detroit's average age is skewed upward by the likes of Henrik Zetterberg, 33, Pavel Datsyuk, 36, Niklas Kronwall, 34, Daniel Cleary, 35, Marek Zidlicky, 37, and Erik Cole, 35. It's wrong to say that the Red Wings are relying too heavily on older players, because only three players over 30 -- Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall -- played more than 60 games with the Wings this season. Cleary, a model workhorse, played only 17, while Zidlicky and Cole were acquired at the trade deadline, largely for experience and offence, and have uncertain futures. Zatterberg and Datsyuk led the Red Wings offensively with 66 and 65 points, respectively, but Tomas Tatar, 23, had the most goals (29) while Gustav Nyquist, 25, placed second in goal-scoring (27). Also, Tatar and Nyquist placed third and fourth, respectively, in total points.
And, in case anyone forgets, the Wings took the Tampa Bay Lightning -- one of the NHL's youngest and most talented teams -- to overtime in the seventh game of their first-round series before bowing out.
In other words, Detroit's supposedly aging roster should not be used as an excuse if or when Babcock decides to leave Detroit. When it comes to rebuilding, there's momentum in Motown.

3. Babcock can work with young players anywhere.

It's a misconception to think that Babcock will prefer to work with veteran players and limit young players' development and ice time. Nobody has said that he will, but coaches are often accused of preferring veterans over youngsters, and he will probably receive similar treatment from critics as more teams come into the hiring mix.
Babcock has a teaching background, and he has won a Canadian university title with a Lethbridge Pronghorns team that has done little since; a Memorial Cup with junior-aged Spokane Chiefs and a Stanley Cup by developing such future Red Wings stars as Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Kronwall and Jimmy Howard, among others, in their younger days.
The NHL is trending younger, Babcock knows that, and he can adapt.
Accordingly, Edmonton, where junior phenom Connor McDavid will play next season and Buffalo, where future American superstar Jack Eichel is destined to toil, would both be a good fit because they have several emerging young stars. But the Oilers are not considered to be in the running anymore for Babcock, while Buffalo is reportedly in hot pursuit. Toronto does not yet have enough obvious young talent for it to be a strong selling point, but the Leafs will likely make a big push at crunch time due to president Brendan Shanahan's close ties to him.

4. Toronto is a bad fit.

There are too many negatives in Toronto, including a daily media gong show, the absence of a general manager since Dave Nonis was fired, a dysfunctional veteran core and the aforementioned lack of young talent. It could be several years before the Leafs are ready to contend. But, as a rule, coaches love a challenge, and the Maple Leafs pose, arguably, the biggest one in the NHL.
Many coaches would opt not to coach in Toronto because of its hockey heritage and the constant public pressure to win that everyone faces on a daily basis. But Babcock is enough of a contrarian to accept an apparent no-win situation.
So don't be surprised if, after months of speculation, he winds up guiding the Leafs after all.