...as Toronto decides to throw $50million over 8 years (much of it front loaded) at former Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/12920242/toronto-maple-leafs-hire-mike-babcock-head-coach (http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/12920242/toronto-maple-leafs-hire-mike-babcock-head-coach)
It's been a great ten seasons for him as coach of the Winged Wheel, with one Stanley Cup and the continuation of Detroit's 24 season streak of making the postseason. Best of luck to him, because he'll need it for that gong show of a team. I seriously don't blame him for leaving-he's the best coach in the NHL but let's face it: Detroit was in the business of winning before he got here, and the organization is still in good hands with Jeff Blashill (coach of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, the Wings minor league farm club) who is in all likelihood the guy who will land the job as Wings coach. A new voice might be needed in the locker room too. Babcock's setting his family up for life, and there's probably no greater test than trying to rescue a storied team that is pretty much a joke now. Some call it ego, but I don't know many people that are good at what they do and would turn down 3x what your current employer is paying to go there and try to make it good there too.
I think it was a good move, for him and Toronto. He wanted a challenge, now he has one.
On a side note, i wish i knew what it was like to be set for life.
I cannot fathom that kind of money