Music: {allcanada} Babcock permitted to talk to other NHL teams

Friday, May 8, 2015

{allcanada} Babcock permitted to talk to other NHL teams

The NHL's free agent frenzy has begun with head coach Mike Babcock as the headliner.

TSN has learned that the Detroit Red Wings have given him permission to talk to other NHL teams about coaching opportunities in a window that is open until mid-May.

Babcock, 52, was head coach of the Red Wings for 10 seasons, leading them to a 458-223-105 regular season record and extending their NHL-leading streak of playoff appearances to 24 seasons. He also guided the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup in 2008 and to the Cup final the following season. Prior to joining the Red Wings, Babcock spent two seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, taking them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2002-03.

His resume also includes impressive stints behind the bench on the international stage, coaching Canada to gold medals at the 1997 World Junior Hockey Championship, the 2004 World Men's Championship and Olympic gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

Babcock was in the final year of his contract with the Red Wings and is expected to set a new high for NHL coaches' salaries, eclipsing the $2.95 million earned by Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville this season.

There are currently five coaching vacancies in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks looking to hire for next season.