Unlike the players, coach Mike Babcock hasn’t had to worry about his spot with the Canadian Olympic team.
But his performance with the injury-ravaged Detroit Red Wings this season would probably have been good enough to win him the job if it was an open competition.
Despite being down as many as eight regulars - they lost Henrik Zetterberg Thursday night - Babcock has kept the Wings in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, only six behind the conference-leading San Jose Sharks.
Not that he’s taking much credit.
Babcock, who picked up his 300th win Thursday night, told the Detroit News this story about the club’s penalty killing, which has allowed only one goal in the last 35 short-handed situations:
“We changed the entire structure of our penalty kill this summer,” Babcock said. “We started stealing from (New Jersey Devils coach) Jacques Lemaire last year, and then over the summer when we were together with the Olympic team (Lemaire’s on the staff), we took everything. After we got lit up by Dallas (Nov. 30), I went back and talked to Jacques again and stole some more stuff.
“I tell people all the time, I haven’t had an original thought my whole life, so whenever I can steal something, it’s a good thing.”
In Vancouver, Babcock won’t even have to pick up the phone. Lemaire will be in the same room.
HEAR AND THERE: With the Columbus Blue Jackets in 12th place in the Western Conference, there has been some heat on coach Ken Hitchcock, but none of it from the Jackets, apparently.
“Frankly, the Hitchcock style of hockey is the Blue Jackets style of hockey. Hitch is here because he delivers that kind of product. We have no contemplation – zero – of making any changes with management or coaches,” said Jackets president Mike Priest.
Problem is, they haven’t been playing “Hitch hockey.”
They’re 28th in the league in goals against a game at 3.26...Nashville’s Shea Webber has a big shot from the point.
Unfortunately, his teammates know that first-hand. He broke Martin Erat’s leg with a shot last year. Now, Jordin Tootoo is out for a month after taking a Webber shot in the foot.
REVELATIONS: They say the first step in dealing with a problem is recognizing you’ve got a problem.
Edmonton Oilers coach Pat Quinn, who tips the scales at 290, has signed up to endorse one of those weight-loss/nutrition companies, Herbal Magic.
“I like a beer. I like to eat lots of food. Fact is, I need help.”
Right on, Pat. Many of us could say the same...Detroit Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg is out for a couple of weeks with a separated shoulder after a big, clean hit from Tampa’s Mattias Ohlund.
Separations can be painful, as anybody who’s had one can tell you, but Zetterberg drove himself to the hospital for tests. That’s pretty tough.
SPECULATIONS: Talking to several GMs heading into the holiday roster freeze (starts at midnight tonight through midnight Dec. 27) there didn’t seem to be much in the way of hope of teams finding some new faces.
“We’ve become the ‘no-trade’ league,” said one. “The only guys being shopped around are underperformers with big tickets.” Those would be guys like Pat O’Sullivan of the Oilers, making $2.9 million and playing on the fourth line or defenceman John Liles of the Colorado Avalanche (second year of a $16.4 million contract) and benched for the third period the other night...Odds are you are in for a long night if you’re watching the Dallas Stars right now. Five of their last six games have gone to overtime. They apparently don’t like the extra work, either, because they won only one of them.
THE LAST WORD: Since this is the last NHL Saturday before Santa makes his end-to-end rush and lights young hearts around the world Thursday night, all the best to our readers and their families for a safe and happy holiday season. See you Boxing Day.
