Coach’s Corner: Babcock, avoid a rebuilding team

Don Cherry and Ron McLean breaks down the first period of the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning while Cherry also bestows some sage advice to Mike Babcock about what team he should pursue.

The future of Mike Babcock is the most compelling off-ice NHL storyline right now and Don Cherry has some advice for the Detroit Red Wings head coach.

“Of all the guys in the world that should tell Babcock what to do, it’s me,” Cherry said on Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night in Canada Friday.

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“I have some suggestions for him,” Cherry, who went from a contending Boston Bruins team in 1979 to coach a young Colorado Rockies squad after being fired by Harry Sinden, added. “I would say San Jose. Don’t go to a rebuilding team, it’ll break your heart. You only have one life, enjoy it. Go to San Jose. I bet he goes to San Jose, I think that’s where he’s going to go.”


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If Babcock chooses to stay away from a rebuilding team it would mean the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers would have to look elsewhere and Cherry explained he doesn’t think Edmonton should go after Babcock at all.

“They got a good coach there [in interim bench boss Todd Nelson]. They should hire that coach…You can’t leave him hanging in the wind like that. He’s a good coach. I bet [Babcock] doesn’t go to Edmonton.”

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