Red Wings GM moving forward without Babcock

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland repeatedly referred to the past 10 years working with Mike Babcock as "fabulous" but stressed the franchise is looking ahead to the future after its former coach was hired Wednesday by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Holland said he met in person with Babcock at 8 a.m. Wednesday before heading in to his office. He spoke with Babcock again by phone at 11:15 a.m., at which time Babcock told him he had made his choice.

"I know it was a difficult decision, but at the end of the day he made a decision that was best for him and now I have some decisions to make," Holland said.

Babcock received an eight-year, $50 million contract from the Maple Leafs, according to media reports. Holland didn't reveal how much money he was willing to give Babcock to stay, but said he didn't feel comfortable going more than five years.

Holland lauded what Babcock was able to accomplish in leading the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup championship in 2008 and extending their run of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs to 24 years, but pointed to some of their recent postseason failures in rationalizing why he could only go so far in contract terms.

Since losing Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Red Wings haven't been past the second round. They've lost in the first round in three of the past four years, including a seven-game defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning this season.

"We only won one playoff round in four years, and we have bigger goals than just to make the playoffs," Holland said. "So to wake up 2-3 years from now if we're not able to take this program to the next level. … There was a limit on term, and when you've got a limit on term and the people you're negotiating against don't, it becomes a factor."

Babcock's contract with the Red Wings wasn’t set to expire until June 30, but Holland gave him permission earlier this month to explore opportunities with other teams, who had to sign an agreement to compensate Detroit with a third-round draft pick at some point in the next three years if they hired Babcock.

"I thought that was ultimately the best way to be fair to Mike," he said. "My attitude has always been I want to try to find the 23 players and the people who want to be in Detroit. … Mike made a decision that he wants to be in Toronto.

"… Certainly Mike Babcock is making a decision today believing change is good for his career. I'm sure he'll say that [at his press conference Thursday], that it's a different challenge, a different opportunity, and we're the same. We had 10 great years together, and after a process Mike decided to go somewhere else. We're not going to fold the franchise; we're going to go to work and try to beat Mike."

Holland stressed that though his professional relationship with Babcock changes with him coaching another Atlantic Division team and an Original Six rival, he expects their personal relationship to remain the same. Holland's daughter is getting married this summer, and Babcock and his wife will be among the guests at the wedding.

"He said to me today I challenged him to make him better, and vice versa. But at end of the day all good things come to an end," Holland said. "He's on to a new chapter of his pro career, and the same thing, I have to make a decision on who our next coach is. Our goal is to make the playoffs and to win some playoff series, but with regards to Mike we had 10 fabulous years professionally and personally."