Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock returned to Detroit on Friday night, when the Red Wings kicked off their season with a 4-0 drumming of the Leafs.
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After a decade of relative success in Detroit, the Maple Leafs were able to lure Babcock to Toronto with an eight-year, $50 million contract. Not only is Larkin from this state, so is the Muskegon-born and raised Abdelkader, while Blashill was born in the Upper Peninsula and played his college hockey at Ferris State before coaching at Western Michigan University and for the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings’ top minor league team. “They sure didn’t have to do that”, Babcock said via ESPN.com.
Zetterberg is intent on having a better season than his last one, which saw him lead the team in scoring with 66 points in 77 games – but with just three goals after January 27.
Veteran forward Tomas Tatar said the biggest difference between the two is the way they speak to players. They host Florida on Tuesday before hitting the road for a season-high seven game trip, including visits to Detroit on October. 16 and 27. That’s greener in money, not grass…we’re still talking about the Maple Leafs here.
“I thought overall it was a good camp mainly because of the approach that our guys take”. While there were bright spots throughout the game, it was pretty evident that Babcock and his coaching staff have a lot of work to do.
“That’s behind me”, Nestrasil said Saturday after the Canes’ morning skate at PNC Arena.
Abdelkader scored his first goal at 1:15 of the first period, his second at 8:20 of the first period and his third at 3:54 of the second period. I know Henrik Zetterberg’s cool under pressure, so he’s built that over time, but age doesn’t matter. Oscar Lindberg and Kevin Hayes scored 17 seconds apart, and Zucarello capped the rally a minute later. He gave up three goals on nine shots.
As noted above, one of the more significant moves in Budaj’s favor came when the New York Islanders claimed Jean-Francois Berube off of waivers this week.
Cam Atkinson also scored for the Blue Jackets.
The team promoted Jeff Blashill, who had spent the last three seasons in Grand Rapids after one season as Babcocks assistant in Detroit.
Many pundits are picking the Red Wings to not only make the playoffs but advancing past the first round for just the second time since 2009.
The Carolina Hurricanes hope they’re not headed for another awful start after an uninspiring opener, though they’ve already been hit by a significant injury.
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Mark Scheifele ignited the Winnipeg outburst with his second goal of the season. Toronto presented a new challenge, and accomplishing his hard goals there will surely make nights like the loss in Detroit well worth the effort. Larkin battled with defenseman Jake Gardiner in the corner and owned both the puck and Gardiner before feeding Abdelkader in front.
