Longtime Detroit Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock Signs with Toronto Maple Leafs

On Wednesday, Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland had his longtime coach, Mike Babcock inked to the team. After an 8 a.m. meeting in his home though, that relationship came to an end. After three hours Babcock, the Red Wings' coach for over a decade, stepped away from his position. There was no bad blood between either side in the break. They just couldn't agree on a contract that would benefit either party. In the end, Babcock signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs offered Babcock eight years and $50 million. With this deal, Babcock doubles the next highest paid coach in the NHL, Joel Quenneville.

Babcock opened up about leaving the team shortly after the meeting with Holland.

"One of the things that I said to Mike, anytime you're an unrestricted free agent, in the prime of your career, there's going to be opportunities that probably will stagger you," Babcock said. "I use the word stagger because I'm aware of what the industry pays, but in order sometimes to get people, you've got to go above and beyond the industry standards to get what you want."

The longtime coach then went on to say that some of the players in the NHL don't make the type of money he does.

Babcock leaves the Red Wings with ten straight playoff berths and a Stanley Cup win in 2008. With the type of success, Holland was emotional over letting his coach go.

"We've made the playoffs for 10 consecutive years. Went to the final four three straight years in '07, '08 and '09 and won a Cup in '08. The last few years, I thought he did a fabulous job in putting some younger players in our organization and developing them."

How do you think Babcock will do with the Maple Leafs?