Red Wings will meet with Babcock in September to discuss contract extension

The Detroit Red Wings salvaged their 23-year playoff streak last season, and behind the bench for his ninth of those years was head coach Mike Babcock.

Despite dealing with a revolving door of injuries to key players, Babcock coached the team to a 39-28-15 record.

General manager Ken Holland signed his own contract extension Friday, and will begin talks with Babcock (who has a year left on his deal) in September.

"I talked briefly to Mike yesterday; we exchanged texts. He's out west," Holland told the Detroit Free Press. "When he gets back to town, at training camp, we'll sit down and talk. So sometime in September, we'll talk."

On top of extending the coach that helped the team to their last nine years of success, the organization is looking to build a foundation that can compete for years to come with the likes of the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and other top teams in the Eastern Conference. 

"We're also trying to develop young players to build a core much like we did in late ’80s, early ’90s that carried us for a decade, and then again in the late ’90s," Holland said. "I'm optimistic and excited about our younger players, that they will continue to develop into Detroit Red Wings players."

In Babcock's third season with the team, the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, and went back to the final the next year. Babcock also coached Canada's Men's Olympic hockey team to gold medals in 2010 and 2014.