Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock’s contract doesn’t expire to June 30th, but the Red Wings have granted teams permission to speak with the head coach until May 25th. The Buffalo Sabers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and virtually every other team in the NHL is interested in having Babcock as their head coach. One team that has emerged as a top contender for Babcock’s services are the Philadelphia Flyers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

“Ron Hextall’s done a very good job of staying in the cone of silence,” Elliotte Friedman wrote. “But his peers across the NHL believe he has been waiting for this, planning meticulously for the opportunity. You have to think Toronto will make the largest financial offer, but other teams think Philly is going to be up there, too.

“What does Babcock think of Claude Giroux, Steve Mason, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek and their young defencemen not yet in the NHL? Once news began to break that maybe Edmonton was out, Philly became a popular pick for Babcock’s destination.”

These reports also line up with Philadelphia Flyers Insider Tim Panaccio, who mention Babcock as the Flyers next head coach in April.

The Flyers fired their former head coach Craig Berbue on April 17th after the team missed the playoffs for the first year since the 2006-2007 season.

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