The Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill had significant shoes to fill when he was nominated to be the successor to Mike Babcock; he is still stuffing kleenex into the toe. The pair were friends; it was documented in one of those corny sit-down segments prior to Babcock zipping down the 401 straight to Toronto to take over the Leafs bench. The pair often shared dinner together to discuss strategy or just talk hockey.
During one of those last-ditched efforts, productions to keep Mike in town he sat with Ken Holland in front of the cameras and everything was kosher.