5 possible landing spots for Mike Babcock in 2020-21
2. Nowhere
Babcock signed an aforementioned record-setting eight-year, $50 million contract with the Maple Leafs, of which he had three full years and $6.25 million per year left of upon being fired.
Mike Babcock has been relieved of his duties as the head coach of the Toronto Maple #Leafs
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) November 20, 2019
At the time of firing there were still 3 years remaining on his 8 year, $50M contract
His total time with the #Leafs clocked in at 4 years and 6 monthshttps://t.co/rGdABmKVsQ pic.twitter.com/Ze52vo3x9Q
So it seems very possible, if there are no opportunities that interest him of course, that Babcock just sits out next season and collects the money Toronto owes him. Beyond the $18.75 million he’d be owned over the next three seasons (assuming no offset if/when he takes another job), Rudi Schuller of Sporting News adroitly pointed out and calculated that Babcock is also owed the prorated portion of his salary for this season. That’s $4,496,951.22, to be precise. So Babcock has roughly $23.25 million coming his way from the Maple Leafs, again assuming no offset language in that massive contract (but let’s reasonably assume there is offset language).
Perhaps Babcock will decide he wants to rest and collect some substantial checks next season, with no pressure or stress of being behind someone’s bench. So nowhere, or “his couch” in more crude terms, stands as a possible landing spot for 2020-21.