from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

The private planes have already been dispatched, the tours planned, the sales pitches made — daily, even hourly — to Mike Babcock. The eventual coronation can’t possibly be far away.

All of this is happening while Ken Hitchcock waits for a telephone call or meeting to learn of his coaching future.

“Amazing,” said an NHL general manager, who didn’t want his name involved. “You have one coach with one playoff series win in four years that everybody wants to hire and one coach with exactly the same record — one playoff win in four years — that everybody wants to fire.”

Hitchcock has coached the St. Louis Blues for almost four seasons. He has won one Stanley Cup in his career, albeit not in St. Louis. Babcock has won one, also — his in Detroit.

Hitchcock also lost a Stanley Cup in Dallas. Babcock lost two — one in Anaheim, one in Detroit.

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