Leafs' Mike Babcock among 7 NHL coaching changes

Mike Babcock will make more money this season than all but one player on the Toronto Maple Leafs. That's a distinction and a spotlight no other NHL coach has ever had.

"Maybe that's how it is in college football," Maple Leafs defenceman Matt Hunwick said. "It seems like the coaches are the main attraction, they're the mainstays and obviously the players come in year in, year out."

Babcock is in Toronto for the long haul thanks to a $50-million US, eight-year contract. Among the seven coaches taking over new teams this season, he's the best bet to stay for the longest time and outlast a majority of his roster.

That's why this is, above anything else, the Babcock era with the Leafs. His deal is longer than general manager Lou Lamoriello's, and he arguably has more staying power than his boss, president Brendan Shanahan.

Just don't tell Babcock he's the star.

"I don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about that," he said. "I'm Mike Babcock from Saskatoon. That's who my kids know, that's who my wife knows. If my dad was alive he'd tell you, 'Just remember where you're from."'

Babcock came from Detroit, where he won a Stanley Cup, went to another final and made 10 consecutive playoff appearances. His replacement there is Jeff Blashill, who won a Calder Cup in the American Hockey League in 2013 with many of the Red Wings' current stars like Tomas Tatar, Tomas Jurco and Gustav Nyquist.

"It's been fun years for him, for sure, and now this is the next level," Tatar said. "Similar to Mike, really similar way to speak to the players."

Blashill follows a path set by Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who coached their AHL affiliate before getting promoted. Dan Bylsma also did that before winning the Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Now Bylsma is the coach of the Buffalo Sabres, overseeing the renovation project headlined by Jack Eichel, Ryan O'Reilly and Evander Kane. Bylsma spent a year out of coaching doing some broadcasting in the meantime.

"I did coach my son's team last year," he said jokingly. "I thought I was coaching a little bit last year."

Todd McLellan did a lot of professional coaching last season with the San Jose Sharks, who stripped Joe Thornton of the captaincy and had more drama than a normal NHL team. McLellan and San Jose mutually parted ways, allowing him to become a free agent and eventually land a job with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

End to coaching carousel in Edmonton?

McLellan is Edmonton's fifth coach in five seasons. Players hope he's the one who finally sticks.

"He's an experienced guy, he's been in the league for many years now, and I think that's going to help us," centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "We're still kind of a young team, but we're making that transition into not so young anymore. I think his experience will help us out a lot."

Likewise, a fresh voice like Peter DeBoer's should help in San Jose, where the Sharks' target is again the playoffs. DeBoer's old team, the New Jersey Devils, are in a youth movement, and John Hynes was new GM Ray Shero's choice to spearhead that.

"I think it's going to be good," Devils goaltender Cory Schneider said. "He's a young coach, we've got a lot of young guys on our team and I think he'll be able to relate well to them and teach them a lot."

Down the highway in Philadelphia, Ron Hextall tabbed former North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol to be behind the bench for the Flyers. Hakstol is the first U.S. college coach to make the jump to the NHL in roughly 30 years, but so far he's impressing his players.

"The way he talks to players, he's a straight-shooter," centre Vincent Lecavalier said." He'll tell you what he thinks, but he seems pretty calm and composed, but he gets his point across, for sure."