Dreger connects Ducks, Flyers to potential interest in Babcock

Darren Dreger was on Toronto’s TSN 1050 on Wednesday evening.

On how Mike Babcock isn’t looking for a project, and if he’s rule Babcock out of Toronto:

“No, I don’t rule them out because hey, if Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment comes with the door to the vault open and says, ‘We’ll give you 5 times 5 - $25 million,’ (laughs) I mean, he’d have to stop and go, ‘Alright, maybe we should give this another thought.’

“I don’t believe he’s looking for a project and I think that a lot depends on what happens with some of the other teams that are far more established.

“And I’m not trying to fire Bruce Boudreau. I’ve said this publicly before. I still want to connect Mike Babcock to the Anaheim Ducks. I really do. And for me, a team like that who has got established players in their late 20s who still have so much more to give.

“God forbid, but if something were to happen and this team went down in the playoffs, then I think there will be a price to pay. The question I have in Anaheim though, is ownership there willing to pay Babcock or whoever it might be that type of money.

Also:

“Hey Philadelphia – nobody is talking about Philadelphia. Philadelphia isn’t – how far away are they from being a Stanley Cup contender? I don’t know. I’ll leave it up to the hockey experts to figure that part out. But Ron Hextall has made some pretty bold moves here. Obviously they’ve got to bring some other pieces in. And you’ve got Ed Snider, who’s just frothing at the mouth for a Stanley Cup championship before his days are over. And if he thinks Mike Babcock might be the piece to push this team into that conversation, then he’ll spend the money to do it.”

Source: TSN 1050/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey

Related: McKenzie: Leafs, Flyers, Bruins, Ducks could make a run at Babcock