sagi58 wrote:They all but had him in a Sabres' jersey; but, check out who's moving into town:
[img]http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0697/8333/files/MSN_sprots_logo_compact.jpg?14006546775559767768[/img] wrote:Mike Babcock to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs
Babwatch is over.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the highly sought-after head coach has agreed to a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Babcock, 52, reportedly received interest from the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks before deciding to depart the Detroit Red Wings.
Detroit granted Babcock permission to speak with other NHL teams on May 8. His contract with Detroit was set to expire on June 30.
In 12 seasons with the Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks, Babcock posted a 527-285-119 record (plus 19 ties), reaching three finals and winning a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008.
This past season, Detroit finished in third place in the Atlantic Division, but the club fell in a first-round series to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.
Table tennis: Singapore wants a clean sweep of gold at SEA Games
The Singapore Table Tennis Association is aiming for a clean sweep of all seven gold medals on offer at the upcoming SEA Games, and it is planning to do so with a team that blends youth with experience.
SINGAPORE: She is just 21 years old but already a veteran of two editions of the SEA Games. In a couple of weeks, Isabelle Li will compete in her third.
"I'm definitely more experienced now, having competed in the two previous SEA Games,” said the national table tennis player. “Especially with the added home ground advantage, I hope to be able to give my best performance."
Half of the 10-strong SEA Games squad are 21 and younger. They include Li and 19-year-old Clarence Chew. Both began their careers at the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games. But given Singapore's shallow pool of sporting talent, players like Li and Chew are being pushed to the next level.
Said deputy president of the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) Alex Yam: "It's not just about new faces, but also, giving opportunities for those young players who have been with us throughout this entire journey, to give them more opportunities, more exposure, and eventually, take over the mantle of being senior to new players who will come along."
The youngsters have also got the backing of the current "big sister", Feng Tian Wei. "You could say that the younger ones are gradually maturing,” she said. “They accomplished what they set out to do at the last SEA Games. So I'm very confident in their abilities." It is high praise as the 29-year-old is ranked fourth in the world.
This year's Games will gauge whether all that confidence is well-placed. The STTA wants the players to repeat their feat from 2013 - that is - to sweep all the gold. Only this time, seven medals are available, up from four back then.
In a further sign that Team Singapore is leaving nothing to chance, it has invited players from Taiwan and Korea to serve as sparring partners ahead of the Games. These players will help prepare the team for specific threats posed by Thailand and Vietnam - two countries Team Singapore thinks pose the greatest challenge to a golden jackpot.
- CNA/hs
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point. 
- By hass25![[img]http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0697/8333/files/MSN_sprots_logo_compact.jpg?14006546775559767768[/img]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0697/8333/files/MSN_sprots_logo_compact.jpg?14006546775559767768){kind=link}