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 a long-time 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 with the Blues. Babcock has won one, also — in Detroit. Hitchcock also lost a Stanley Cup in Dallas. Babcock lost two — one in Anaheim, one in Detroit.

Babcock has coached two gold-medal winning Olympic teams for Canada. Hitchcock was an associate on both of those teams, and was also part of Pat Quinn’s gold medal-winning group in 2002. If coaches were given IOC gold medals, which they’re not, Hitchcock would have three to Babcock’s two.

The Blues have been something of a playoff disaster under Hitchcock — that is the why his job is on the line — winning only 10 of 27 post-season games in his time in St. Louis and getting eliminated three times in a row in the first round.

The much-coveted Babcock, who will be paid more money than any coach in NHL history when he signs his new deal, has coached 31 playoff games in the same period: His Red Wings have won 12 of them.

The not-necessarily coveted Hitchcock, whom sources indicate will likely return to the Blues once the playoff disappointment has quieted, has little bargaining power, unless he chooses to walk away.

Babcock hasn’t chosen anything yet but to play the field. And what a field it is. The Red Wings have given him permission to do what’s never really been done before. He is everybody’s favourite right now. Line up and make an offer.

The Maple Leafs, without a general manager, have already taken a run at him. The Buffalo Sabres, soon to be home to Jack Eichel, have made their pitch. The Edmonton Oilers, having elevated Bob Nicholson, hired Peter Chiarelli as general manager and soon to be landing Connor McDavid, kicked tires on Babcock, but are heading in another direction. Philadelphia and New Jersey will soon get involved as the Babcock chase grows.

Meanwhile, the coach who grew up in Edmonton — Hitchcock — sits still, not certain of his next move, not even in the position as everybody’s second choice. Todd McLellan, now of Team Canada, ex of the San Jose Sharks, former Babcock staffer, seems to be that guy. The list of next-best available coach behind him not named Hitchcock includes former Babcock assistant Paul MacLean, Peter DeBoer and Randy Carlyle, with AHL coach Jeff Blashill playing the role of this year’s new hot guy. (See Jon Cooper or Dallas Eakins to indicate the difficulty of such a choice.)

There are six official coaching openings right now in the NHL and possibly as many as nine if Boston, St. Louis and Detroit don’t retain their current coaches. But everything starts with Babcock and where he will end up. Then the game of musical chairs will follow: There are more openings than there are front-line coaches to fill them. It is clearly a seller’s market, with a twist. How quickly will Babcock have a new job and how quickly does the market explode in hirings after that?

Assuming McLellan is heading to Edmonton — which is now being talked about — the intensity of the market grows that much more frantic.

And, still, the juxtaposition of Babcock and Hitchcock, old friends and old rivals, remains — two demanding, successful, smart coaches of similar records and varying ways, but dissimilar outward perception.

One is the flavour of the month. The other appears to be an acquired taste. The truth likely is somewhere in between.

Babcock is thought of as a winner. Hitchcock is thought of as a regular-season winner. The facts don’t exactly back up those notions.

In three of his four seasons in St. Louis, Hitchcock’s teams scored more goals, allowed fewer goals against, won more games than Babcock’s Red Wings managed. In four years, Hitchcock’s teams won 185 games — including playoffs — while Babcock’s teams won 166 games.

So why, the general manager and others want to know, does everyone want a piece of Babcock while Hitchcock waits and wonders? Good question.

It’s a case of perception being the reality here — with no real answer.

steve.simmons@sunmedia.ca

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