Babcock Will Stick With Chiefs After Considering His Options, Coach Returns For Fifth Season

The speculation is over. Mike Babcock, contrary to expectations, will remain as coach of the Spokane Chiefs.

Babcock will begin his fifth season with the Western Hockey League club when the Chiefs gather for training camp here Aug. 26.

The coach confirmed Friday that he pursued “a couple of opportunities, three that I wanted. I didn’t get them.”

One offer did come his way, Babcock said, but “We as family looked at it and decided to stay. As I’ve said before, we love it here. It’s time to get back to work.”

Babcock, who many speculated would make the jump to professional hockey this year, will meet with general manager Tim Speltz Monday, presumably to discuss an extension on his contract that runs through the upcoming season.

Babcock’s ‘96 Spokane team won the only regular-season Western Division championship in the club’s history. The Chiefs lost a tough series with eventual Memorial Cup champion Portland for the division title this spring. The Chiefs have made the playoffs in each of Babcock’s four seasons.

Elsewhere, former Chiefs star Greg Leeb signed a two-way, three-year deal with the NHL Dallas Stars for terms that he described as “fair, considering the market and situation I’m in.”

A standout winger for four WHL seasons, Leeb is listed at 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds.

Passed over in the NHL draft because of his size, Leeb had a productive camp last summer with the Stars as a free agent. His strong season here as a 20-year-old led Dallas to sign Leeb, the fastest skater in the WHL skills competition at the league all-star game.

Leeb may wind up starting his first professional season with the Michigan K-Wings, the Stars’ International League affiliate in Kalamazoo, Mich.