The reason I still have resentment towards Babcock is because even if he was still here, the Leafs probably would've had a good chance to win it, but with his system you wouldn't have been able to definitively tell who the better team on the ice is.
The leafs have largely just been squeaking out wins (pre Keefe) when they should've been showcasing just how talented this entire team is. That shit resonates in a locker room, when you know you are better than a large portion of teams and get to showcase that for the entire league to see.
Games like this are statements, and there should've been more of them this year so far.