Mike Babcock "Hyman is the best forechecker in hockey."

[Kamiccolo]

Love the coach, but man he falls in love with these scrubs. Does anyone agree with this?

Click to read more...

 

[DopeyFish]

I do agree he's one of the most tenacious forecheckers. It's a shame he doesn't know what to do with the puck when he gets it, though.

 

[LeafsNation149]

He has so much talent away from the puck, just with the puck he's an ECHLer

 

[CycloneSweep]

Love Babcock...but sometimes he says some pretty wild shit.

 

[Brian McDavid]

Love the coach, but man he falls in love with these scrubs. Does anyone agree with this?

And for once, we agree on something lol. That said, could just be Babs trying to encourage the kid.

 

[Sky04]

Coaches guna coach.

 

[coupe93]

He's an excellent fore-checker no question about it, and wins a large share of his board battles also. I hope his hands on the offensive side of the puck catches up with this part of his game. Very underappreciated IMO.

 

[Nordiques1979]

He backcheck like a wild fox, and that's pretty much all...

 

[BusQuets]

Oh man Leafs are gonna overpay him so badly.

 

[Highmarker]

seems like Leaf fans like to rip on this guy but the few times he's played Edmonton i thought he looked like a pretty good player.

 

[Laineux]

Yes. Perfect match for Matthews. Like Kunitz with Crosby, Hyman might play the majority of his career with Matthews.

 

[McRpro]

Oh man Leafs are gonna overpay him so badly.

He just signed a new 4 year deal at reasonable money.

 

[belair]

'Elite' coach proclaims generic forward 'elite' fore-checker. Fans rejoice.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

He tries hard and is good at disrupting the opposition but he's so hopeless when he gets the puck it's almost not even worth it

 

[Stopsight]

I love the "Coach compliments own player hyperbolically" threads.
I look forward to parts two and three in the hockey news cycle, "Crosby names some other player 'best in the league'" and "Gretzky says current player 'better than he ever was' "

 

[BruinLVGA]

Love the coach, but man he falls in love with these scrubs. Does anyone agree with this?

A love for hyperbole is what I see here.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

A love for hyperbole is what I see here.

I think he really believes it tbh. He's called him the best puck retriever before as well

 

[IPS]

Honored with a new avatar.

 

[Dustin]

seems like Leaf fans like to rip on this guy but the few times he's played Edmonton i thought he looked like a pretty good player.

I think a lot of people rip him based on his offensive skill or lack of it more accurately. There is little doubt in most Leaf fans minds that he has some great skills. The problem a lot of Leaf fans have is that he has absolutely no finish.
That being said Babcock has a philosophy in regards to the type of player he is and how he helps Matthews so there is little to no reason in debating it as the only fan he needs is Babcock and he's got him locked up.

 

[Vintage93]

Generational grit

 

[rent free]

he had a pretty bad shooting percentage last season, so that's oughta change

i'm expecting 30-35 points for him

 

[Jared Dunn]

Oh man Leafs are gonna overpay him so badly.

Actually he just recently signed a 4 year deal at more than reasonable money. 2.5 I think?

 

[Jared Dunn]

he had a pretty bad shooting percentage last season, so that's oughta change

i'm expecting 30-35 points for him

If he's stapled to the Matthews-Willy line all season it would honestly be pretty embarrassing if he didn't hit that.

Guy handles the puck like a live grenade, if he spent 8 hours a day stick handling this offseason maybe he'll be a super star haha

 

[sansabri]

Oh man Leafs are gonna overpay him so badly.

They already did for 4 years.

 

[mcpw]

Zach Hyman "Babcock is the best coach in hockey."