What exactly is Babcock doing that is impressing you.

[happyaccident]

I wonder if this was common knowledge or something that I missed entirely, what they said on Mike Richards show, that Babcock, in a table-pounding kind of way, wanted to pick Hanifin. Considering they tried to move down with their #4 pick, it's a strange sequence.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Sounds like Babcock is publicly saying he needs Stamkos to address the need for goalscoring, without mentioning his name.

No Babcock said the opposite.

He said ...
The Goal of the team: a 10 year run.
You accomplish that through the draft, not by buying expensive UFA.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Gotta be playing Clune over Leivo

 

[Mess]

I wonder if this was common knowledge or something that I missed entirely, what they said on Mike Richards show, that Babcock, in a table-pounding kind of way, wanted to pick Hanifin. Considering they tried to move down with their #4 pick, it's a strange sequence.

There was chatter at draft time that Leafs management was split and in fact Babcock wanted Hanifin and others in scouting wanted Marner etc. It was reputable insiders like Bobby Mac or Dreger or someone like that that said that.

When Lou first arrived he said he believes strongly in building from the net out.

The trading back was on the belief that Werenski and Provorov were not too far behind Hanifin and if the Leafs traded back passing on Noah they could get a similar level Dmen a few spots lower and pick up more picks in the process.

 

[Stephen]

No Babcock said the opposite.

He said ...
The Goal of the team: a 10 year run.
You accomplish that through the draft, not by buying expensive UFA.

A 10 year run doesn't mean 10 years from now.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

There was chatter at draft time that Leafs management was split and in fact Babcock wanted Hanifin and others in scouting wanted Marner etc. It was reputable insiders like Bobby Mac or Dreger or someone like that that said that.

Edge to Babcock so far.

When Lou first arrived he said he believes strongly in building from the net out.

So easy to say for a guy that had Brodeur !

 

[HamiltonNHL]

A 10 year run doesn't mean 10 years from now.

A ten year run isn't built by slapping on a UFA to the Titanic.

 

[exporta]

No Babcock said the opposite.

He said ...
The Goal of the team: a 10 year run.
You accomplish that through the draft, not by buying expensive UFA.

In Detroit, while developing their prospects, they brought in many high priced vets to stay competitive/success.

A ten year run doesn't mean you don't try to improve the NHL team in the mean time and keep guys around that you have faith in. This is very much a NJ/DET approach to building. Babs and Lou will want to put pieces in place to compete and insulate the young stars. They are just going to draft as much as they can, and rely on scouting and development, not tanking.

 

[Menzinger]

Offensive struggles
Thursday marked the sixth time that the Leafs have been shutout this season, the second-most of any team in the league thus far; Anaheim has been blanked eight times.
Toronto has managed one goal or less in five of the past seven games, predictably struggling to generate offence without van Riemsdyk, who was leading the team in points before he broke his left foot earlier this month.

“What are you expecting?†Babcock said in response to queries about the lack of goals among forwards. “I think these forwards are doing what they do. How many guys really score?
“James scored. Who else?â€
Only one active Leaf forward, to Babcock’s point, scored 20-plus goals last season: Tyler Bozak, who netted 23 markers in his first and only 20-goal campaign.

Is that Babcock becoming unhinged ?
Is the guy cracking already ?
Seems out of character for him to go off like that.
I'm surprised.

Telling your forwards they "aren't scorers" seems like a bad plan.
Why would Babcock shove a statement like that in the face of his forwards ?
Weird.

The Leafs only have JVR, Kadri Bozak and sort of Lupul (though I think it's pretty clear that Lupes' best years are behind him) as players capable of putting up noticeable point production.

It was perhaps a slip of his tongue but he's certainly not wrong.

The Leafs are a team who are clearly void of offensive talent.

 

[Menzinger]

I wonder if this was common knowledge or something that I missed entirely, what they said on Mike Richards show, that Babcock, in a table-pounding kind of way, wanted to pick Hanifin. Considering they tried to move down with their #4 pick, it's a strange sequence.

Yep - it seemed that the Leafs liked Rantanen/Werenski/ Provorov as all three I belive were invited to Toronto pre draft. Those three were likely the targets if the Leafs had decided to move down to #8 by trading with Columbus.

Ultimately I'm happy we ended up with Marner though.

 

[ACC1224]

There was chatter at draft time that Leafs management was split and in fact Babcock wanted Hanifin and others in scouting wanted Marner etc. It was reputable insiders like Bobby Mac or Dreger or someone like that that said that.

When Lou first arrived he said he believes strongly in building from the net out.

The trading back was on the belief that Werenski and Provorov were not too far behind Hanifin and if the Leafs traded back passing on Noah they could get a similar level Dmen a few spots lower and pick up more picks in the process.

Yes if Marner was selected by Arizona they would have considered trading back.

 

[Gabriel426]

I wonder if this was common knowledge or something that I missed entirely, what they said on Mike Richards show, that Babcock, in a table-pounding kind of way, wanted to pick Hanifin. Considering they tried to move down with their #4 pick, it's a strange sequence.

I think they were leaking that out, just in case Marner got picked and drive up the price on Hanifin if other teams want him. For example, NJ might trade up to get Hanifin(Lou was GM at that time).

 

[happyaccident]

Yep - it seemed that the Leafs liked Rantanen/Werenski/ Provorov as all three I belive were invited to Toronto pre draft. Those three were likely the targets if the Leafs had decided to move down to #8 by trading with Columbus.

Ultimately I'm happy we ended up with Marner though.

Right, I just wasn't aware that Babcock was so high on Hanifin, he must have been drooling when Strome went 3 and then he got stomped.

 

[jrgtml67]

Gotta be playing Clune over Leivo

ya a mssg to leivo to put more effort in..his games so far hes looked lost and no effort..he looked better last year

learning curve

 

[jrgtml67]

Yep - it seemed that the Leafs liked Rantanen/Werenski/ Provorov as all three I belive were invited to Toronto pre draft. Those three were likely the targets if the Leafs had decided to move down to #8 by trading with Columbus.

Ultimately I'm happy we ended up with Marner though.

tbh...im sure that got debated before hunter got the green light, im sure he talked to shanny babs dubas regarding mitch and why it was better to grab him..he has strong ties with the knights..big time inside intel..me personally it was marner or hanifin i wanted so im good

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Babcock inherited a mess from years of mismanagement and poor decisions of past GMs.

Mike is just being honest and realistic that this is going to take some time and pain before they can salvage what exists now and repair the damage inflicted by years of abuse.

If nothing else, Babcock is smart to set very low expectations. It makes it easier too overachieve. It could help him lengthen his tenure as the coach of the TML.

Does anybody know the details of his contract? Is his money "guaranteed" no matter what happens to him i.e., he gets fired?

 

[as Pure as Evil]

Babcock Is here to build/coach a dynasty. that's why they have accumulated the greatest minds in hockey. he's here for the long haul

 

[ShaneFalco]

I love what he said to PAP: http://www.tsn.ca/talent/rielly-sparks-struggling-maple-leafs-offence-1.427854

What do you want? Do you want this to be the last stop or you want to keep playing? Because if you want to keep playing you better get working. If you want to work and you want to compete hard and you want to back-check and you want to be good without the puck and you want to take care of the puck you’re going to get to play. And if not you’re going to be mad at another coach. You decide.’ He’s been excellent.”