Around The NHL - The Craig Morgan Vacation Watch

[rt]

I'd do it. Why not bump that 7 years to 8 though?

Can't. He won't have been with the Leafs for an entire season. 8 years is reserved for teams that have owned the player for a season or more.

 

[Jamieh]

How many D are you counting as clearly better than OEL?

Out of top 30 for ease, 10 better, 10 debatable, and 10 worse. Middle of the pack at present time.

 

[Plub]

As a Leaf's fan I said a few days ago that Matthews just doesn't look happy or comfortable in Toronto. It just might be his demeanor but to me he doesn't look like a guy who fits the City. He might grow into it but I don't think he plays his career there.

You know there is more to it than that.

 

[Jamieh]

You know there is more to it than that.

I don't actually know what the issues are behind the scenes but I can clearly see the player doesn't look comfortable or happy.

 

[Grimes]

Remember this trade:

BOS
Seguin
Peverly
Ryan Button

DAL
Loi Eriksson
Reilly Smith
Matt Fraser
Joe Marrow

This is after three NHL seasons in Boston, putting up 22 in 72gp, 67 in 81gp and 32 in 48gp (shortened season). Can't say that something around Matthews and OEL isn't possible.

 

[Jamieh]

Remember this trade:

BOS
Seguin
Peverly
Ryan Button

DAL
Loi Eriksson
Reilly Smith
Matt Fraser
Joe Marrow

This is after three NHL seasons in Boston, putting up 22 in 72gp, 67 in 81gp and 32 in 48gp (shortened season). Can't say that something around Matthews and OEL isn't possible.

The guy who made that dumb trade is in Edmonton not Toronto, try OEL for McDavid.

 

[RABBIT]

You have to wonder who Toronto would get rid of first (if they had to.) Babcock or Matthews.

 

[Jamieh]

You have to wonder who Toronto would get rid of first (if they had to.) Babcock or Matthews.

I have actually been wondering that?? Babcock is an intense coach who is never off and rarely cares about other's thoughts. Not exactly the recipe for a long term relationship.

 

[moosemeister]

On the other hand he’s hands down one of the best coaches ever

 

[Jamieh]

On the other hand he’s hands down one of the best coaches ever

Is he??? Not a lot of winning on that resume if you remove Team Canada. And the Leafs certainly haven't exceeded expectations IMO.

 

[Mosby]

Babcock is overrated

 

[Jagged Ice]

Babcock is overrated

Agree. So is Quenneville. Put either coach on an average team and see how they do without players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Kane, Keith, and Toews in their prime and see how they do. During their recent dynasty the Blackhawks would have won three cups with Mike Yeo Yeo behind the bench.

 

[RABBIT]

Babcock has been a good coach for the Maple Leafs if we look at the track record, but their success started around the same time that the Big 3's success started...so who knows if it's attributed to the coach? tough to tell, Toronto's situation is very interesting.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Babcock will be fired before Matthews is traded.

 

[Jakey53]

I have actually been wondering that?? Babcock is an intense coach who is never off and rarely cares about other's thoughts. Not exactly the recipe for a long term relationship.

He did fine in Detroit.

On the other hand he’s hands down one of the best coaches ever

Yup.

 

[Jakey53]

Is he??? Not a lot of winning on that resume if you remove Team Canada. And the Leafs certainly haven't exceeded expectations IMO.

Babcock is overrated

Agree. So is Quenneville. Put either coach on an average team and see how they do without players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Kane, Keith, and Toews in their prime and see how they do. During their recent dynasty the Blackhawks would have won three cups with Mike Yeo Yeo behind the bench.

You guys can't be serious. It is harder in hell to win the SC, especially in this cap era. I would take those two behind our bench any day of the week over RT and DT.

 

[Jakey53]

Babcock has been a good coach for the Maple Leafs if we look at the track record, but their success started around the same time that the Big 3's success started...so who knows if it's attributed to the coach? tough to tell, Toronto's situation is very interesting.

Coaches coach and players play. You need the horses to win in this league. That is why rebuilding is so painful.

 

[Jakey53]

Babcock will be fired before Matthews is traded.

Isn't it the way it always happens? It's easier to fire one coach than 20 players.

 

[Jagged Ice]

You guys can't be serious. It is harder in hell to win the SC, especially in this cap era. I would take those two behind our bench any day of the week over RT and DT.

I agree. A Stanley cup champion needs all the pieces in place and I think Babcock and Quennville are both fine coaches. I also agree I'd take either over RT, but you can't change my mind that an average NHL coach behind the recent Blackhawks bench would have still been able to win those three cups.

 

[Mosby]

I look at Babcock's resume and I'm not all that impressed. He had a stacked Detroit team and won 1 Stanley Cup. And the team that won had I believe 7 future HHOFs. He also took a 58 (!) win team in Detroit and led them to a first round loss. In another season, despite a superior team, he needed 7 games to beat the Bryzgalov-era Coyotes. He has 1 playoff series win in the last 7 years.

Considering some of the teams he had in Detroit, it's kind of incredible he only has ~50 career wins more than, as you mention, Tippett, particularly considering the Coyotes sucked for Tippett's last five years (I'm not counting Babcock's wins this season as Tipp was inactive).

I think Babcock is overrated. I think he's a good coach. But I don't think he's head and shoulders above guys like Q, Trotz, even someone like Sutter. If I could trade Tocchet for any coach in the NHL right now I don't think my pick would be Babcock.

I'm also not including Babcock's Team Canada resume as is that really all that difficult? If he was coaching Team Latvia, that's a different story.

 

[Jamieh]

He did fine in Detroit.


Yup.

The Leafs have been in on a few trades that had veteran players with No Trade Clauses that have the player turn down the trade, Filppula was one in particular that said he didn't want to play for Babcock again. He is a good coach but wears on his players. And the Leafs were just put coached in this year' playoffs by Boston after it happening with Washington last year. He does not switch on the fly when needed good enough.

 

[IPreferPi]

Caps win the Grail. Some pretty brutal defensive zone coverage by the Knights blueline cost them this game.

 

[XX]

Ovi with the best and most emotional cup lift in a long time.



https:// streamable.com/9480d

 

[Muppet]

Ovi screamed so loud he broke HF

Watching him lift the cup was intense, he basically ripped it out of Uncle Gary's hands

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

I'm happy Ovie won the cup but not happy for the last 2 teams and the last 2 cities to win the cup.