ToMaLe
Registered User
Especially with Babcock still behind the bench.....
TSN: Craig Button: I don't think the Leafs are Stanley Cup Contenders
- Thread starter Kamiccolo
- Start date
So sick of hearing that Babcock should be fired. The actually truth is
the general manager of the leafs should be fired. In less then two
years he has totally screwed up this team.Babcock can only play the players that
he has. Who are a bunch of p***y. No grit, to small, and this money ball
thing that he is doing is totally crap. And for Brenden S. to allow this is b.s.
Shanahan was as tough as nails. Even Bancock told dubas that he needed
toughest and what does he do bring in Nic Petan like give me a break. The
leafs were going in the right direction but now have taken like 10 steps back
the general manager of the leafs should be fired. In less then two
years he has totally screwed up this team.Babcock can only play the players that
he has. Who are a bunch of p***y. No grit, to small, and this money ball
thing that he is doing is totally crap. And for Brenden S. to allow this is b.s.
Shanahan was as tough as nails. Even Bancock told dubas that he needed
toughest and what does he do bring in Nic Petan like give me a break. The
leafs were going in the right direction but now have taken like 10 steps back
Fire the coach and GM. Finish the season with an interim coach and interim GM. Make the interim coach are total hard ass who can test the meddle of lineup. Sell off the impending free agents for future type assets and the interim coach will expose which of the young stars are serious about being on a contending team. Hire an experienced but not too old GM immediately after the season. Allow him to pick his coach. This team can literally be put on the road to genuine Stanley Cup contention in a single summer under the right leadership.
Martin Skoula
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
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Babcock had toughness in Matt Martin and chose to sit him for the end of the season and the playoffs. Babcock is the softest coach in the league since his Detroit days.
The truth is that Babcock is easily the one of the best fits to the Dubas team philosophy in the entire league.
Duffman955
Registered User
- Mar 4, 2010
- 14,628
- 3,975
Babcock is a soft coach and Dubas is straight melted butter
Combine that and you get the shy, heartless team you see before you.
Ovechkin gave these guys the tough treatment and the team immediately improved. Our real captain stood up. Matthews shows up.
Combine that and you get the shy, heartless team you see before you.
Ovechkin gave these guys the tough treatment and the team immediately improved. Our real captain stood up. Matthews shows up.
ottomaddox
Registered User
Hey. Don Cherry said the leafs are not Cup Contenders too. I might start a thread. No I won't. I just want other people to know that Button is in good company.
While this is true about softness or toughness whatever you want to call it i still think we are not that far away from being a Cup contender. Switch out Babs to any coach who runs normal run of the mill hockey systems and add a couple guys 1 on D and 1 upfront with Matty and I think we are there. 2 guys who can skate. 2 guys who can hit. 2 guys with grit. 2 guys who will stand up for their team-mates. It would help if 1 could fight but that is not a full stop requirement.
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
The fact they may agree on one thing isnt necessarily evidence they agree on everything though.
therealkoho
Him/Leaf/fan
Hustlr
Registered User
- Oct 1, 2019
- 1,376
- 744
tYsOn BaRrIe Is ThE aNsWeR
btw how does one become a -5 while their partner is a +4 this early into the season?
They have to make the playoffs first, then all teams that make the playoffs are contenders whether they finish 1st or 8th they all are contenders.
Either the GM gives the coach exactly what he wants, or the coach has to adapt and change his strategies to maximize his team’s strength.
We have the team we have. We have great, talented, creative players. It doesn’t make sense to get rid of them to get a team of grinders like Babcock wants.
Babcock needs to adapt his strategies to bring the most out of our players and he’s not doing that. Babcock is the one who needs to go if he can’t do that. I completely understand he’s trying to build for the future and make our players more complete players, but he needs to adapt at least a little bit and he won’t even try.
We have the team we have. We have great, talented, creative players. It doesn’t make sense to get rid of them to get a team of grinders like Babcock wants.
Babcock needs to adapt his strategies to bring the most out of our players and he’s not doing that. Babcock is the one who needs to go if he can’t do that. I completely understand he’s trying to build for the future and make our players more complete players, but he needs to adapt at least a little bit and he won’t even try.
While I havnt been that impressed with Barrie overall, using +/- or GF% isnt ideal when goaltending was near the bottom of the league last month (26th in the NHL for October).
You don’t think allowing 36+ shots on average for more than a handful of games has anything to do with the subpar goaltending? The Defence has been terrible this year thus far. Minus the sharks game.
The team has looked tired lately with the schedule and injuries yes but their defensive numbers are still around average and a marked improvement on last years averages (and all recent history).
Look at a team like the Islanders. Why are they so hot? Is it their sparkling D?
Toronto vs. NYI 5v5 (score and venue adjusted) defense + goaltending so far:
Toronto:
Corsi against/60: 55.74 (22nd lowest in the NHL)
Shots against/60: 31.32 (22nd lowest in the NHL)
Scoring chances against/60: 24.9 (14th lowest in the NHL)
High Danger chances against/60: 9.38 (17th lowest in the NHL)
Save %: 89.78 (27th lowest in the NHL)
Islanders:
Corsi against/60: 61.08 (29th lowest in the NHL)
Shots against/60: 30.38 (19th lowest in the NHL)
Scoring chances against/60: 29.63 (29th lowest in the NHL)
High Danger chances against/60: 10.18 (24th lowest in the NHL)
Save%: 93.50 ( 6th best in the NHL)
Hmmm, I wonder what the big difference is (other than the fact the Leafs give up far fewer scoring chances)
The willful ignorance of much of the media and a ton of folks to all of sudden both forget the importance of goaltending and recognize the Leafs have been a bottom of the league team in this regard is astounding.
October Freddy has been 2019 Freddy and the backups have been trash this calendar year and yet our "knowledgeable" fanbase and media keeps missing it. Its been a bigger problem than everything else combined IMO.
Thanks for the break down, genuinely.
From my new perspective it is a combination. No one can argue our goalies have left something to be desired, but so has our defence. Here’s to hoping all of the above get it together.
usernamezrhardtodo
Registered User
- Mar 26, 2014
- 2,277
- 2,711
He also Nerfed Muzzin....Muzzy used to be good for a big hit every 2-3 games before he came here. How many has he had this season? I still say Babs doesn't like real hitting...he just likes getting in other peoples way instead. The getting in peoples way never intimidates anyone going back for the puck.
Just look at how our D gets terrified when we play the Blue Jackets or Washington and the forecheck is bearing down on them...it works...we just don't do it. Having Johnnson throwing his 180lbs at someone is not going to scare anyone.
Trapper
Registered User
- Nov 21, 2013
- 23,746
- 11,015
It’s a moot point anyway beyond this year.
With half the D UFA, continuity on D is not something we have. Or backup goalie. Forward salary is going to change the entire landscape again.
ULF_55
Moderator
I still remember the game against the Blue Jackets where Andersen stopped about 3 full/partial breakaways and the BJ's goaltender looked lost on a couple of goals.
I was happy about the 2 points but thought they were lucky. Andersen is the key, if he can cover up the boneheaded defending by the team, they are okay.
It really isn't how many, it is how atrocious the blunders are on defense. High danger shots where the goalie has a chance is quite different than high danger shots where he doesn't.
Leafs are 19th. in the league Point% today, 11th. in the East.
That obviously doesn't put them into contender status.
I was happy about the 2 points but thought they were lucky. Andersen is the key, if he can cover up the boneheaded defending by the team, they are okay.
It really isn't how many, it is how atrocious the blunders are on defense. High danger shots where the goalie has a chance is quite different than high danger shots where he doesn't.
Leafs are 19th. in the league Point% today, 11th. in the East.
That obviously doesn't put them into contender status.
usernamezrhardtodo
Registered User
- Mar 26, 2014
- 2,277
- 2,711
Something..something...puck moving defenseman...that's all we hear about now...this is what most puck movers are like when they can't outscore their defensive deficiencies. I would rather have 4 good stay at home D-men that can actually play defensive hockey and leave the offense to 2 guys. We are too lopsided in our approach if you ask me.
ULF_55
Moderator
Have to wonder if Kadri to Calgary for Brodie + would have been better.
Wonder who the + was going to be?
I think part of it is that before January first of this year, we had the 4th best team save % in the league the previous year and a half....and 23rd since then. Its been tough for some to catch on to the problem.
Its masked the fact the D has actually improved somewhat, especially since the Muzzin acquisition. I pumped Zaitsevs tires a bit while he was here as had good defensive numbers but bad everything else on a team that needed defense but Ceci is far better than advertised. His numbers are probably the best on the team and we have high profile writers slagging him.
A better way to think about this is to say the Leafs have some key injuries, a brutal schedule, had an awful PP and borderline bottom 5 goaltending and they are still 6-5-3. Does it really look that bad considering ? Theres reasons why the record could be a lot worse and Id like to see more folks talking about those but if you cant even get the problems right (too many people are embarrassing themselves over the Babcock stuff) I dont have much faith in most discussions around here right now.
You are correct in that our D could be even better though.....but half of the top 4 is new and Dermott just came back from injury. I pointed out their defensive numbers are already better that any Leafs D in memory. With Holl stepping up to take a spot, theres a lot to like here.
Im even bullish on goaltending now with Freddy looking good the last few games and he's always a great pre-Christmas goalie.
Lets hope for a big win tonight.
Cheers.
Andrewcoursol
Registered User
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