Wafflewhipper
Registered User
- Jan 18, 2014
- 14,114
- 5,694
What are we blaming for here. We are 12 in the league after having a difficult year. Babcock is gone good riddance and if they go just playoffs and cancel the reg season we are in the playoffs. In fully healthy for the first time all season.The guy who hired Babcock,and Dubas,is the person to blame imo.
Too many things badly managed for sure. Larry hiring Babs. and Shanny hiring Dubas. It was so out of control. There was no order. Hopefully we are now back in a more normal situation. But Shanny went to board on Babs package for sure so he will be next in line as he hired Dubas. He might not get another pass. But my guess is Shanny gets a couple years with Dubie before the powers that be make another decision.The guy who hired Babcock,and Dubas,is the person to blame imo.
They are safe for now just like any other teams managers!Too many things badly managed for sure. Larry hiring Babs. and Shanny hiring Dubas. It was so out of control. There was no order. Hopefully we are now back in a more normal situation. But Shanny went to board on Babs package for sure so he will be next in line as he hired Dubas. He might not get another pass. But my guess is Shanny gets a couple years with Dubie before the powers that be make another decision.
He is the common denominator in the equation. We know at least that much.The guy who hired Babcock,and Dubas,is the person to blame imo.
if i wrongly lumped you in with the Dubas fan club then i apologizeIf I simply want to believe that my team is being run by a competent GM then why didn't I think that was the case when the team was being run by Lou? Then why did I think that Babcock should have been fired more than a year and a half before he was (and felt he was the wrong coach for the team before that) and heavily criticized Dubas for not doing so? Then why did I give Dubas an F- at the trade deadline? Then why did I heavily criticize Dubas for going against his own stated development philosophy this season with both Sandin and Liljegren (and was about the only one to do so)? Then why have I repeatedly said starting on the day Matthews signed (and it was only made worse when Marner signed) that this team has essentially no chance of winning the cup as long as their stars are taking up that much of the cap? Then why have I said repeatedly that this team needs more grit and toughness as well as players who are annoying to play against (Manson, Risto, Dillon on D, forwards like Johan Larsson - who will be a UFA this summer - Leivo will also be a UFA - and I want him to return, although not annoying to play against, he does bring qualities the team lacks), which seems to go against Dubas' philosophy? I am also just as much a Sabres fan and I don't think that team is being run by a competent GM.
I blame the contract demands of the star players on Babcock because I have felt that he created an environment where players hated him so much that they had no interest in signing reasonable contracts. I don't think that reasonable contracts were in any way possible with the big three as long as Babcock was the coach and I said so while Lou was still the GM. That doesn't mean that I don't criticize Dubas for the things that I actually feel are his fault.
I'm sure the arrival of 4 of the best in the league didn't have any impact
I’m Dubas fan club VIP member. Co Chair at your service. You should be more concerned with getting your facts straight before you try insinuating some kind of stigma on appreciating Dubas.if i wrongly lumped you in with the Dubas fan club then i apologize
but here's the thing , you can hate a person but still believe they're a good coach and on the flip side you can like someone but believe they're incompetent and most players believe Babs is a good coach even though they may hate the guy so that's why i highly doubt the players made there demands based on there dislike for Babs instead of how JT skewed our internal salary cap pecking order
Several players made comments immediately after he was fired that Keefe keys them play more creative, etc. Nothing concrete, just veiled jabs. Shanahan with similar jabs last week. Add that to the trips Babcock had to make before last season to calm Matthews and Andersen and I think there's enough evidence.
Who cares. The fan hate for him is large. I wouldn’t hold a door for himLife isn't either or. Some players might not have liked him. Others may have.
There's also counter evidence.
Kadri not waiving his NTC to go to Calgary (Colorado was not on his list) and then offering this:
Kadri on Babcock being fired: "Tough to see. I think any team that's struggling is looking for a spark & a change & I think that's what the team was looking for. I, personally, think Babs is a great coach & he helped that team over there get to the next step ..."
Then there's this summer:
https://thehockeywriters.com/toronto-maple-leafs-mikheyev-babcock/
"Coach Mike Babcock’s personal touch made a difference. Although a large number of teams were interested, Mikheyev chose the Maple Leafs because Babcock had built a relationship and communicated closely with him over the last year. In addition, other Russian players – including Nikita Zaitsev and former Detroit Red Wing Pavel Datsyuk – encouraged Mikheyev to play for Babcock. "
But time has made more than proven why Babs thought like that.
I can only speak for myself but when Komarov had to hold Matt Martin back from punching him out for what he did to Marner indicates someone had enough of him. Then he sat him and had him traded. Martin was stand up, better liked guy in the room.
Yeahthey couldn’t stand him. The Spezza scratch game one in Ottawa and the insult to spezza as a player that he needed more reps.
I know lots more if you want. Now you tell me how they respected them pr!ckshot instances from that piece or work Scabcock
Hey its well reported the kind of person he was to people.
Who cares. The fan hate for him is large. I wouldn’t hold a door for him
Well maybe some are but jeez I’m not. I'm like this lunatic reactive self depreciating maniacFans are always known for being reasonable aren't they?
Life isn't either or. Some players might not have liked him. Others may have.
There's also counter evidence.
Kadri not waiving his NTC to go to Calgary (Colorado was not on his list) and then offering this:
Kadri on Babcock being fired: "Tough to see. I think any team that's struggling is looking for a spark & a change & I think that's what the team was looking for. I, personally, think Babs is a great coach & he helped that team over there get to the next step ..."
Then there's this summer:
https://thehockeywriters.com/toronto-maple-leafs-mikheyev-babcock/
"Coach Mike Babcock’s personal touch made a difference. Although a large number of teams were interested, Mikheyev chose the Maple Leafs because Babcock had built a relationship and communicated closely with him over the last year. In addition, other Russian players – including Nikita Zaitsev and former Detroit Red Wing Pavel Datsyuk – encouraged Mikheyev to play for Babcock. "
There's enough points on the table still I am still a no.counterpoint: yes
Several players made comments immediately after he was fired that Keefe keys them play more creative, etc. Nothing concrete, just veiled jabs. Shanahan with similar jabs last week. Add that to the trips Babcock had to make before last season to calm Matthews and Andersen and I think there's enough evidence.
Right idea.
Wrong guy.
Dubas IS ruining the Leafs.
With , amazingly , Shanahan cheering him on.
All he has to do is look how he played.
That is what we need more of.
What a couple of Morons.
They did very good with Babcock.
He's a great Coach.
Apparently too tough for kids.
He will Coach MEN for a long time to come in the NHL.
Imo just watchibg the players in thenroom after that first postgame video was pretty telling.
Doesnt mean that Babs was the only issue at the time, but imo i think youd be bsrd pressed to argue there likely wasnt some degree of tension between roster vs coaching staff then