GDT: End of Season Address + Locker Clean Out (Dubas says he can't guarantee Babcock back next season)

[JT AM da real deal]

Should happen Thursday Morning.

Babcock on the firing line, either this spring, or next.

Media is going to hit Dubas hard with questions I think.

Is it confirmed yet who is attending/speaking at the presser for Leafs?

 

[Gary Nylund]

So, end of playoffs player ratings. I'll keep it short. Will likely take a hiatus from the boards over the summer after this. Grades are more about satisfaction with their performance than purely how good they were. Here goes:

Matthews - ***** | Looked like a franchise player this series. Very happy with his performance.
Johnsson - **** | Quietly was effective both even strength and on the PP. He performed really well for us.
Kapanen - ** | Kapanen showcased all the flaws in his game this series. Used speed to create room, negated it with bad shots. His tunnel vision robbed Matthews of some of his best chances.
Tavares - *** | All in all, we needed more from our new star center. Good job against the Bergeron line, but at the end they were on the losing side at ES and didn't get it done on the PP.
Hyman - ** | Wasn't quite the normal Hyman. Good pest, but couldn't bring his board game to full life.
Marner - *** | Gonna take heat here, but I think Marner reached 12 GA in this series. Part of an awful PK, his line had a bad differential, and in the end we needed more from our superstar.
Nylander - *** | Gonna take heat here, but I think Nylander's series was the definition of decent. Did what you could expect given his usage, no more and no less.
Marleau - * | Could be the worst PP player I've seen in years. Komarov was better. For a few games, every play he made on the PP killed the attack. He gave us nothing.
Brown - ** | Brown looks like Gauthier with the puck. Actually, he looks worse. PK work solidifies his rating.
Gauthier - ** | He was 6'5" somewhere.
Ennis - **** | Ennis came in and energized our fourth line. I really liked him.
Moore - **** | Moore was honestly one of our best forwards at times, combining the energy, skating, and technical ability to not only create havoc but actually do something with it.

Rielly - ***** | Consistently pushed pace and offense for us. His breakouts was a strong point for us, and it felt like he was a difference maker most nights.
Hainsey - *** | I was so impressed with Hainsey through four games. I was less enthused about the next two. And then he had a rough Game 7.
Muzzin - *** | Muzzin did a lot right in difficult minutes, but I can't really give a higher grade to someone who lost his matchup by that much.
Zaitsev - *** | Had an overall strong series. Second fiddle to Muzzin, same issue. They get joint grades here.
Gardiner - * | Was a non-factor through six, due to injuries and few minutes. And then he was one of two players to give away the game in the first. Can't rate him differently.
Dermott - ** | Rough Game 7 for sure, but I liked him through the rest.

Andersen - ** | I was contemplating a higher grade, but the cheap first goal brought it down. Statistically, he underperformed again.

Babcock - * | Bad lines, overly reliant on the wrong players, no adjustments to issues that were evident even early on. Not a lot to like from Babs. We outplayed them, they outcoached us.

A change might be needed, and Babcock is the obvious choice to go. If you compare lines, we held our ground with the first. Second line was good for both. Our third line was better. Don't know about fourth, but they certainly looked better. We were the better team in almost all areas, except special teams. And there were no adjustments, and we ended up with the worst PK performance in history. Blame the players for playing bad, but nobody else can be blamed for a lack of adjustments than the coach. Nobody else can be blamed for having one of our worst offensive forwards get more and more ice time when we are down, while actually talented players take a seat. The second line lacked a playmaker, but instead of playing one there they used Kapanen, who had no chemistry with Matthews. Kaps always work down the lineup, because he use his speed to create his own chances, he doesn't rely on teammates. In fact, he's pretty bad at using them. Yet he was glued to Matthews.

We were the better team in five out of seven games. How the **** did we lose this?

Always enjoy your write-ups!

Without thinking about it a ton, I would just point out that Gardiner was clearly injured so I'd maybe just put an asterix next to his name without rating him. And give him huge props for playing at all! And I think Andersen deserves a higher grade but maybe that's because I'm not sure I give him any grief at all for the first goal, that was a one in a million shot, a huge fluke that just happened at the worst possible time for us.

Have a great summer!

 

[Cor]

Is it confirmed yet who is attending/speaking at the presser for Leafs?

Shanny, Dubas, Babcock, most of the players usually all speak.

It'll be unusual if anyone is left out

 

[Einzakin]

"Why did you play Marleau at the end considering the series he had?"
*Babcock smirks*
"Gud pro. Gud.. pro. Gud pro?"
*Confused Babcock leaves*
*Simmonds smirks*

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Shanny, Dubas, Babcock, most of the players usually all speak.

It'll be unusual if anyone is left out

Thanks I will be interested to watch that this year

 

[The Apologist]

So, end of playoffs player ratings. I'll keep it short. Will likely take a hiatus from the boards over the summer after this. Grades are more about satisfaction with their performance than purely how good they were. Here goes:
Lotsa ratings....

We were the better team in five out of seven games. How the **** did we lose this?

Cant really say I disagree with much here except maybe the Mathews rating. I think he was very hit or miss. Had a slow start but picked it up, kinda the opposite of Mitch and JT. I think JT's was a little low as well, he was pretty solid and constantly involved. I really think the blocks hurt Mitch. He really didn't look the same after and as Mitch goes, JT goes.

Gardiner can gtfo and take Naz, Goat and Patty with him. Hainsey I'm torn on.

 

[The Apologist]

Will miss playoffs next year!

 

[Einzakin]

Cant really say I disagree with much here except maybe the Mathews rating. I think he was very hit or miss. Had a slow start but picked it up, kinda the opposite of Mitch and JT. I think JT's was a little low as well, he was pretty solid and constantly involved. I really think the blocks hurt Mitch. He really didn't look the same after and as Mitch goes, JT goes.

Gardiner can gtfo and take Naz, Goat and Patty with him. Hainsey I'm torn on.

I also agree with his ratings for the most part.

I think Freddy should be a little higher, he kept us in that series and won us games. He had one average game.

I think Brown should be a *. People don't realize how bad he was. I guess Marleau's contract was the focus, but I thought Brown was just as bad as Marleau. That guy does nothing out there, absolutely nothing.

All in all though I agree with the ratings. I thought Nylander was decent. Not bad, not good, but decent.

 

[The Masters]

Overdrive is good right now

at least they are level headed

Dubas will improve the team. Babcock has another year.

 

[The Apologist]

Overdrive is good right now

at least they are level headed

Dubas will improve the team. Babcock has another year.

While I don't generally consider myself a knee jerk kinda guy, I really think Babs is part of the problem here. I'm not sure he does get another year.

 

[napoleon in rags]

So, end of playoffs player ratings. I'll keep it short.


Andersen - ** | I was contemplating a higher grade, but the cheap first goal brought it down. Statistically, he underperformed again.

Nice post. Andersen is my only quibble. I'm not sure he's the horse we should be riding. His Game 7 meltdowns are concerning (and there were two cheap goals last night, not one).

 

[Tak7]

Nice post. Andersen is my only quibble. I'm not sure he's the horse we should be riding. His Game 7 meltdowns are concerning (and there were two cheap goals last night, not one).

I agree.

Very concerning

 

[ShaneFalco]

I could handle it much better if the team went down fighting, using all available weapons. That was far from the case however which makes it incredibly frustrating and incredibly maddening that Babcock was a complete tool especially in game 7

 

[NightTrain1]

There was previous speculation Babcock had an opt out after year 4. I believe it was confirmed shortly after he was hired that it was false, but Lebrun confirming that here.

Says Babcock remains committed.

Of course Babcock is committed. We know all to well how "committed" he is. Committed to his old stubborn ways. Committed to keepying a 3rd line grinder on our top skill line, committed to the same lineups, same play styles, same PP and PK, same player decisions at crucial times that cost us chances.

All the while taking home a cool 6.5mill and taking absolutely no responsibility at all.

 

[Lightsol]

Always enjoy your write-ups!

Without thinking about it a ton, I would just point out that Gardiner was clearly injured so I'd maybe just put an asterix next to his name without rating him. And give him huge props for playing at all! And I think Andersen deserves a higher grade but maybe that's because I'm not sure I give him any grief at all for the first goal, that was a one in a million shot, a huge fluke that just happened at the worst possible time for us.

Have a great summer!

I STILL have no f***ing idea how that first goal went in. But the third goal was brutal.

 

[hoglund]

"Why did you play Marleau at the end considering the series he had?"
*Babcock smirks*
"Gud pro. Gud.. pro. Gud pro?"
*Confused Babcock leaves*
*Simmonds smirks*

He said he had Marleau on in the last 3 minutes because the Taveras line just finished, so he was out of options.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Andersen - ** | I was contemplating a higher grade, but the cheap first goal brought it down. Statistically, he underperformed again.

This might be a little hard on Andersen. Even if you want to say he blew game 7, I do think he gave the team enough of a chance to win in 6. A .925 sv% going into last night is not what I'd call statistically under-performing

 

[Kiwi]

While I don't generally consider myself a knee jerk kinda guy, I really think Babs is part of the problem here. I'm not sure he does get another year.

I think he gets at least another year and I also think he's a part of the problem, so yeah

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I STILL have no ****ing idea how that first goal went in. But the third goal was brutal.

Freddy said he lost his balance and the post on goal 1. The third goal he went swimming.

 

[Al14]

This team is so close to being legend...wait for it...dary.

Most of these players haven't even come close to peaking yet. Addition by subtraction (Gardiner, etc.) And bringing up Sandin and Liljegren. Bring in some players that ain't afraid of giving/receiving hits.

I obviously wanted to win this round, but our team needs to get some battle scars to dominate.

Just remember Leaf Nation, were trending up!

Trending up my ass. Less points than last season means our Leafs are trending down. Our Leafs also lost in the 1st round of the playoffs, same as last season. And, that's after adding Tavares and Muzzin!

Trending up would have been a better regular season points total from last season and a birth in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

At best, our Leafs are just treading water, with the cap crunch coming next season.

 

[Lightsol]

Trending up my ass. Less points than last season means our Leafs are trending down. Our Leafs also lost in the 1st round of the playoffs, same as last season. And, that's after adding Tavares and Muzzin!

Trending up would have been a better regular season points total from last season and a birth in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

I guarantee you Tampa has less points next year than this year. Are they trending down as well?

Don't be surprised if Boston has less points next year as well, as their key guys are on the wrong side of 30. Would that mean they're trending down?

Regular season points are a poor barometer of how a team is trending. The previous comment is correct in that the Leafs should be trending up, because their key guys are young. Matthews and Marner aren't even in their primes yet.

 

[Duffman955]

tomorrow truly is a day i hope the Toronto media, Toronto medias, and ask ruthless questions to Babcock and Dubas.

Absolutely

They must be grilled. Why hasn't this team improved their position in 3 years?

Why aren't Dubas and Babcock on the same page.

Why didnt they go all in on the deadline like CBJ?

What are the problems with the core players? Why weren't they supplemented?

 

[Tak7]

Trending up my ass. Less points than last season means our Leafs are trending down. Our Leafs also lost in the 1st round of the playoffs, same as last season. And, that's after adding Tavares and Muzzin!

Trending up would have been a better regular season points total from last season and a birth in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

At best, our Leafs are just treading water, with the cap crunch coming next season.

Yes and No.

Statistically and in the playoffs, they haven't taken that forward step, which I agree marks this season as a failure.

However, I do think there was progress made. None of us believed the Leafs could truly compete with Boston, or play low-event hockey. They managed to do both, and I'd argue that they were the better team in 5 of the 7 games. We also saw a ton individual progress throughout the season and in the playoffs too - Rielly took a huge step forward, Andersen solidified his reputation, Matthews really showed up in the playoffs, and the team wasn't a disaster defensively in the playoffs either.

I know it's not what anyone wants to focus on right now, and i get it - the "moving in the right direction" is a tougher sell today.

But I don't think it's doom and gloom.

The two big benefits I see coming out of this:

1. Dubas has a good idea of what he has, and what he needs, on this roster.
2. Babcock is now on the clock, big-time.

Both of those can only be good things moving forward.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I STILL have no ****ing idea how that first goal went in. But the third goal was brutal.

I still don't know what to think about that one, I really don't. In the end though, I'm happy with the way Andersen played in this series. He made a ton of amazing saves, every goalie lets in a bad one now and then and I just looked up the numbers of all the goalies in the playoffs and he looks pretty good. Not out of his mind "I can win games all by myself" good like some other guys but super solid overall, definitely a guy you can win with and you don't have to worry about him losing games for you which should be just fine. We haven't had goaltending that good in a long time and I think the plan all along was to build a really strong team that's good enough to win with decent goaltending, not find a goalie who's gonna win us the cup almost all by himself like Patrick Roy.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

"Why did you play Marleau at the end considering the series he had?"
*Babcock smirks*
"Gud pro. Gud.. pro. Gud pro?"
*Confused Babcock leaves*
*Simmonds smirks*

Unbelievably, he's already answered this and the response was even more comical than yours:

Speculation: - Babcock's Future - Post Playoff Talk.