Has Babcock Been Set Up To Fail?

[Joedoggy]

Set up to fail......that gave me a good chuckle....

Cox is a better comedian than sports writer for sure

 

[IPS]

Agreed 100%. Babcock needs Team Canada otherwise he's set up to fail. Fire Dubas.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Usually I don't care much for Cox's jibber jabber but he does raise interesting point.

Biggest team need was a solid back-up goal tender (Freddie looks like is going to be playing a lot of games this season as well) and fixing the defense meanwhile the GM has significantly overpaid his RFAs for shorter terms while no other team in the NHL has given out such outlandish RFA deals and not get 7 to 8 year commitment.

That not a lot of cap left to address the team weaknesses. The Dubas cult that were up in arms about Hainsey did not realize the positive impact Hainsey had on Rielly's play and statistics.

Meanwhile we now have a third pairing of a rookie (Sandin) and border line NHLers (Marincin, Holl).

Barrie is a puck mover but it remains to be seen whether he can be effective defensively. If Tampa game is any indication Barrie's defensive game leaves a lot to be desired guy was a -4 in that game.

Even when Dermott is back how reliable is Dermott going to be? He was sheltered last season playing behind

Rielly Hainsey
Gardiner Zaitsev/ Muzzin Zaitsev (muzz zaitsev were pretty solid in the playoffs IMO)
Gardiner Dermott

Now our d-core looks like

Muzzin Barrie (can Barrie really play a top2 role?)
Reilly Ceci (Is Ceci really that effective?)
Sandin Dermott (when dermott is back)

Last season if Nylander had signed at the right time we would have iced:

Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen
Ennis - Goat - Brown

This season we have:

same top 4 (when healthy)
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen
XXX-Goat-Spezza/Shore

I think last season's roster was much stronger compared to this season's roster including the D-pairings and bottom 6 forwards.

Basically Dubas' foresight and hockey acumen looks very weak and laughable. Dubas is some genius in his own head and his cult's head.

Dubas needs to be held accountable and should NOT be given a pass.

This is so laughable. Usually I respond with a thorough response, but this isn't even worth it anymore lol.

 

[BayStBullies]

They lost to the champs and Tampa; who are one of the top 3 teams out there. There really isn't anything yet to panic about.

The only ugly game was losing to the Habs. That was a b2b with a backup in net. The Leafs have a shitty schedule.

Nothing to see here. Get hobbies.

 

[Walshy7]

He’s been set up to succeed and is failing at that

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

How many "olympic" players on the blues team that won the cup?

Is this meant to help Babcock? Because if the Blues have fewer then it just looks worse on him for not being able to put it together.

 

[Morbo]

Uninspiring?

we truly are in the Twilight Zone.

 

[unitedstars87]

This guy has Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Tyson Barrie along with a good supporting cast

how the hell has he been set up to fail?

Gud pros everywhere

 

[Rare Jewel]

No.

But some of key players need to get going and share some of responsibility of the teams play so far.

 

[LeafSteel]

Babcock's inability/unwillingness to make adjustments when things aren't working are why he is going to fail.

He makes no in-game adjustments, no line loading, and his TOI decisions are absolutely perplexing at times.

Simply put, he gets out-coached too often and that is why he is going to fail unless he can show us something different than what we've seen from him the last 5 years.

His failure will be his own doing. Cox, as usual, is an idiot.

 

[PromisedLand]

This is so laughable. Usually I respond with a thorough response, but this isn't even worth it anymore lol.

I don't expect much form Dubas cult anyway

 

[Ryan Michaels]

This guy has Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Tyson Barrie along with a good supporting cast

how the hell has he been set up to fail?

TBH doesn't stack up great with his usual winning rosters *cough*Team Canada*cough*

 

[Leaf Fans]

Babcock and the Leafs haven't failed. They played 1 bad game.

 

[PromisedLand]

Is this meant to help Babcock? Because if the Blues have fewer then it just looks worse on him for not being able to put it together.

Ottawa just beat Tampa in regulation does that mean DJ Smith is the greatest coach coaching at the moment?

Unlike Olympics, NHL is a different beast; Dubas failed to adress team weakness. Babcock's arrogant ways has held this team back but Dubas cannot be left off the hook; Dubas has to be held accountable

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Ottawa just beat Tampa in regulation does that mean DJ Smith is the greatest coach coaching at the moment?

Unlike Olympics, NHL is a different beast; Dubas failed to adress team weakness. Babcock's arrogant ways has held this team back but Dubas cannot be left off the hook; Dubas has to be held accountable

They both will be should this team continue to fail to live up to expectations. Babcock would fall first but Dubas wouldn't be far behind. He's got one coach firing in him before he really starts feeling the heat.

 

[thewave]

Ottawa just beat Tampa in regulation does that mean DJ Smith is the greatest coach coaching at the moment?

Unlike Olympics, NHL is a different beast; Dubas failed to adress team weakness. Babcock's arrogant ways has held this team back but Dubas cannot be left off the hook; Dubas has to be held accountable

I am just shocked Dubas didn't mandate we play with a smile on our faces at all time. #Pleasantville.

 

[Al14]

Ottawa just beat Tampa in regulation does that mean DJ Smith is the greatest coach coaching at the moment?

Unlike Olympics, NHL is a different beast; Dubas failed to adress team weakness. Babcock's arrogant ways has held this team back but Dubas cannot be left off the hook; Dubas has to be held accountable

I'm really sick of players coming to Toronto and playing way above their pay grades to beat our Leafs, and then, go into a place like Ottawa and stink the joint out. I know, some will say league parity is real, but, come on, there is NO WAY the Lighning competed as hard as they did against us in Ottawa. Count me disgusted!

 

[forecheck]

Not a Fan of Damian ..However he makes a good argument with supportive facts in this article .

 

[Throw More Waffles]

All Babcock would have to do to keep his job secure is to utilize his superstar players the way all of the other teams utilize their superstar players.

Load one PP unit, and play them 1:30 every opportunity. Matthews, Tavares, Marner should all be at least 22 minutes per game.

That's it.

If he did that (like every other coach in the league does), then it would be on the players if they can't make it happen.

 

[stickty111]

Yeah i'm sure Babcock not being to get his team ready, is because he has been set up to fail.

 

[Morbo]

Kerfoot isn't even mentioned in the article.

 

[Menzinger]

Kerfoot isn't even mentioned in the article.

Almost as if Cox is a hack

 

[Eye Test]

Peter horachek was set up to fail, not Babcock.

 

[Leaf4Life79]

He made his cake and he's eating it too.

With plenty of money to buy more cake if he gets canned, lol.

 

[mikeyz]

Oh goody, another Babcock bashing thread. How refreshing and original.

I agree that they are excessive. But he deserves all of the criticism.