The guy isn't a miracle worker, and his salary makes him a target. But, I wouldn't replace him for this. Players need to show up. The team's ability to create a cycle down low has been frustrating, but I'm not sure if that's Babs, and not an effort/team make-up issue. This is why we resort to the stretch pass so often, due to teams suffocating the neutral zone, forcing us to play dump and chase or beat them with a stretch pass. Matthews hasn't been the same along the boards since his shoulder went the first time. Which of our skills guys do we actually trust to come out with a puck in a battle down-low at this point? The only one I fully trust is JT. Matthews is good most of the time but leaves me wanting more (I felt he fought harder along the boards in year 1).
It is easy to blame Babs, because we want our team to be great, and it can't be the team or the guy who helped assemble the team. Pretty much every fan base thinks their coach is worse than he probably is, and that their GM and players are better than they are. Just look at a bunch of other boards. Its the same thing rinse and repeat unless the GM has completely screwed up in an obvious way (us with Nonis, Benning, Chiarelli). Babs is the easiest scapegoat.
I don't think he'll be fired if even if we go out in round one, but he may have some of his assistants replaced. After that, he's on borrowed time.