If the Leafs did hire Mike Babcock won't it be like when they hired Brian Burke?

[LeafsNation75]

There are no guarantees with anything but I think the possibility is being thrown out there that Babcock might not be the savior he is being hyped up to be, just like Burke didn't end up becoming the savior he was hyped up to be.

That doesn't mean getting somebody that's supposed to suck, but rather going after somebody young and promising instead of somebody who had success somewhere else in a different situation.

Thank you for seeing the point I was trying to make. My feeling is Babcock will get a lot of hype just like the way Burke did. So if he coaches them next season and things are not improved what will everyone say?

Also since Babcock's contract with Detroit expires on July 1, if the Leafs don't have a coach by that time frame, chances are they are waiting for Babcock. After JFJ was fired I don't remember the Leafs interviewing anyone to become the next GM and it was not until Brian Burke quit in Anaheim when they started to interview only him.

 

[Longshot]

After JFJ was fired I don't remember the Leafs interviewing anyone to become the next GM and it was not until Brian Burke quit in Anaheim when they started to interview only him.

The upper management brought in agent/lawyer Gordon Kirke to do a GM search and he brought back a recommendation that they pursue Brian Burke.

I'm pretty sure he did speak with multiple candidates/possibilities, but don't know if there were any formal interviews.

 

[LeafsNation75]

The upper management brought in agent/lawyer Gordon Kirke to do a GM search and he brought back a recommendation that they pursue Brian Burke.

I'm pretty sure he did speak with multiple candidates/possibilities, but don't know if there were any formal interviews.

I only remember Brian Burke being interviewed after he quit the GM job in Anaheim. Besides that I don't remember anyone who actually had a formal interview. Any other names being mentioned was media speculation because I remember hearing them saying maybe Jim Rutherford would have wanted the job back then.

 

[LeafsNation75]

So your argument is, that because Burke was supposed to be good and wasn't, and because Babcock is supposed to be good, that means Babcock won't be good?

Like, instead we should get a coach who is supposed to suck?

No it's not. My argument is we have seen hype in the past when Brian Burke was hired because he was the biggest name that they wanted. If Mike Babcock becomes available it could be the same thing all over again with the hype of him being the biggest name among head coaches.

 

[Longshot]

I only remember Brian Burke being interviewed after he quit the GM job in Anaheim. Besides that I don't remember anyone who actually had a formal interview. Any other names being mentioned was media speculation because I remember hearing them saying maybe Jim Rutherford would have wanted the job back then.

I don't remember the exact timing of how it went down with Burke, but from the moment Ferguson was fired he was the prime candidate.

I remember Gord Kirke did some kind of search process and culminated with a recommendation to pursue Burke. I remember him being on Prime Time Sports talking about his role.

I think Jim Rutherford lobbied to be considered for the job through the media. I also seem to remember Doug Armstrong (that would have been interesting!) expressing an interest (but that might have been someone else).

I think you're right on the formal interviews. Unlike when Ferguson was hired, I don't remember them going through interviews with numerous people. They just empowered Kirke to do his thing and he reported back.

 

[Longshot]

I wouldn't compare hiring Babcock to Burke at all.

More like when they hired Ron Wilson, who was a very high profile coach coming off a run of success in San Jose, a Finals appearance in Washington, a World Cup victory as coach of Team USA (1996) and a solid job with the expansion Ducks.

His disastrous tenure in Toronto has kind of made us all forget what a high profile coach Wilson was when he arrived here.

The problem with hiring Wilson then (the same as with Babcock now) is that the team is at the bottom ebb. This season/next season is the very bottom of what hopefully is a steady rebuild back to a strong team/organization that could potentially take years.

High profile coaches with winning pedigrees generally don't want to hang around and lose/build for multiple seasons before things get better.

Unless they end up with McDavid or Eichel - I just don't see the timing being right for a coach like Babcock. Unless, of course, they aren't planning a rebuild at all and are looking at another quick fix attempt.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

A lot of people will think Babcock won't come to Toronto because it's a disaster. This is precisely the reason he will come. You would be surprised what 7 million dollars can do (per year) as well. The Leafs have shown they have no problem opening their wallet. Especially to get Babcock.

This disaster is the perfect storm. Babcock WANTS a challenge. He does not want a pre assembled team that is on the cusp. He wants full credit. He wants the glory from coaching a bunch of prospects into a Stanley cup champs in the greatest hockey city. He will cement his status as a legend.

Babcock and Burke are different animals, but rest assure, Babcock will be the next Leaf coach.

The only thing is that Babcock will need the GM, the scouts and the others to do their work skillfully as well to have any success. I don't think anybody here is his mind to know what he thinks about that.