Mike “Strech Pass” Babcock

[SHANNYPLAN]

At least Babcock can spell.

Suprised nobody mentioned it earlier

 

[HamiltonNHL]

At least Nylander keeps possession in our favour so the other team can't score on us.

He's setting negative plus minus records.
He's getting plenty of opposition goals on his short, winded, non contact skating sessions

 

[AreBe]

???

idea is not to get goons to play but players to put their work ethic before their skill; no team no matter how talented is going to "skill" their way to victory if they don't compete; get to the puck first; pressure the puck carrier of the opposition, close the gap etc....

NHL hockey isn't EA Sports hockey

Although there may be some force in the argument that hockey requires some force
And alliteration for this nation of hockey like the white cliffs of Dover prove to be too chalky
It is all skill, skill, skill and then more skill, skill, skill - speed is the workhorse
In my view, it is EA Sports or close to it, and it is all analytics all the time/$/ Cap and we don't need some slugger named Rocky

 

[LaPlante94]

Although there may be some force in the argument that hockey requires some force
And alliteration for this nation of hockey like the white cliffs of Dover prove to be too chalky
It is all skill, skill, skill and then more skill, skill, skill - speed is the workhorse
In my view, it is EA Sports or close to it, and it is all analytics all the time/$/ Cap and we don't need some slugger named Rocky

Was wondering if it was the case, but this post confirmed to me that it's a troll account. You got me

 

[hoglund]

He's a complete moron who thinks he's a genius

I don't think he's a genius, but I do think that he's a good coach, does that make me a moron?

 

[AreBe]

Was wondering if it was the case, but this post confirmed to me that it's a troll account. You got me

Checkmate Leafs fan!
More of a fan of analytics, and of having competent management in the first time in decades at the helm of the Leafs
Think of it this way: Babcock is a damn good coach and Dubas is a damn good GM, we just need even more skill and a goon ban
Be weary of those who want penalty box sitters, the game is moving on from that, skill and speed the new core beliefs

 

[thunder16]

Good coach, lazy, unmotivated players.

Matthews and Nylander need to give their heads a shake. Matthews is lazy and is a whiner. Nylander is a punk who couldn't keep in shape. The
D isn't great, need an upgrade for sure

Or maybe all 23 players are just sick of a Babcock system that doesn't work and are tired of losing. I know I am. Ever notice the Leafs scrambling in their own zone when the other team has the puck? All 5 players look like chickens with no heads scrambling, none of them know what to do! It is totally pathetic. It happens over and over and never changes (coaches fault all of them). I'm sick of this shit!\

 

[KobeBean143]

Do you guys think the statistic department has a say in stretch pass strategies too? They're looked at as a good risk from what I remember.

They are a good risk but when it’s used to the point of extreme predicability you’ve gone too far

 

[KobeBean143]

I know a guy who won the stanley cup in red wings when babcock was coach. He could have resigned with the team a few years later but went to another team. Then a few years back the TML wanted him at trade dead line, but he simply said no thank you. The biggest reason was babcock. Maybe nothing, maybe something. Maybe i just wanted you guys to know that im friends with a stanley cup winner

Valterri??

 

[Egghead1999]

When pressed whether some of his Oilers teammates may not believe they are the right group to get the job done, McDavid offered this stern response:

“Well, if there’s guys that believe that, they should get out of the room,” he said. “If you don’t believe in this group, and you’re in the locker room, you need to leave.”

Clearly he thinks more skill means getting wins; just play on skill and don't outwork your opponent.....

The Gospel of Mcjesus

BTW, it seems that the "strech pass" will stay because the media is starting to question the strech pass system

 

[TorMapleJays]

Then explain Nagano and Turin to me?

Big Ice vs Small Ice.

 

[93LEAFS]

Big Ice vs Small Ice.

Then explain Sochi? Quinn also won on big ice in Salt Lake (yes, despite being in NA, it was on big ice).

 

[PaulD]

Of all the coaches who have worked the last 5 seasons. Only one has not won a play off round.

Yep. You guessed it.

 

[Gabriel426]

When you look at the lineup.
AJ-Matthews-Willie=7 yrs NHL exp
Hyman-JT-Marner=15yrs
Marleau-Kadri-Kap=31yrs
Lindholm-Goat-Brown=3yrs
Total: 56yrs

Reilly-Hainsey=22yrs
Jak-Zai=11yrs
Dermott-Oz=less than 2 yrs.

Total: 35yrs

You have three Dmen who had a total of 4yrs NHL exp.
9 of the 12 forwards-with less than 3yrs NHL exp.

Experiences count for something. Exp usually means understanding the game, knowing what to do(little things) and being in a position to succeed. The Leafs lack these players. Before the Hainsey signing, I had been saying that the Leafs need an exp Dman or two in order to direct both Reilly and Jake in the back as those two got all the skills but lacks the exp. I am not saying let’s sign Winnik, Stajin and whoever to come in and show the kids how to play but they really lack two players who,for the lack of better, are grit grinders.

 

[HomerJLeafs]

One Stanley Cup ring, two Stanley Cup Final losses and two Olympic Gold Medals.

Its spelled
OVERRATED

 

[ToMaLe]

Or maybe all 23 players are just sick of a Babcock system that doesn't work and are tired of losing. I know I am. Ever notice the Leafs scrambling in their own zone when the other team has the puck? All 5 players look like chickens with no heads scrambling, none of them know what to do! It is totally pathetic. It happens over and over and never changes (coaches fault all of them). I'm sick of this ****!\

hittng the nail on the head!

 

[Joedoggy]

In all fairness....Babcock before he came to Toronto threw them a stretch pass...the powers to be in leaf land caught the pass ..hired Mikey thinking he was Mana from heaven.

So the real problem was someone in Leaf land was looking for a name since no one wanted to coach here. Babcock stretch pass worked for him monetarily so why not keep stretch passing. Maybe it will work again ..even tho 1 in 10 completions is bad.

Anyone who has been and watched Euro Hockey understands Mike is trying to reinvent the NHL game by playing no touch Euro speed skating hockey on a smaller rink. I should have said he copied..he will tell you reinvent.

 

[horner]

A stretch should be used to back up there defense but not all the time.
I also think having a proper breakout would take the pressure of our defence and keep the players more involved.
We seem to have more forwards at the Blueline waiting for a pass.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Who is the defensive coach? He gets no flak? Clearly its easy to pinpoint Babcock as the culprit because he is the head coach. The defensive coach on the other hand needs to be liable as well. How can there be the same mistakes game in and game out? Someone isn't doing there job properly clearly whether you want to look at the coaches systems they are trying to implement or the players poor execution and judgment. I would say both parties are at fault here with most of it falling on coaches for not tailoring to certain players strengths then the players are suppose to follow suit and look like fools because "Hey! that's what my coach wants me to do!"

 

[RLF]

When I have had my concerns about the stretch pass being overused in the past, I kept getting it is a proven strategy and how it has been shown to be produce goals and even if given away, reduces chances against statistically.

Where is all the "it is proven to work" posts now? Below is the "proof" it works that seems to have created the buy in to the stretch pass.
The Maple Leafs, Their Love of the Stretch Pass, Inability to Execute it and Why it's Still the Right Approach. - The Point Data-driven storytelling that gets right to the point.

I wonder what the numbers are for this season as teams have obviously made adjustments to the Leafs system. Wonder if the stats back up what I have seen for a couple of months.
I remember watching one game recently where they showed the view from behind Freddie where you could see what our D was looking at after a dump into our end. Our D-man has the puck at the hash marks(I think it was Gardiner) - we had one forward circling at the centre faceoff circle and the wingers standing still at the other blueline at both boards waiting for the stretch pass tip in. All that speed we have wasted as four of the 5 players are basically standing still (both D and the wingers). So the d is screwed - if he tries the stretch pass, all 3 forwards are covered and the best you hope for is a tip in and no one is moving with any speed to retrieve it. If he tries to skate it out and gets poke checked, he has no support behind him and gives up a breakaway from the blueline in.

That said, I guess what bugs me the most is what seems like a lack or preparation by our coaching staff for when it doesn't work. If they were assuming no one was going to figure out how to counter it, or haven't noticed that teams do have a successful plan to reduce it's effectiveness(which I severely doubt), then that is on the coaching. To me it is less about line combo's and defence pairings. It is about devising a strategy to play a way for success, and I do not see that from the Leafs when teams sit back to defend the stretch pass. We can load up lines, change defence pairings, but if we play into their hands, it will not likely make much difference.

Here's the big question.
If other coaches have devised strategies to reduce the effectiveness of the stretch pass, then why haven't we developed a strategy to use that will break through their stretch pass defence? Bringing some forwards back more for a quick pass so he gets it with some speed entering the neutral zone would seem pretty obvious to me in this case.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

When I have had my concerns about the stretch pass being overused in the past, I kept getting it is a proven strategy and how it has been shown to be produce goals and even if given away, reduces chances against statistically.

Where is all the "it is proven to work" posts now? Below is the "proof" it works that seems to have created the buy in to the stretch pass.
The Maple Leafs, Their Love of the Stretch Pass, Inability to Execute it and Why it's Still the Right Approach. - The Point Data-driven storytelling that gets right to the point.

1. The majority of goals scored off zone entries occur within seconds of entering the zone.

Sure. But are the majority of goals scored off zone entries ?
Does playoff hockey allow for stretch pass hockey ?

 

[RLF]

1. The majority of goals scored off zone entries occur within seconds of entering the zone.

Sure. But are the majority of goals scored off zone entries ?
Does playoff hockey allow for stretch pass hockey ?

Well, typically you have to enter the zone to score. Right? Let's just forget that question as I think when you have some time to think about it you will have a little chuckle.

I think the question is...when is the stretch pass effective? What type of defensive systems can you use it against?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Well, typically you have to enter the zone to score. Right?

No

 

[RLF]

No

There are different versions of zone entry data. What zone do you think they are in when using faceoffs and turnovers?
You show 7142 total goals from some type of "Zone Entry", almost 87% from crossing the blueline controlled or uncontrolled.
Are you saying there is a large portion of goals that have been scored that are not accounted for?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

faceoffs

That's clearly not a zone entry goal.