Mike Babcock Elite Coach Appreciation thread

[stickty111]

Lets talk about our elite coach. I know that may hurt some people's feelings, but a fact is a fact.
Its an appreciation thread. No need for Babcock is terrible because reason 1, reason 2, reason 3 to hide blame of the players.
So lets see what he has done so far
Made the playoffs unexpectedly, took a heavily favorited Capitals team to 6 games, including 5 OT's. Funny thing is the blame can go to Andersen for losing that series.

This year, the team got over 100 points, came back from 3-1 down to force a game 7, and had the lead after 2nd period, then Andersen happened.
Our starting goalie took half the series off, our 2nd best C missed 3 games, our best player Matthews didnt feel like playing, and we still got to a game 7. If that isnt coaching, then im not sure what that is.

Babcock is a great coach and a terrific motivator. He has done some great things for the team. He is a very important part of the team, and are fortunate to have him.

Click to read more...

 

[A1LeafNation]

I don't appreciate him overplaying anderssson all season when we had a capable back up of playing more games.

We also had a virtual playoff spot locked up since December. No excuse for overplaying Andersen.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I didn’t appreciate how he played our best player with two 4th liners in the deciding 7th game nor the ice time our best player got all season.

I didn’t appreciate how he continually played Komarov for half the season on the 2nd line.

I didn’t appreciate his usage of our no.1 goalie who inflated our points total who by standing on his head most games overcame our defensive system’s weaknesses all season.

I didn’t appreciate how he played Marner and Nylander on the 4th lines to “motivate” them.

I didn’t appreciate his cocky arrogant stubborn attitude towards coaching this team.

 

[Mugzy97]

This is going well

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

I didn’t appreciate how he played our best player with two 4th liners in the deciding 7th game nor the ice time our best player got all season.

I didn’t appreciate how he continually played Komarov for half the season on the 2nd line.

I didn’t appreciate his usage of our no.1 goalie who inflated our points total who by standing on his head most games overcame our defensive system’s weaknesses all season.

I didn’t appreciate how he played Marner and Nylander on the 4th lines to “motivate” them.

I didn’t appreciate his cocky arrogant stubborn attitude towards coaching this team.

I appreciate how he doesn't give up on guys who are going through a slump. He stuck with Komarov, Bozak and Kadri when each was ice cold and gave them plenty of time to get their games back. Eventually he decided Leo wasn't going to get it back and made the change. Didn't cost us anything other than a few points in the standings if anyone cares about that....

I wish he'd played McBackup more to give Freddy a rest. I don't think it had anything to do with our points total. I don't think Babs cares about that at all. He's here to win at the highest level.

I appreciated how he's improved Marner's game. Maybe those 4th line visits helped.

I appreciate his attitude. He's succeeded at the highest level in this sport, and he's done it for decades. He's earned the right to be cocky, and I have no idea what "stubborn" even means in this context. Does it mean he sticks to his own approach to coaching the team, rather than reading HF for ideas from children?

This is going well

Perhaps the instructions weren't clear enough...

 

[Spirit of 67]

This is going well

What did you expect?

 

[rent free]

This is an awful thread. He's overrated.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I appreciate how good he is at convincing people that he's a better coach than he really is

 

[hamzarocks]

Babcock will be appreciated once he accomplishes something in the playoffs. The team he has is a top 8 team with loads of talent. His system worked well early on but he was not able to adjust against the bruins. Babcock can't lose another 1st round series next season. Hopefully leafs can get 2 pieces for the backend and give Babcock a more complete roster. After that if he fails to win it will be a issue. Hoping for a conference finals appearance next season.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Babcock will be appreciated once he accomplishes something in the playoffs. The team he has is a top 8 team with loads of talent. His system worked well early on but he was not able to adjust against the bruins. Babcock can't lose another 1st round series next season. Hopefully leafs can get 2 pieces for the backend and give Babcock a more complete roster. After that if he fails to win it will be a issue. Hoping for a conference finals appearance next season.

Have a look at what people were saying before the season started. Bubble team was a popular prediction and only the most optimistic fans we're predicting we'd finish as high as we did.

 

[Kelly]

I don't think Toronto can appreciate a good coach tbh.

I can though, glad to have Mike coaching our Leafs.

 

[X66]

Babcock is an amazing coach.

The way he had that garbage team that finished 30th place playing convinced me that once our players mature and our best players are our older players, we'll look completely different.

He still does a lot of things I don't like, but you'll find that with every fanbase. I wish we tried more pairings down the stretch, I don't think our D has good chemistry at all. I also think even though Matthews was struggling, he should have still been playing 20 minutes a game in the playoffs.

Look back during the Hawks dynasties and see how much their fans whined about decisions made by Quenneville.

 

[X66]

Babcock will be appreciated once he accomplishes something in the playoffs. The team he has is a top 8 team with loads of talent. His system worked well early on but he was not able to adjust against the bruins. Babcock can't lose another 1st round series next season. Hopefully leafs can get 2 pieces for the backend and give Babcock a more complete roster. After that if he fails to win it will be a issue. Hoping for a conference finals appearance next season.

We were better than fine against the Bruins against all their lines minus the top line.

The Bruins have the luxury of having their best players be veterans, they got so much more mileage out of their vets than we did.

I also wouldn't be surprised that if you look at all the teams that advanced beyond the first round, they all have better vets than we have.

Bergeron, Marchand and Chara were animals for Boston.

 

[Buds17]

A team can struggle to make the playoffs, a team can struggle in the playoffs. Happier to at least be the latter for now. Hopefully next season is that step forward to a 1st round win, if not more.

 

[TimPeel]

8 million dollars and he doesn't consider putting two of our most dangerous offensive pieces together. Overpaid and on top of that really preachy.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Babcock is an amazing coach.

The way he had that garbage team that finished 30th place playing convinced me that once our players mature and our best players are our older players, we'll look completely different.

He still does a lot of things I don't like, but you'll find that with every fanbase. I wish we tried more pairings down the stretch, I don't think our D has good chemistry at all. I also think even though Matthews was struggling, he should have still been playing 20 minutes a game in the playoffs.

Look back during the Hawks dynasties and see how much their fans whined about decisions made by Quenneville.

Yup. I was thinking the same thing back then, we finished last but he was putting a structure in place.

I think that once teams get good, coaching doesn't matter all that much any more. It matters some but mostly it's the players that win or lose so in that sense, going forward it doesn't matter so much that we have Babcock as many other coaches could possibly do just as good a job. However, having him the last three years has been amazing and I'm not sure there's even one other coach that could have done what he did. He walked in to a catastrophe of an organization where the inmates ran the asylum and he didn't have one single veteran player worthy of being captain so to me, he had to be the captain in addition to being the coach. His reputation preceded him and IMHO we were desperate for someone of his stature to command respect and install some order. He was the alpha dog this team needed, he put his stamp on the team and it now is a team instead of a random collection of players.

What he's accomplished in three years is tremendous and I for one most definitely appreciate having him!

 

[saltming]

I didn’t appreciate how he played our best player with two 4th liners in the deciding 7th game nor the ice time our best player got all season.

I didn’t appreciate how he continually played Komarov for half the season on the 2nd line.

I didn’t appreciate his usage of our no.1 goalie who inflated our points total who by standing on his head most games overcame our defensive system’s weaknesses all season.

I didn’t appreciate how he played Marner and Nylander on the 4th lines to “motivate” them.

I didn’t appreciate his cocky arrogant stubborn attitude towards coaching this team.

You're complaining about game 7 where we were leading going into the 3rd? Were we didn't need a stacked line to score?

 

[Metal God]

8 million dollars and he doesn't consider putting two of our most dangerous offensive pieces together. Overpaid and on top of that really preachy.

$6.25 million, no?

 

[Metal God]

I'm glad to have Babcock. Man, some of you people expect the cup handed to you already.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I think Babcock did a good job in the regular season - after he realized Martin and Komarov just weren't working in their role

Do I think he got the most out of his team in the playoffs? No. It's like they didn't even go down swinging

 

[saltming]

I think Babcock did a good job in the regular season - after he realized Martin and Komarov just weren't working in their role

Do I think he got the most out of his team in the playoffs? No. It's like they didn't even go down swinging

Fighting back from 3-1 is not swinging? While missing our most important centre for 3 games?

 

[ShaneFalco]

Fighting back from 3-1 is not swinging? While missing our most important centre for 3 games?

The number of wins wasn't a true indicator as to how the series went.
In game 7 when they were down, it was over and so easy to see. Fight, but not where it needs to be. They didn't go down swinging in that game, or maybe Boston's just that much better

 

[saltming]

The number of wins wasn't a true indicator as to how the series went.
In game 7 when they were down, it was over and so easy to see. Fight, but not where it needs to be. They didn't go down swinging in that game, or maybe Boston's just that much better

I see what youre saying.
To me I saw it as a mix of fatigue mixing with youth: they took their foot off the pedal going into the 3rd. Then Boston stepped on them and never let them get back up

 

[Liminality]

Are people still complaining about Babcock's arrogance? Didn't we want this? We needed a coach to develop players the right way and people are now complaining that the stars are not getting what they want? Do people want to go back to the no defense, country club atmosphere? I want Babcock to be hard on the players he knows can be better don't you?

I really don't get this fan base. Babcock is doing what he was brought here to do and more so far. He's got some faults but he's done an excellent job with developing this young team so far.

 

[pulfordfan]

I like Mike.