Speculation: Mike Babcock fired by the Leafs, should we take him back?

[Northwing19]

Bring babs home where he belongs. Demote blash to assistant, keep Bylsma as well.

 

[Bench]

88% voting no so far. Sorry, Mike.

 

[Henkka]

88% voting no so far. Sorry, Mike.

Keep Blashill is over 50%, that's interesting.

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

Keep Blashill is over 50%, that's interesting.

Not really though. Put up a poll for extending Blashill past his current contract and I'd bet it would be around 87% No.

The fire Blashill camp is divided almost in half with one side wanting him gone now and the other wanting him gone at the end of the season.

 

[GMR]

No way. I'd rather have Melrose.

 

[DetroitRed]

I thought that when Mike went to Toronto, he said it would be his last team.

 

[TheClap]

I thought that when Mike went to Toronto, he said it would be his last team.

He probably also thought he'd have a couple Cups by now and be worshipped as a God in Canada for the rest of his life, when he said that. Because that's how big his ego is.

 

[deca guard]

is the top coach in sweden on anybodys radar ? ive no idea who he is but theyre really rocking their developmental / junior program over there and im thinking this is another un-tapped talent mine like develano went to 30 years ago when looked to europe for feds/lids/vladdy/etc . could be a great move with our swede connection already established

 

[Reddwit]

Babcock is the Brian Burke of coaches. He would rather lose it all his way than risk the chance that he has success trying out someone else’s way.

Doesn’t matter how smart or talented he is, his ego ultimately calls the shots. It’s the players who need to adopt his philosophy, cause his philosophy is the right one. And if he fails, it’s cause the guys couldn’t execute it in his vision - never because his philosophy is fallible.

It’s bananas when you think about it. It’d be like saying “it doesn’t matter if you need to cut down an oak tree or slice a loaf of bread - always use a chainsaw.”

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Why would this even be considered?

 

[Henkka]

Why would this even be considered?

Great managements consider different options.

 

[Henkka]

is the top coach in sweden on anybodys radar ? ive no idea who he is but theyre really rocking their developmental / junior program over there and im thinking this is another un-tapped talent mine like develano went to 30 years ago when looked to europe for feds/lids/vladdy/etc . could be a great move with our swede connection already established

Finland could offer better coches than Sweden. There's multiple of them on the National team. Any of Jalonen, Manner or Pennanen.

Do people remember what kind of miracle they did at WHC ?

Swedish Rickard Grönborg could be fit for Griffins.

 

[FMichael]

I voted...

"Yes - keep Blashill for rest of the contract and bring Babcock back later, starting at 2021"

Honestly - this is quite possible when taking into account Babs, and Stevie Ys history...I wouldn't mind him back in Detroit (be it starting 2020, or 2021 when Blashill's contract is over) - however I'll be honest in saying that I'm not certain if he'll do much better than Blashill with this current roster, and I've always considered Blashill to be a Babcock wannabe.

 

[wingfan]

Babcock is the Brian Burke of coaches. He would rather lose it all his way than risk the chance that he has success trying out someone else’s way.

Doesn’t matter how smart or talented he is, his ego ultimately calls the shots. It’s the players who need to adopt his philosophy, cause his philosophy is the right one. And if he fails, it’s cause the guys couldn’t execute it in his vision - never because his philosophy is fallible.

It’s bananas when you think about it. It’d be like saying “it doesn’t matter if you need to cut down an oak tree or slice a loaf of bread - always use a chainsaw.”

When he fails it's never about what he could have done or changed, it's always about how he's working with what he's got and he doesn't have X, Y or Z. Last year's loss against the Bruins he "had no defencemen". Dubas goes out and gets him Muzzin, Barrie and Ceci(not that he's that great) and they're struggling this year. Wonder what the next excuse will be?

 

[FabricDetails]

When he fails it's never about what he could have done or changed, it's always about how he's working with what he's got and he doesn't have X, Y or Z. Last year's loss against the Bruins he "had no defencemen". Dubas goes out and gets him Muzzin, Barrie and Ceci(not that he's that great) and they're struggling this year. Wonder what the next excuse will be?

"Overpaid young talent doesn't want to work hard anymore." Probably.

Selfishly speaking, I kind of hope they are running him out of town.

 

[SantosHalper]

No, keep Blashill until end of his contract. Babcock was here long enough. Continuity is good thing in team sports, but after 10-year run every team needs new minds and fresh ideas.

I would like to see Scott Sandelin behind the Red Wings bench. I rather hire him than Babcock or Boudreau.

 

[Dotter]

I know I'm really late to this party but the other week I fully listened to that radio interview with Mike Commodore where he just went off about Mike Babcock. I read the quotes when they first came out but I never accessed the entire interview.

Hilarious stuff. Not sure how much I believe it but it's not completely unfathomable to imagine Babs as that much of a narcissist.

It was a very alarming interview. I believe everything he says about Babcock is true based on the way we saw how Babs treated Modano and Spezza.

He's Toronto's problem now. They can keep him!

 

[Henkka]

When he fails it's never about what he could have done or changed, it's always about how he's working with what he's got and he doesn't have X, Y or Z. Last year's loss against the Bruins he "had no defencemen". Dubas goes out and gets him Muzzin, Barrie and Ceci(not that he's that great) and they're struggling this year. Wonder what the next excuse will be?

He still "had no defencemen", because all the millions were overpaid for offense. They also lost a matchup-center in Kadri.

How Colorado has survived (being better with than without) without Barrie, I think there's some serious defensive flaws on that guy. Worse than Gardiner had. Ceci was already most hated defenceman at Ottawa and Dubas brings him in? I think Zaitsev was better, even though he wasn't enough good either.

So, defensive efforts are ingnored from the management.

 

[Dotter]

Not really though. Put up a poll for extending Blashill past his current contract and I'd bet it would be around 87% No.

The fire Blashill camp is divided almost in half with one side wanting him gone now and the other wanting him gone at the end of the season.

You forgot the crowd like me where keep him, give him the a respectable roster and see how he performs with real talent... and if he performs, extend him.

No coach is going to come here and make this team top 15 in the league and/or play the young players exactly how you want. It does not exist. Blashhill is doing a fine job with the crap he's given.

And as for the young players:

- Hronek is doing better than I ever expected +1 Blashill
- Bertuzzi is doing better than I ever expected +2 Blashill
- Larkin is doing better than I ever expected +3 Blashill (Helm with hands, lol)
- Mantha is doing better than I ever expected +4 Blashill
- Antanasiou is better than expected last yr +5 Blashill (I never thought AA would amount to much)


With the given above facts, it proves that Blashill is doing unbelievable things for our kids. Even Cholo is just starting to come in to his own (as I expected) and Fabbri is excelling with ice time that his last coach refused to afford him +6 Blashill!

 

[Titan6lie]

Stay away from Babcock. Not the genius he thinks he is. Tired of his smug interviews. Rode the coattails of extreme talented and character locker room for the cup wins. Classic case of players making the coach!

 

[kook10]

If ever there was a time and opportunity to give the younger players some space to find their own game and get used to the pace of the game it is now, when there are no real stakes. Babcock would force them into boxes as he always does.

 

[Tirekicker]

He still "had no defencemen", because all the millions were overpaid for offense. They also lost a matchup-center in Kadri.

How Colorado has survived (being better with than without) without Barrie, I think there's some serious defensive flaws on that guy. Worse than Gardiner had. Ceci was already most hated defenceman at Ottawa and Dubas brings him in? I think Zaitsev was better, even though he wasn't enough good either.

So, defensive efforts are ingnored from the management.

I think the mix is all wrong with that team. Kadri is a legit shutdown/matchup (whatever you want to call it) centerman and they have no one who can adequately fill that hole. Barrie's a high-end scoring defenseman, but scoring's never been that team's problem. Matthews is an elite...scorer. Tavares is an elite...scorer. Nylander's a scorer. Kapanen's a scorer. Marner's maybe the closest thing they have to a Datsyuk/Zetterberg type, and that's an awful lot to ask of a 22 year old. The D group is decent on paper, but it certainly doesn't scream Stanley Cup.

Babcock's most valuable skaters in 2008 were, for the most part, two-way monsters. And in addition to those guys, there were grizzled veterans -- and proven winners -- like Draper and Chelios. So, I dunno, maybe it's an age thing more than anything else. Maybe this Leafs team just has to go through that whole "You must lose before you can win" crucible. I know Leafs fans don't want to hear that, but it's a thing.

 

[marcaractac]

Keep Blashill is over 50%, that's interesting.

Players are developing nicely under him, and now that they're slightly more than a one line team, they're competitive, even in a loss. The players work for him, and because of that I think he deserves a shot to continue as coach when we're back in the playoffs.

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

You forgot the crowd like me where keep him, give him the a respectable roster and see how he performs with real talent... and if he performs, extend him.

No coach is going to come here and make this team top 15 in the league and/or play the young players exactly how you want. It does not exist. Blashhill is doing a fine job with the crap he's given.

And as for the young players:

- Hronek is doing better than I ever expected +1 Blashill
- Bertuzzi is doing better than I ever expected +2 Blashill
- Larkin is doing better than I ever expected +3 Blashill (Helm with hands, lol)
- Mantha is doing better than I ever expected +4 Blashill
- Antanasiou is better than expected last yr +5 Blashill (I never thought AA would amount to much)


With the given above facts, it proves that Blashill is doing unbelievable things for our kids. Even Cholo is just starting to come in to his own (as I expected) and Fabbri is excelling with ice time that his last coach refused to afford him +6 Blashill!

Your expectations are the guidelines for Blashills success, got it. And they are FACTS to boot!!!

-Hronek took it upon himself after Blashill demoted him to GR to make steps. -1 Blashill
-Bertuzzi was BURIED in the lineup until the last 10 games of the season last year. -2Blashill
-Larkin came out of the Draft and exceeded expectations from day 1, that's on him not Blashill. -3 Blashill
-Mantha is just now doing as well as I expected him to do. -4 Blashill
-AA still wont use his teammates or play a 200ft game -5 Blashill

With the given above facts, it proves Blashill is doing unbelievable things TO our kids. Even Cholo has taken steps back and is starting to ignore Blashill and do it on his own, and Fabbri was a gift to the team from Yzerman that Blashill lucked into and probably saved his job.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Babcock is what causes prospects with offensive upside to die. Hard pass.

I want whoever the new coach is to be better at developing players than the last two guys. That's really what we need the most right now.