Mike Babcock

[KingJoffrey]

This thread is hilarious. Back when he was unsigned, you had tons of people saying he was overrated, not a good coach, and made his reputation on the back of all-star teams. Yet you had all the Leafs fans saying that this wasn't the case, everyone was jealous and Babcock was the best coach of all time (yes even creating polls)

Babcock is not a good coach, this is not new. Just like Holland is not a good GM

I cant pile on Leafs fans though. Edmonton fans went thru the same thing when Chiarelli was hired and so many willfully ignored the warning signs

Leafs problem is their idiot millennial GM. Guy is on a track to ruin everything what Lou build for. Bad contracts. promoting force players and only acquiring small useless players.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

All this tells me is that Babchoke should've played his top guys more given the lack of quality depth (which contradicts what everyone was saying about the Leafs heading into this series).

They played more than The Bruins top guys last night. Maybe the weakness lies in the way the GM has built the team? We all know Babcock has been asking for more grit and depth guys on his bottom 3 or 6. That proved to be the difference last night. None of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pasta scored. But Bruins still won the game. This is why teams win, not individuals.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Leafs problem is their idiot millennial GM. Guy is on a track to ruin everything what Lou build for. Bad contracts. promoting force players and only acquiring small useless players.

Dubas isn't that bad, IMO, but he made two glaring errors this past season

- Going with Garret Sparks over McElhinney and Pickard.......Sparks was abysmal and the Leafs basically told him to stay home when the playoffs started. Had they kept a competent backup it could've made the difference between home ice and starting off on the road (just like last year and in 2013 - same result).

- Bending the knee to Nylander's ridiculous contract demands after engaging in a staredown right until the deadline. Signed him to a deal that far exceeded his value, at which point he returned and put up rather pedestrian numbers. Pretty uninspired play in the postseason as well, including the series-ending giveaway for an easy empty-netter and a 4-1 Boston lead.

This coming offseason his biggest task will be getting Marner to sign, plus there are a few other RFA's they need to keep. Finding a d-man in the offseason to replace Gardiner is pretty important as well....I'm not sure if Calle Rosen is up to the task.

 

[Aceboogie]

Leafs problem is their idiot millennial GM. Guy is on a track to ruin everything what Lou build for. Bad contracts. promoting force players and only acquiring small useless players.

I really hope the Leafs fire Dubas. I would absolutely love to get that guy as the Oilers GM

The Leafs going back to the old school type of GM would be utterly hilarious. Just trading all the skill they've built up for defensive D and coke machines

Dubas biggest mistake will be keeping hold of Babcock. Who is unable to efficiently utilize the players hes been provided with

 

[KingJoffrey]

Dubas isn't that bad, IMO, but he made two glaring errors this past season

- Going with Garret Sparks over McElhinney and Pickard.......Sparks was abysmal and the Leafs basically told him to stay home when the playoffs started. Had they kept a competent backup it could've made the difference between home ice and starting off on the road (just like last year and in 2013 - same result).

- Bending the knee to Nylander's ridiculous contract demands after engaging in a staredown right until the deadline. Signed him to a deal that far exceeded his value, at which point he returned and put up rather pedestrian numbers. Pretty uninspired play in the postseason as well, including the series-ending giveaway for an easy empty-netter and a 4-1 Boston lead.

This coming offseason his biggest task will be getting Marner to sign, plus there are a few other RFA's they need to keep. Finding a d-man in the offseason to replace Gardiner is pretty important as well....I'm not sure if Calle Rosen is up to the task.

¨
Those errors are pretty major. The only thing what is saving him is that he is BFF with James Mirtle from The Athletic. Their audience believe everything what him and his staff writes.

 

[Aceboogie]

Can Toronto fans whip up a shit storm and get Dubas fired please. It would help out the Oilers incredibly (and they need as much help as they can get)

 

[KingJoffrey]

I really hope the Leafs fire Dubas. I would absolutely love to get that guy as the Oilers GM

The Leafs going back to the old school type of GM would be utterly hilarious. Just trading all the skill they've built up for defensive D and coke machines

Dubas biggest mistake will be keeping hold of Babcock. Who is unable to efficiently utilize the players hes been provided with

Stop reading Mirtle and start to form your own opinions. Only thing what Dubas can do is hold to a press conference, because muh feelings.

 

[GoBuds14]

Matthews played 18:48 last night. Tavares 21:19, Marner 20:53
Bergeron played 17:14, Marchand 18:28, Pasta 18:19

The difference was the Bruins are built deeper into their 3rd and 4th lines. Look at who scored last night. Their bottom 6 players. Blame the GM for not building as good a surrounding cast as the Bruins GM has.

I look at their depth as very similar which was reflected in how even the series was played, losing Kadri really hurt Toronto. To me the difference again was experience and maybe a bit of puck luck. And I'm not too sure what point youre trying to prove with how many minutes the Bruins players played. Can you honestly sit there and say Matthews Marner and Tavares shouldn't have played more, considering they NEEDED at least 2 more goals for the majority of the game?

 

[namttebih]

You don't fire a coach based on a 1 game sample, or even a 7 game sample. Not to mention a 7 game sample where you make a very even series against a team that everyone seems to universally agree is better than you.

The playoffs were just the straw that broke the camel’s back. This team couldn’t sustain long periods of success all season. I literally knew no one who was confident in this team going in—not because we were facing Boston, but because of the uninspired play. He isn’t getting the most out of the players and isn’t playing his best players at key times. He ran this team into the ground. It’s time to go.

 

[Nizdizzle]

The playoffs were just the straw that broke the camel’s back. This team couldn’t sustain long periods of success all season. I literally knew no one who was confident in this team going in—not because we were facing Boston, but because of the uninspired play. He isn’t getting the most out of the players and isn’t playing his best players at key times. He ran this team into the ground. It’s time to go.

So, do you think Toronto is a better team than Boston?

 

[rocketdan9]

Babcock is signed until 2023

And Shannahan was the one that vouched for him

Imo he is going anywhere next season unless Shanny is gone too

This said I think next season if the Leafs fail to get by the 1st round...babcock will be gone

 

[rocketdan9]

The playoffs were just the straw that broke the camel’s back. This team couldn’t sustain long periods of success all season. I literally knew no one who was confident in this team going in—not because we were facing Boston, but because of the uninspired play. He isn’t getting the most out of the players and isn’t playing his best players at key times. He ran this team into the ground. It’s time to go.

Does this mean he extracted all from the lineup and the rest is not his fault?

 

[RobBrown4PM]

Babcock made some absolutely bizzaro moves, mainly playing Marleau like he was going out of style in pressure situations. Overall I think the Leafs kept pace with the Bruins, but got horribly, horribly, horribly outcoached.

Babcock needs to be canned. I wouldn't mind seeing a younger and more dynamic coach come in.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Wasn't it Shanahan who made a concerted effort to sign Babcock to the highest contract in NHL history. Maybe he is the one on the hot seat here, for 4 more years at millions and millions of dollars. It would take an incredible sales job going to the MLSE board and saying I made a mistake 4 years ago, making him by far the richest coach in NHL history at the time. Does anyone think Shanahan would admit to such a mistake? And then pair him up with a rookie GM where they have differences. When the previous one Babcock got a long with terrifically.

 

[Eye Test]

Well, I wish you luck in your endeavor. I mean, we all know that there's nothing more important than being right on the interwebz.

I salute you, my good sir.

Of course, HF or die right ?

 

[Eye Test]

This is one of the stranger things I’ve ever read on here.

You know you can just use your... main account on your phone, right?

If you can remember your password when making the account while drinking

 

[DanM]

Wasn't it Shanahan who made a concerted effort to sign Babcock to the highest contract in NHL history. Maybe he is the one on the hot seat here, for 4 more years at millions and millions of dollars. It would take an incredible sales job going to the MLSE board and saying I made a mistake 4 years ago, making him by far the richest coach in NHL history at the time. Does anyone think Shanahan would admit to such a mistake? And then pair him up with a rookie GM where they have differences. When the previous one Babcock got a long with terrifically.

Who cares about the money we pay him, we print money, and it does not touch the cap. Shanny was fine at the time signing him, and he helped us at first.

They simply just need to fire him right now, and the assistants, case closed.

 

[lomiller1]

A team that wouldn't have had a sniff of the playoffs in the East?

Even with the travel disadvantage western teams face the Central was the toughest division in the NHL based on both win % and goal differential. The Avs have holes in their roster but with easy travel and lots of bottom feeders to feast on they’d have cruised to an easy playoff spot if they were in the east.

 

[GoBuds14]

Why is everyone acting like Dubas is horrible? Lets look at what hes done so far.. signed Tavares (who was thoroughly impressed by his presentation) and brought in Muzzin. Nylander was slightly overpaid but he was coming off back to back 60 point seasons in his first 2 seasons, he was never getting less than 6. Matthews term on his contract was clearly to fit Marner in under the cap as well, thus giving Leafs theoretically a 6 year window (now 5).
I agree about the back up goalie situation, but guess what, someone find me a GM who hasn't had blunders along the way. Give him a year or so. Lou is the one who signed a few contracts that are really handcuffing Toronto's cap right now

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Who cares about the money we pay him, we print money, and it does not touch the cap. Shanny was fine at the time signing him, and he helped us at first.

They simply just need to fire him right now, and the assistants, case closed.

The MLSE Board will want reasons. And why Shanahan is now basically admitting it was a mistake signing. I am not sure how he will sell that to the Board.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

This coming offseason his biggest task will be getting Marner to sign, plus there are a few other RFA's they need to keep. Finding a d-man in the offseason to replace Gardiner is pretty important as well....I'm not sure if Calle Rosen is up to the task.

If we sign Marner and find a (quantity one) replacement defender for the 2 defenders that are UFA this summer for the same AAV we are currently paying to Hainsey, our cap space is gone. Hence, no cap space to sign the RFAs unless we subtract more player contacts.

 

[Dr Pepper]

If we sign Marner and find a (quantity one) replacement defender for the 2 defenders that are UFA this summer for the same AAV we are currently paying to Hainsey, our cap space is gone. Hence, no cap space to sign the RFAs unless we subtract more player contacts.

Trading that millstone with the 29 on the back of his jersey would be a great start. Now if only there were any takers.....

 

[Dr Pepper]

Why is everyone acting like Dubas is horrible? Lets look at what hes done so far.. signed Tavares (who was thoroughly impressed by his presentation) and brought in Muzzin. Nylander was slightly overpaid but he was coming off back to back 60 point seasons in his first 2 seasons, he was never getting less than 6. Matthews term on his contract was clearly to fit Marner in under the cap as well, thus giving Leafs theoretically a 6 year window (now 5).
I agree about the back up goalie situation, but guess what, someone find me a GM who hasn't had blunders along the way. Give him a year or so. Lou is the one who signed a few contracts that are really handcuffing Toronto's cap right now

I think it would be a stretch to suggest that his pitch to Tavares was in any way a hard sell.

Tavares was leaning towards the Leafs all along; any one of us could have sat in on that meeting and told JT what he needed to hear in order to get him to sign.

 

[DanM]

The MLSE Board will want reasons. And why Shanahan is now basically admitting it was a mistake signing. I am not sure how he will sell that to the Board.

The board won't care, again, money is not an issue. Shanny won't be fired, and if he has his reasons for firing Babs, it will happen.

This is not some small market where they care about money (outside of cap) I know you understand this lol

 

[AKAChip]

Can Toronto fans whip up a **** storm and get Dubas fired please. It would help out the Oilers incredibly (and they need as much help as they can get)

If the current Oilers braintrust was actively trying to hire Holland, they ain’t gonna be interested in Dubas if he were to become miraculously available.