Post-Game Talk: Remember when Our Biggest Fear was Goaltending? 9th Olympic CDN Gold in Hockey

[Trainspotter]

Its the Carlyle is a bad coach part that is ridiculous lol

How is it ridiculous? The team has the worst shot differential in the league. The PK is atrocious. That's all stuff the coach and the system should take care of. But the stuff that comes down to skill and talent - like scoring and goaltending - is all very good. I'm just stating the obvious here.

 

[Shimso]

6-0, never trailing in a game, only allowing 3 goals, and getting 3 shutouts including consecutive shutouts in the semis and finals....imagine how this would've turned out if the offense was firing on all cylinders/not running into goalies putting out amazing performances?

 

[Trainspotter]

Its the Carlyle is a bad coach part that is ridiculous lol

Either way your arguments are flimsy and ignores a plethora of examples of better teams losing out to lesser quality squads.

Effort is sometimes the difference and that's still in the control of the players. It has nothing to do with the coaching or systems.

 

[RaskY]

But this is the Olympics, where the rosters are essentially dream teams in comparison to NHL rosters, so I agree that Babcock's impact on Canada's success was probably minimal. The talent on the roster was insane, and would probably have played well with any coach behind that bench. Hell, Ron Wilson took team USA to the gold medal game in 2010. But it varies. Some teams need the influence of a coach more than other teams.

But in the NHL, the role of the coach is far more important than in the Olympics. There is more competition, the rosters aren't as stacked, and teams need more direction and an identity to succeed throughout a 9 month season.

It's never a case where it's just 100% credit to the coach, or 100% credit to the players. You need a combination of a good coach with a good system that amplifies the skill of the players. For instance St. Louis is one of the best cycle teams in the league and one of the best defensive teams in the league. The players deserve credit for being able to execute and succeed under this brand of hockey, but the coach deserves credit for implementing a system that maximizes the team potential, and that works for a certain group of players.

 

[cack]

Don't think i've seen a more perfect defence. Just insane.

My goldfish could have coached team Canada's roster to a gold medal. They had an insane amount of talent everywhere, so much that two power house teams could have been created with the players who played and the players that were left out.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Effort is sometimes the difference and that's still in the control of the players. It has nothing to do with the coaching or systems.

I completely disagree .. If you remember during the Latvia game the CBC crew was saying how the Latvian players have never had a coach that would come up and pat them on the shoulder complimenting their play and giving them feedback like Ted Nolan did - before that it was very.. That got the players going and look what happened, they beat the Swiss

Getting players to buy into a system and commit to it is part of a coaches job, being able to communicate and interact with these players so that they want to give their best effort is part of a coaches job

Do you think Kadri would be where he is if he had no coaching on his work ethic and defensive play?

 

[Trainspotter]

The CBC guys need story lines to keep the broadcast interesting. So they overblow the "Bad News Bears" storyline. In the end, Latvia doesn't have much talent, so they don't win many hockey games despite whatever system Nolan might want to employ.

The best parts of Kadri's game are still based on his God-given talent. It sure isn't his work ethic or the structure of his game.

 

[BertCorbeau]

The CBC guys need story lines to keep the broadcast interesting. So they overblow the "Bad News Bears" storyline. In the end, Latvia doesn't have much talent, so they don't win many hockey games despite whatever system Nolan might want to employ.

The best parts of Kadri's game are still based on his God-given talent. It sure isn't his work ethic or the structure of his game.

I wasn't even talking about whatever system Latvia was playing .. I was talking about the impact a coach can have on motivating a player .. Yeah Latvia didn't have a lot of talent so they lost, but they still played their hearts out .. Nolan did a great job of getting the most effort he could have out of that group

Kadri wouldn't be effective as a player in the NHL (if in the NHL at all) if he wasn't coached to work hard and play defense

 

[Trainspotter]

The Leafs don't have any good coaches so I don't know what you're talking about.

 

[Mess]

6-0, never trailing in a game, only allowing 3 goals, and getting 3 shutouts including consecutive shutouts in the semis and finals....imagine how this would've turned out if the offense was firing on all cylinders/not running into goalies putting out amazing performances?

I'd imagine Canada would have won gold.

Rather they had to settle for gold instead.

 

[LeeIs]

Such a beautiful win. Total domination of the tournament. No goals allowed in the Semis and Finals. only 3 goals allowed all tournament. Amazing!

Love that the women also repeated.

Woot!

 

[The Legend]

It constantly amazed me how any puck deep in our own zone was moved out so effortlessly. Not sure if this was Babcock's system, our amazing defense, or a combination of both, but rarely (if ever) did a Canadian break out result in a turnover.

Next year's all star game should be this team against the rest of the NHL. Could be fun.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Price played well, this is not meant as a slight. But I think Mike Smith could have played goal for Team Canada, certainly Jonathan Bernier to keep it Leafs related. And I think the GA would not have been much different.

Team Canada's defence barely gave up shots never mind goals.

 

[Purity*]

Price played well, this is not meant as a slight. But I think Mike Smith could have played goal for Team Canada, certainly Jonathan Bernier to keep it Leafs related. And I think the GA would not have been much different.

Team Canada's defence barely gave up shots never mind goals.

Bernier would have yawned his way to a shutout every time. Look at the defense he plays behind compared to team Canada's, he'd be in heaven. Needless to say though Price was excellent.

 

[KlaxicoBurress]

Go Leafs Go chants breaking out in maple leaf sq and yonge/dundas after the game. It was especially hilarious when Subban got his medal and people drunkenly booed. Gotta love Leafs Nation.

 

[Ratboy]

Go Leafs Go chants breaking out in maple leaf sq and yonge/dundas after the game. It was especially hilarious when Subban got his medal and people drunkenly booed. Gotta love Leafs Nation.

Norris trophy winner, not good enough to play in Canada's top 6 D? Interesting.

 

[ashs]

Wish the leafs had a coach like Babcock. Thatvman ozzes respect.

 

[Mowerman]

Go Leafs Go chants breaking out in maple leaf sq and yonge/dundas after the game. It was especially hilarious when Subban got his medal and people drunkenly booed. Gotta love Leafs Nation.

People booed Alfredsson where I was.

 

[TheProspector]

Wish the leafs had a coach like Babcock. Thatvman ozzes respect.

Best coach in the game, for sure. I absolutely love the way his teams play the game. His style would be better for this team than Carlyle's.

The Leafs have allowed more defensive activation for keep-ins in the past 10-15 games than ever before in Carlyle's tenure, though, so at least we're kind of moving in that direction. You just can't play a possession game without it. Carlyle complains about spending too much time "receiving" the game - i.e. being pinned in the defensive zone - well, that's how other teams are giving the game to us.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Best coach in the game, for sure. I absolutely love the way his teams play the game. His style would be better for this team than Carlyle's.

The Leafs have allowed more defensive activation for keep-ins in the past 10-15 games than ever before in Carlyle's tenure, though, so at least we're kind of moving in that direction. You just can't play a possession game without it. Carlyle complains about spending too much time "receiving" the game - i.e. being pinned in the defensive zone - well, that's how other teams are giving the game to us.

It's almost like he came in an said something along the lines of "**** you guys and your scoring titles, awards, 100 point seasons and 1 on 1 abilities. You're playing defence for the next two weeks".

 

[Trainspotter]

Best coach in the game, for sure. I absolutely love the way his teams play the game.

I'll take Carlyle's results in the NHL over the past two seasons, myself. Babcock can barely get a team with Zetterberg, Datsyuk and the top pairing from the second best team in the world in the playoffs. Carlyle contends with a bunch of soft floaters in his top-6, a 1D who probably shouldn't be one and a bunch of turnover machines in Rielly, Gardiner and Franson on his defense. And yet Detroit have a worse goal differential than the Leafs despite Babcock's flawless systems. Something doesn't add up.

Amazing that he could possibly be considered the best in the game. He has never taken a below average team in terms of talent anywhere. He's no Lemaire, people.

 

[Mess]

It's almost like he came in an said something along the lines of "**** you guys and your scoring titles, awards, 100 point seasons and 1 on 1 abilities. You're playing defence for the next two weeks".

"& if you listen to me and follow my lead you will be Olympic gold medalists"...

You didn't finish the last sentence and thought.

This was a perfect example of there is no I in Team, and everyone pulling together putting team accomplishments in front of individual success.

Taking a bunch of superstars and making them into a cohesive defensive machine in a short tournament was certainly a good coaching display and accomplishment.

 

[Trainspotter]

"& if you listen to me and follow my lead you will be Olympic gold medalists"...

You didn't finish the last sentence and thought.

This was a perfect example of there is no I in Team, and everyone pulling together putting team accomplishments in front of individual success.

Taking a bunch of superstars and making them into a cohesive defensive machine in a short tournament was certainly a good coaching display and accomplishment.

Yeah, because you have to tell guys like Crosby, Toews, Bergeron, Sharp, Marleau, Bouwmeester, Pietrangelo, Vlasic, Weber, etc. to "put team accomplishments in front of individual success." Because they're a bunch of Lone Rangers on their NHL clubs. Do you know anything at all about those players' careers? I suspect not if this is your viewpoint.

It's like some of you think Babcock walked into the Russian dressingroom instead.

 

[Mess]

Yeah, because you have to tell guys like Crosby, Toews, Bergeron, Sharp, Marleau, Bouwmeester, Pietrangelo, Vlasic, Weber, etc. to "put team accomplishments in front of individual success." Because they're a bunch of Lone Rangers on their NHL clubs. Do you know anything at all about those players' careers? I suspect not if this is your viewpoint.

It's like some of you think Babcock walked into the Russian dressingroom instead.

Team USA entered the Olympics with a bunch of superstars and their coach Dan Bylsma has a Stanley Cup, how did his team do?

 

[Trainspotter]

Team USA entered the Olympics with a bunch of superstars and their coach Dan Bylsma has a Stanley Cup, how did his team do?

A bunch of superstars? Outside of Kane they don't have anyone with the ability of Canada's players. It seems pretty settled here that Kessel is a soft perimeter player who plays the least important position in hockey so how could he be expected to do much? Pavelski is a 2nd line center in the NHL, not a superstar. None of Parise, Backes, Kesler, etc. are superstars by any stretch of the imagination. Only one of them has ever been a PPG player in the NHL. Their defense starts with Orpik and Martin, not exactly Norris candidates. Claiming they had a similar talent level to Canada's and that coaching made the difference is simply and objectively wrong. It's painfully obvious Babcock had a loaded deck. Just look at that comparative stats provided by TSN before their matchup for all the objective details you need. More goals, more awards, more everything.

In the end, the US got beat by a more talented Canadian team that had more high quality two-way players who didn't need to be coached into playing defense as they demonstrate on their NHL clubs year after year. After that, they packed up and went home. Given how Babcock performs in the NHL there is every reason to believe that with a weaker lineup he wouldn't have won a thing. Give Bylsma Babcock's lineup and he takes Gold home without a problem. He's demonstrated that he can overcome injuries to his top players and get his team in the playoffs in the NHL more often than Babcock has. Babcock's record just keeps getting worse as Holland's drafting luck wears off. The correlation is clear as day.