To Tank or To Tank

[Bad Goalie]

As far as I know they didn't even try to sign one of them. I might be mistaken.

Neither one of them fit into their long range plan, so they shipped them out.

 

[-DeMo-]

As far as I know they didn't even try to sign one of them. I might be mistaken.

I guarantee you they knew what type of deal those guys were looking for and didn't want to re-sign them, to think they didn't have any discussions with those 2 about what kind of deal they were looking for would be idiotic and I don't believe any GM would be that dumb.

 

[Mess]

Play the kids and let them decide their own fate.

What kids?

Morgan Rielly is likely going to be the youngest Leaf next year and he will be entering year 3 of his NHL career.

Leafs went out and signed a bunch of 30+ veteran players in Winnik, Parenteau, Hunwick so the kids don't play next year.

They signed one of the top coaches in the world to one of the highest contracts.

I see a team trying to create a winning stable environment while they play the kids in the minors and develop them.

I personally don't see any intent to tank based on the actions of the organization.

 

[nsleaf]

Lose a lot = get the best players

Get the best players = win

Have to look at the big picture here. Long term > short term.

Well if tank means intentionally losing so you can maybe grab a good draft pick, where does it end? I think it takes a lot more than "tanking" to achieve success in the NHL.

 

[Gabriel426]

Tank would be trading both of your goalies for really bad goalies in order to increase the chance of losing. While also telling the coach, he will be fire by season end when it is only 2 weeks into the season.

Can't see the Leafs doing that. Now how many games would the Leafs win due to lack of talent is another story.

 

[JackJ]

No, Babcock team doesn't tank never ever.

A Babcock team could lose some mighty games though, but Mike wants to be a winner everytime and everybody wanna be like Mike.

As if he has a choice with this roster.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I will be cheering for wins from the start of the season. The only reason I started cheering against them last season is because I was so sick of watching them mailing it in so bad in the second half. I was just getting fed up with this "core".

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Babcock is the last person on the planet who'd entertain the idea of "tanking." However, I do think Shanny/Hunter/Dubas will do everything they can to strip this team by trade d-day, and have this team dive down to #29 or #30 by the end of the regular season

 

[champs*]

Just keep the skilled guys off the team this year....

 

[buttman*]

lol what?

Leafs finish bottom 5 guaranteed

They lost Kessel -- that's about it. Added one of the best coaches in the game. I'm not sure Kessel is that much of a difference maker.

 

[BlueBaron]

I guarantee you they knew what type of deal those guys were looking for and didn't want to re-sign them, to think they didn't have any discussions with those 2 about what kind of deal they were looking for would be idiotic and I don't believe any GM would be that dumb.

Neuvirth signed for 1.5 Mil ? That scared them off ? Enroth got 1.25.

Maybe they just wanted the picks thinking they could get an upgrade this summer but it looks a bit fishy. Again I may be wrong but it looked like tanking at the time.

 

[RhyZa]

Of course, you set your team up to tank. Any kind of moral dilemma with this is just nonsense.

 

[BlueBaron]

They lost Kessel -- that's about it. Added one of the best coaches in the game. I'm not sure Kessel is that much of a difference maker.

It's a lot of goals. Not just his but those he spoon fed JVR and Bozak too.

Let's assume someone steps up and scores 20 goals in his place and Bozak and JVR each lose 5 goals. That's a drop of about 25 goals ish ( I know these numbers are worthless but they serve the purpose). Will Babcock cut our goals against by that number ? more ? I guess that is really the key. If our goals against drops significantly, say 30 goals or more, we might do much better than expected.

 

[pooleboy]

Losing a lot of games is vital. We get chychrun or Mathews we are laughing

 

[Faltorvo]

This has been a bottom of the barrel team even before BB got here and it remained one after dave no no got canned

look at our roster, it sure looks bottom 5 bad

as I have learned over the years on this board the term "tank" means different things to different folks

to me, this is a "tanked" roster, this is a tank team and will be for a couple of seasons yet and I am absolutely perfectly fine with that.

I want this roster well away from any PO hope 2 weeks before the TD , I want players flipped for picks and prospects

I want them to find some stolen gems past those top 10 picks and I want them to slot and hit in the "almost given elite territory"

so four star general reporting to the vanguard of tank nation

 

[Stephen]

I think they want this to be a likable hard working but ultimately bottom feeding team like the 2014 Flames. Scoop up another great prospect, draft like crazy in 2016 and be ready to surprise by 2017. Or draft high again if necessary.

 

[The CyNick]

You cant tell players and coaches to tank

If after the All Star break we are in 3rd last in the Conference, you start selling off assets that can return picks. If thats tanking, then I guess you tank.

If you are in 10th in the Conference at the All Star Break, you probably dont sell off assets. At the same time, you should sell futures to add to a 10th place team.

 

[D3ADLY]

Uhhh... Ever heard of Jack Eichel? The best prospect since Crosby not named Connor McDavid? I think their tank worked out just fine.

ill agree to the point where Jack is a really good prospect but to put him after Crosby and Mcdavid while leaving out likes of Ovechkin, Malkin and many more is something i will not buy into.

 

[Bobs your uncle]

Definitely foresee the Leafs in the leagues bottom five not from intentially tanking but because the team will be borderline AHL quality. I doubt "tanking" is in Babcock's vocabulary.

 

[Anthrax442]

Put Mathias on 1st line, then trade for 1st.

 

[egd27]

Babcock is the last person on the planet who'd entertain the idea of "tanking." However, I do think Shanny/Hunter/Dubas will do everything they can to strip this team by trade d-day, and have this team dive down to #29 or #30 by the end of the regular season

What if they're in playoff contention?

Of course, you set your team up to tank. Any kind of moral dilemma with this is just nonsense.

No responsibility to the folks paying a couple of hundred bucks a seat every night? The corporate partners?

 

[Daisy Jane]

What if they're in playoff contention?

so what if they are?
Calgary still made trades and they were in playoff contention.

 

[91Kadri91*]

You cant tell players and coaches to tank

If after the All Star break we are in 3rd last in the Conference, you start selling off assets that can return picks. If thats tanking, then I guess you tank.

If you are in 10th in the Conference at the All Star Break, you probably dont sell off assets. At the same time, you should sell futures to add to a 10th place team.

You're not serious...

 

[Suntouchable13]

What if they're in playoff contention?



No responsibility to the folks paying a couple of hundred bucks a seat every night? The corporate partners?

In case you have not noticed, even if when the Leafs were trying to "go for it", they were terrible so what difference does it make? They are taking a new approach now. If they win, great! If they lose, then that's fine too. The key is to work hard every night, and get rid of the people who will not.

 

[egd27]

so what if they are?
Calgary still made trades and they were in playoff contention.

To what extent? Do you move 4 or 5 guys?