Confirmed with Link: TOR sign Jason Spezza to a 1 year, 700K deal

[Boutette]

More like a 4th line center.

 

[Daisy Jane]

For me it's not about the fact he's a 4th liner who has played before. There's many things at play here.

#1 is Babcock's ego. Media have talked for weeks about how Babcock didn't want Dubas to sign Spezza. This was just Babcock flexing his lineup options as if people are paying to watch him coach.

#2 is just the respect factor and how we need veteran guys to want to come play here for cheap. Disrespect those kinds of guys by saying they need more PK practicing...not how to appeal to future veterans who may be in the same position.

#3 is that Shore didn't outplay anyone during camp. If Spezza was replaced by someone really younger like a Sandin who outplayed him drastically...no issue. But Shore didn't outplay anyone. So Spezza signed here to start below guys like that on our depth chart? Completely killing any message Dubas would have given him during the FA process as well? Not a good look for the coach.

#4 is how that if you can't see how an NHL veteran from Toronto would view a Leafs home opener as a special event in his career then any words I use are not going to change any view you have on this topic. Add in who the opposition was...more emotion for that player involved in that other jersey....and it's hard to not see how Babcock just used the opportunity to put a spotlight on himself for absolutely zero reason. Which is another issue...and the main one why if he hits a road bump this season...Dubas will happily put his own coach in charge and rid himself of these head games that Babcock insists on playing for some reason.

#1 didn't babcock take point and had a huge conversation with Spezza? Why would he do that if he didn't want Dubas to sign Spezza? (and then that's with the whole. Babcock v. Dubas thing). I don't think he would do that just to do it (if he didn't want to? maybe he would, i dunno).

#2 legitimate questions here - why is it embarrassment if (just taking it at face value) that's the truth? I don't remember Babcock saying it maliciously (and we've seen babcock say a lot of cutting remarks in the media very sharply). and in the argument of "why the better team?" maybe that should be seen more of a compliment - especially if there's a platoon going on. If Shore is just meh - even though it stings not being in the opener, isn't it more trusting that he is vs. the better team and someone they could meet in the playoffs vs Shore and what everyone called an AHL line up?

#3: Did Spezza outplay anyone? again - are we going to say that Spezza and Babcock haven't had any communication?

and #4: i never said that Spezza wouldn't see this as a special event. what I am asking is why are Spezza's feelings more important than anyone else's in that situation, and it just seems to me people are going 'vet/cheap contract, Toronto etc." which valid. but i would think Spezza (who has had a lot of special moments in his career) vs. shore who was out of the league last year, and who made an O6 team who has a very strong chance to win the stanley cup and who has probably never had a moment like this at all in his career. It's about Spezza and his feelings. and i am like if they both were meh at camp, we're deploying a platoon, and if Spezza's the stronger choice, then while it sucks that he didn't get a special moment, we get to use him vs a better team, which should be the more important thing here.

now for me - I don't see this as Babcock making it about "himself" and I don't think this is any kind of shot across the bow at Dubas. (because again if it were, we've seen Malicious Babcock in the media, and i've seen all the videos/clips (posted). not to mention as was pointed out by several people. Babcock got roasted for gifting vets. so he doesn't and he's getting roasted for not doing it basically indicating people are never gonna be happy with how he decides to do/justify things that he does. I've got my glitches with Babcock, goodness gracious knows I do, but honestly in this case i personally don't think this is one of them. (and nor do i think this is part of some war between Babcock and Dubas).

 

[Menzinger]

Dave Poulin made a good point on TSN this morning. We are going to need vets near the end of their careers (especially hometown stars) to come in and play at the minimum salary and seeing Spezza as a healthy scratch for the home opener may make some hesitant to come here. I defend Babs when warranted but Spezza should not have been scratched for a journeyman for this game.

The thing is - play him in the opener and sit him against Columbus and this controversy is a non issue.

The whole line aboutbhim needing extra practice on the PK was a 100% BS line to try and stop the media onslaught.

Somebody screwed up behind the scenes...

 

[ottomaddox]

Kerfoot did his job well and the team won. What else do you want?


I’m convinced this team could win the cup in 25 playoff games and there’d be some complaining they didn’t do it in 24.

I have only a small sample size to go on.

...annnnndddd so do you.

I never noticed him the other night, but that doesn't make him bad. +1 is still fine by me.

 

[PromisedLand]

https://www.tsn.ca/it-s-a-joke-reac...ezza-for-toronto-maple-leafs-opener-1.1375259

Just reading the news didn't know the spezza scratching was such a huge drama yowzaaa... but i get it; that was clearly not a right thing to do by babcock. he could have played spezza in the opener and then sat him against CBJ...

 

[Maple Leaf]

https://www.tsn.ca/it-s-a-joke-reac...ezza-for-toronto-maple-leafs-opener-1.1375259

Just reading the news didn't know the spezza scratching was such a huge drama yowzaaa... but i get it; that was clearly not a right thing to do by babcock. he could have played spezza in the opener and then sat him against CBJ...

Dubas should have kept Marleau and the 1st instead of this useless

 

[PromisedLand]

They were his fault, though? He chose to waive a good NHL backup for an AHL’er? He chose to trade his only reserve centreman for a 5th line winger? That one really hurt when Kadri got suspended.

Oddly enough, Lindholm just made the Bruins out of camp and Petan cleared waivers.

Dubas is a moron there is no doubting that!

 

[Maple Leaf]

Dubas is a moron there is no doubting that!

Dubas is the stats guy not sure why they hired him as the general manager

 

[Menzinger]

Dubas should have kept Marleau and the 1st instead of this useless

Might want to check the cap hit differences

 

[Maple Leaf]

Might want to check the cap hit differences

Dubas should look at the cap, not me

 

[PromisedLand]

Do you honestly think that Lindholm would have made this Leafs team? Even after Kadri went down in the playoffs last year Lindholm still would not have been in the line up

In the playoffs all I want is our lines to to play solid hockey; if they are not scoring make oppositions' life difficult as hell so that they don't get grade A scoring chances. Be a puck hound with a relentless puck pursuit.

If Lindholm was still with the Leafs may be Matthews-Nylander still play together with Lindholm taking on the third line duty against their third line

it matters!!!

Dubas was a f***ing moron for not thinking straight and trading one of the roster players who was also used in PK position and a solid back-up for sparks and a guy who can't PK or give solid defensive mins to the team (Petan) or play center

 

[Polaris1010]

 

[PromisedLand]

Wonder what the sentiment would be had Babs played Spezza and Spezza played poorly

Lets not compare Nick Shore and Jason Spezza

Shore is so bad he played in KHL last season

Spezza played in the NHL and put up 27 points; and had a decent showing in the playoffs with 11 games and 5 points.

Unless Spezza all of a sudden forgot to play hockey or has significantly declined; Spezza>>>Shore from every angle you want to look at. including face-offs

 

[PromisedLand]

Pierre Lebrun continues to show why he’s one of the best in the business. Refers to when Mike Babcock took Marty Brodeur, the all time winningest goalie, out of the olympics for Roberto Luongo and didn’t bat an eye.

He doesn’t care about feelings or optics, he cares about winning.

If he really cared about winning he wouldn't have kept icing Jake f***ing Gardiner when he kept making the same moronic mistakes in Game 7

or keep giving Marleau and Brown ice-time with them accomplishing absolutely nothing last year in Game 7 and completley neutering Willy's offensive game

while Matthews was warming the bench. He did not even freakin' change the lines to get something going in Game 7; absolutely horrendous way to lose that game. No fight , no adjustments evenstrength or PP NOTHING

he kept status-quo and lost.

I am seriously amazed how babcock apparently cannot do no wrong

 

[sparxx87]

https://www.tsn.ca/video/lebrun-don-t-believe-babcock-scratching-spezza-had-to-do-with-dubas~1795862

 

[sparxx87]

If he really cared about winning he wouldn't have kept icing Jake ****ing Gardiner when he kept making the same moronic mistakes in Game 7

or keep giving Marleau and Brown ice-time with them accomplishing absolutely nothing last year in Game 7 and completley neutering Willy's offensive game

while Matthews was warming the bench. He did not even freakin' change the lines to get something going in Game 7; absolutely horrendous way to lose that game. No fight , no adjustments evenstrength or PP NOTHING

he kept status-quo and lost.

I am seriously amazed how babcock apparently cannot do no wrong

I’m not going to address any of last years stuff. It’ll only derail the thread and I’d prefer to discuss the current season.

Babcock makes mistakes like everyone else. He can be a little stubborn and a lot arrogant, no question. Nobody suggests he’s faultless but a few take it to the extreme with some pretty irrational hate. Myself and a few others try to provide possible reasoning for some of his decisions when they don’t make sense on the charts and graphs so many use to evaluate.

You cannot cheer for a Babcock-coached team and not get annoyed from time to time. This is the same guy who had the Olympic team winning 2-1 and 1-0 hockey games. I like goals, too.. but I like winning even more.

Nobody ever said “he cannot do no wrong”. The problem is that he cannot do no right with some people.

 

[The Apologist]

Dubas should look at the cap, not me

He did which is why Marleau and the 1st are gone.

 

[Stamkos4life]

I’m not going to address any of last years stuff. It’ll only derail the thread and I’d prefer to discuss the current season.

Babcock makes mistakes like everyone else. He can be a little stubborn and a lot arrogant, no question. Nobody suggests he’s faultless but a few take it to the extreme with some pretty irrational hate. Myself and a few others try to provide possible reasoning for some of his decisions when they don’t make sense on the charts and graphs so many use to evaluate.

You cannot cheer for a Babcock-coached team and not get annoyed from time to time. This is the same guy who had the Olympic team winning 2-1 and 1-0 hockey games. I like goals, too.. but I like winning even more.

Nobody ever said “he cannot do no wrong”. The problem is that he cannot do no right with some people.

I have never seen a poster say "babcock can do no wrong".

I have however, seen fans tear him apart for just about every move he has made.

Sure he makes some mistakes. That's human. But the way some talk, he is among the worst coaches in the league.

Imo, coaches are overrated and blamed for more then they deserve. But it's easier to change the coach than to change the roster.

 

[Boutette]

Dubas should have kept Marleau and the 1st instead of this useless

 

[bonjovi0308]

People complaining that we do not play Speeza after a win are hopeless. How about bash after a loss when we didnt play Speeza

 

[bentharbs]

I hope spezz nails a hatty

 

[Boutette]

People complaining that we do not play Speeza after a win are hopeless. How about bash after a loss when we didnt play Speeza

Given how our 4th line was team worst when it came to possession in Ottawa (Kerfoot's line was team best, BTW), I personally want to see what Spezza-Petan manage vs Timashov-Shore myself.

 

[sparxx87]

Given how our 4th line was team worst when it came to possession in Ottawa (Kerfoot's line was team best, BTW), I personally want to see what Spezza-Petan manage vs Timashov-Shore myself.

Where would you expect them to be?

You can’t be ****in’ serious.

People complaining that we do not play Speeza after a win are hopeless. How about bash after a loss when we didnt play Speeza

Some people lack perspective.

 

[Boutette]

Where would you expect them to be?
You can’t be ****in’ serious.

Putting in better numbers than they did, considering how many people say they are all defensive specialists. What I certainly did not expect the Kerfoot-Mikheyev-Moore line to have by far the best possession numbers for the game, nor Kerfoot to be number one on the team in CF. I mean, Kerfoot was basically run out on a rail by Avalanche fans, while Moore and Mikheyev are overage rookies with minimal NHL experience.

 

[sparxx87]

Putting in better numbers than they did, considering how many people say they are all defensive specialists. What I certainly did not expect the Kerfoot-Mikheyev-Moore line to have by far the best possession numbers for the game, nor Kerfoot to be number one on the team in CF.

You’re talking about snake oil.

The 4th line was better than good for a 4th line.