Sportsnet: “All bets are off” in regards to Babcock

[ToneDog]

How a team can continue to allow an unproven GM to keep the reigns after seeing what has happened under his reign is mind boggling for me. Yup, let's fire the proven coach and replace him with an unproven coach. Yikes and Babs and his stubborness has started to piss me off.

 

[ToneDog]

Do I trust him? I've never thought about that question TBH. I don't trust him to manage the cap well. He did manage to get Barrie, who was before he came to Toronto an elite point producer. I guess trust is subjective on what you are looking for. The way Boston and St Lou are constructed are more blue collar + skill type teams that I like to watch. I dont like the way Toronto is constructed because its not built the way I like teams to be built, doesn't mean Kyle wont make a good trade.

Yet you are willing to allow the architect to continue to build this team ?

 

[Havoc]

McDavid and Draisaitl are proof that two stars can carry a team. We supposedly have 3-4 stars and more talent than the Oilers and are ****ting the bed. The difference I see is that McD and Drai bring it every night and their foot soldiers fall in line, whereas our stars bring it when they feel like it and our foot soldiers fall in line.

McDavid and Draisatl get 22 minutes a game.

In close games that also go to OT they'll be around 25-26.

Maybe if our stars were used like elite players they'll have the motivation to bring it.

50 seconds on a powerplay then you have to switch for .....Nic Petan.

 

[Erdinger]

McDavid and Draisatl get 22 minutes a game.

In close games that also go to OT they'll be around 25-26.

Maybe if our stars were used like elite players they'll have the motivation to bring it.

50 seconds on a powerplay then you have to switch for .....Nic Petan.

It truly is out of the box thinking. Working well too

 

[ULF_55]

McDavid and Draisaitl are proof that two stars can carry a team. We supposedly have 3-4 stars and more talent than the Oilers and are ****ting the bed. The difference I see is that McD and Drai bring it every night and their foot soldiers fall in line, whereas our stars bring it when they feel like it and our foot soldiers fall in line.

Oilers do have 2 keepers though, who have a .915 and .921 save percentage, both are better than Andersen's .912.

 

[ToneDog]

Oilers do have 2 keepers though, who have a .915 and .921 save percentage, both are better than Andersen's .912.

But which goaltender of the 3 would you chose ??

 

[PromisedLand]

All bets should be off in regards to Dubas first.

We have pre-Dubas and post-Dubas results with the same coach.

Babcock should not be left off the hook but the culprit that is responsible for major problems of this team and takes the large share of blame is dubas

 

[killer1980]

You have rose tinted glasses on big time. The Leafs actually took the series lead without Kadri in the playoffs. Kadri plays no part in the team if he isn't playing for them during the most important time in the season. Kerfoot is a better fit for this team and he isn't going to take back to back suspensions and seriously hurt the team. Barrie is a perennial 50 point defensemen but sometimes a different system doesn't suit the player , it happens but that doesn't mean he's worse than Gardiner, who looked mentally out of it by the time he left anyway.

The special teams issues are more to do with coaching, than they are to do with personnel. The PP last season was 8th(22%),and PK was 17th(78.7%). This season, PP is 21st(16.7%) and PK is 25th(75%). That cannot all be down to Kadri,Gardiner and Brown's absence

Dubas has not destroyed the franchise, calm the hell down, you lose any credibility saying that stuff. Even the Bruins, Tampa and Nashville missed the playoffs while having strong contending teams. Sometimes that happens, but I still believe the team will make the playoffs , even if they regress to the wildcard.

I'll become a believer if they advance to the 2nd round and I hope you'll join me on the Dark Side if they miss the playoffs. Another early playoff exit is a push.

 

[McSnypsky]

does anyone have the appetite to do what Washington did and get Hunter in here for the rest of the season then decide if Keefe is your guy?

 

[hector morrison]

McDavid and Draisaitl are proof that two stars can carry a team. We supposedly have 3-4 stars and more talent than the Oilers and are ****ting the bed. The difference I see is that McD and Drai bring it every night and their foot soldiers fall in line, whereas our stars bring it when they feel like it and our foot soldiers fall in line.

Might help if Babs actually played the stars more. Not gonna check ,but I know from past observation of point leaders that McD and Drai played 3 or 4 minutes a game more. Not much? I think it is. Also,when they are deployed is where I am critical of Babs. I can't think of a viable reason that Matthews isn't playing huge minutes,especially when losing,which is most of the time lately.

I mentioned this in a different thread,but I doubt any star player is gonna shine after playing 5 games in 8 days with travel and 2 sets of back to backs. And also ,7 games in 11 days...that is effin 'ridiculous!

 

[Trapper]

Exactly why I say our offence is overrated. Ferraro said it during training camp, you cannot win with so many players making the minimum.

We paid 3 forwards franchise money.

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Hockey Night in Canada panel discuss Mike Babcock, Ilya Kovalchuk and offside reviews.



Brian Burke and The Hockey Night in Canada panel discuss if the clock has begun to tick on Mike Babcock’s tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[ToneDog]

McDavid and Draisatl get 22 minutes a game.

In close games that also go to OT they'll be around 25-26.

Maybe if our stars were used like elite players they'll have the motivation to bring it.

50 seconds on a powerplay then you have to switch for .....Nic Petan.

Agreed and it is one of my peevs with Babs. No reason why our stars cannot play 21 minutes per game. McD and Drai may be burnt out by playoff time but there is no sense in pacing your guys if you are not going to make the playoffs. When it came to load management and Freddy, Babs said we still have to make the playoffs. Well Mr. Babcock how is that working out for you ??

 

[ULF_55]

Do I trust him? I've never thought about that question TBH. I don't trust him to manage the cap well. He did manage to get Barrie, who was before he came to Toronto an elite point producer. I guess trust is subjective on what you are looking for. The way Boston and St Lou are constructed are more blue collar + skill type teams that I like to watch. I dont like the way Toronto is constructed because its not built the way I like teams to be built, doesn't mean Kyle wont make a good trade.

I was never thrilled about the Barrie acquisition, but that is definitely a minority on this board.

Did we have a poll on that trade? I'm guessing most were thrilled about it?

So was the minority correct, or was the majority correct about how good Barrie is?

If Barrie is still the very good player the majority thought what the heck happened to him? Did Dubas do something to him?

 

[rumman]

McDavid and Draisaitl are proof that two stars can carry a team. We supposedly have 3-4 stars and more talent than the Oilers and are ****ting the bed. The difference I see is that McD and Drai bring it every night and their foot soldiers fall in line, whereas our stars bring it when they feel like it and our foot soldiers fall in line.

Leafs appear to be aping the Oilers as a team with talent, no defense, no chance of winning, lets see if high draft picks don't fix the problem like they didn't fix the Oilers?

 

[rumman]

Our 3rd and 4th lines had a hot start to the year and we may not even be where we are if not for that October.
That should scare people when you think half our cap is spent on guys to be the same catalysts as McDavid/MacKinnon/etc.

love the Goat, but he's not looked good of late.

 

[hector morrison]

Agree but I do not trust Dubas to be in charge of this team. If the season is done, fire Dubas as he is a fraud. We might be able to salvage Babs.

Who is at the helm in a game? How is he making out? that's where the change needs to happen. You're not gonna effectively argue that Matthews/JT/Marner?willy arelousy. If motivation is an issue,then that's on the guy behind the bench makin' 8 million to sort out.

 

[killer1980]

McDavid and Draisaitl are proof that two stars can carry a team. We supposedly have 3-4 stars and more talent than the Oilers and are ****ting the bed. The difference I see is that McD and Drai bring it every night and their foot soldiers fall in line, whereas our stars bring it when they feel like it and our foot soldiers fall in line.

Agreed, and if anyone thinks that any one of our players is even close to McDavid they need serious help. A player like that comes along once in a generation or less.

 

[rumman]

Agree but I do not trust Dubas to be in charge of this team. If the season is done, fire Dubas as he is a fraud. We might be able to salvage Babs.

this scenario would piss allot of posters here, can you imagine Shanahan announces Dubas' firing and say Babcock stays?

 

[Trapper]

love the Goat, but he's not looked good of late.

That’s the point. Goat, Soup, Moore, Shore, Petan, when you top load the team, where is the team?

 

[rumman]

How a team can continue to allow an unproven GM to keep the reigns after seeing what has happened under his reign is mind boggling for me. Yup, let's fire the proven coach and replace him with an unproven coach. Yikes and Babs and his stubborness has started to piss me off.

 

[The CyNick]

How a team can continue to allow an unproven GM to keep the reigns after seeing what has happened under his reign is mind boggling for me. Yup, let's fire the proven coach and replace him with an unproven coach. Yikes and Babs and his stubborness has started to piss me off.

I think Babs could make some changes on the PP where there are more weapons to work with. But everywhere else, he's got little to no options to make the team better. I'm sure he would love to turn to a Komorov, or a Martin or a Polak to change the tone, but Dubas determined those types of guys can't play anymore.

Then a bunch of guys who play that way won the last two Cups. Oops.

 

[rumman]

That’s the point. Goat, Soup, Moore, Shore, Petan, when you top load the team, where is the team?

roger that.

 

[ToneDog]

Who is at the helm in a game? How is he making out? that's where the change needs to happen. You're not gonna effectively argue that Matthews/JT/Marner?willy arelousy. If motivation is an issue,then that's on the guy behind the bench makin' 8 million to sort out.

Matthews, Nylander and Tavares didn't have to shower after last night's game. Most of the team were AWOL. My only concern is whether Babs has checked out because last night's performance is not acceptable.

 

[Rafafouille]

Please do. They'll be even worse off without him.