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

[jrgtml67]

Key here is Dubas hasn't addressed the "rumor," last time this happened, last season Dubas said Mike wasn't going anywhere.

BUT I only want him gone if it means that they promote Keefe right away to take over. They did make him the highest AHL coach, I think there was more than one reason for that.

 

[HandshakeLineRespect]

Get rid of him. Keefe may be a rookie head coach but he will have the benefit from coaching half the team already.

 

[saffronleaf]

Egocock out in full force.

He needs to ingest some LSD and engage in meditative practices to destroy the ego.

 

[likecheese]

Maybe he bet 2 bucks per playoff round.

And as soon as he leaves the house, his wife puts 2 bucks on the other guy.

 

[stickty111]

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Get rid of him. Keefe may be a rookie head coach but he will have the benefit from coaching half the team already.

One guy has lost every first round he's coached in the past decade pretty much, the other guy has coached 13 playoff rounds in the last 4 years including 2 conference finals and one championship.

He may be a rookie at the NHL level but teams like last years had no business making a run like they did but the guy knows how to get the best out of his players that time of year.

 

[Walshy7]

Egocock out in full force.

He needs to ingest some LSD and engage in meditative practices to destroy the ego.

we havent got time for that!!


DMT is much faster

 

[egd27]

Yeah kind of not what I meant in the slightest, but you are free to ignore that exaggerate all you want. I didn't say he should be running the show, just being played as most players of his caliber are.

Ok.....I'm reasonable, what did you mean by "find common ground with a group of young players."?

 

[Deuce Awesome]

Mike Babcock, when asked about people questioning his job security in Toronto: "I'm going to do it as hard as I can for as long as I can. I've always bet on Mike Babcock, I'll continue to bet on him."


Just a wee bit arrogant?

 

[rumman]

I'm shocked, after that **** show at Pittsburgh I thought for sure Babcock was going to get the ax

I guess if he's going on this trip the chances of him being sacked before that ends would be fairly slim

It's a bold strategy, they better hope something happens to change things because if we have another half a dozen games like the last 4 or 5 the season is going to look like a smoking crater

I'd have pulled the trigger on firing him so I could start methodically going through potential problems and solving them one by one

I think the problems are a lot larger than just Babcock but you have to start somewhere

if the plan was to make the playoffs Dubas wouldn't have started the season with Babs as coach, assembled a team that's as soft as a Dairy Queen sundae, ignored the back up goalie position, spent half your loonies on 4 players, blah blah blah.................

Of course there's probably a pie chart refuting all of the above?

 

[Menzinger]

The old saying goes, you don't know what you don't know/ five years of poor defensive play, maybe Babcock is a great coach but he cannot see his blind spots. Maybe his system has holes and he is unable to see them. I like Mike, he is the kind of coach I would love to play for but in the end, its about what is best for the 20 guys who lace their skates up every game, not what I would like.

I would have preferred to see Boucher as the defenceman coach.

Conspiracy theory time, are the assistant coaches intentionally sandbagging to get Mike fired. The guy who has a history of coaching one of the best PP now has one of the worst PP in the League with arguably 3 top 30 offensive stars. A lot of speculation that the Marlies coach will be the next Leafs coach, is there anyone in his way besides Mike? It not like Mikes assistant coaches are Boucher and Crawford, its Haxtall and some other guy. It is a pretty easy path for Keefe to the Leafs HC position.

Eh, special teams were problematic for most of last season under different assistants.

The one constant has been theyre following orders frlm Babcock

 

[Menzinger]

Its funny people think that with babcock gone the team will instantly turn the page. I want him gone just as much as anyone but let's be realistic.

I think any ok ne expecting instant changes will be in for a disappointment. If they do bring in a new head coach theyll have to 1) deal with a lockeroom thats not exactly filled with optimism and 2) will require a few months to imprint his vision ofnthe game/systems with the guys.

Which means, Leafs basically have until Christmas to make a coachibg change ornelse theyve got to wait until the offseason to try again.

Cant expect a new coach to hit the ground running in February or March

 

[frog]

Maybe you should bet on your team, not yourself...

This quote is really bad considering the situation of things.

He can't even say that he believes himself without criticism... Oh Toronto

 

[SprDaVE]

He can't even say that he believes himself without criticism... Oh Toronto

Making it about the team first rather yourself is probably better for optics since he's already seen as an egomaniac that can only make things about himself and incapable of change because that's how it's always worked.

What do I know though. I don't think anyone was questioning his self confidence.

 

[Legendary]

It’s a good sign the higher ups are realizing Dubas has f***ed up more than anyone else in the org. Maybe Shanahan is realizing he made a mistake.

 

[frog]

Making it about the team first rather yourself is probably better for optics since he's already seen as an egomaniac that can only make things about himself and incapable of change because that's how it's always worked.

What do I know though. I don't think anyone was questioning his self confidence.

They asked him if the heat is getting to him and he said he believes himself or something along those lines.... I probably answer the same way and im not an egomaniac imo

 

[Trapper]

Mike Babcock, when asked about people questioning his job security in Toronto: "I'm going to do it as hard as I can for as long as I can. I've always bet on Mike Babcock, I'll continue to bet on him."


Just a wee bit arrogant?

 

[Stigma]

For those who don't think that was a ridiculous, narcissistic statement, turn away from your computer and say the same thing he said out loud using your own first and last name.

 

[frog]

Mike Babcock, when asked about people questioning his job security in Toronto: "I'm going to do it as hard as I can for as long as I can. I've always bet on Mike Babcock, I'll continue to bet on him."


Just a wee bit arrogant?

He should have said he isn't betting on himself

 

[egd27]

They asked him if the heat is getting to him and he said he believes himself or something along those lines.... I probably answer the same way and im not an egomaniac imo

Quite right.

The torch and pitchfork crowd are out it full force.......they'll find fault in anything he says or does. It's funny to see how far they'll take it

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Making it about the team first rather yourself is probably better for optics since he's already seen as an egomaniac that can only make things about himself and incapable of change because that's how it's always worked.

What do I know though. I don't think anyone was questioning his self confidence.

It really does make it seem like he's completely tone deaf. People are worried about his arrogance and stubbornness preventing him from being an adaptable coach, as well as alienating his players. Nobody is worried about him believing in himself. His answer just makes it seem as if he believes the issue is actually the latter

 

[Green Snow Storm]

He can't even say that he believes himself without criticism... Oh Toronto

It's the way he said it.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Yeah, he really should have gotten out there and played ****ing HURT! That really would have solidified his chance of making this team!

And I'd love to hear an explanation for why a 150-checks-per-year defenseman like Jake Muzzin apparently forgot that skill when he came to Toronto, 'cause "The whole team is a bunch of wimps" ain't a good one.

I really don't understand how anyone can argue that Babcock likes rough and tumble players when it's so obvious that he doesn't. He really doesn't..like at all. When Muzzin came over he was pounding people for a couple of weeks...then it started to dry up slowly until it is now completely anomalous for him to lay a bit hit. Why is that? did he forget how to do it or was he told there was no value in it? Why did he take slap shots from the point in his first couple of weeks and then stop completely while replacing that clapper with a weak wrist shot from the point. Think about it....he doesn't like it for some reason and he is inflicting his passion of robot hockey on his players.

His favorite player is Hyman...led the league last year in....GETTING HIT...that's right..he loves him some Hyman because he takes a licking and keeps on ticking..very rarely if ever retaliating against those hits. That my friendo is what Babcock likes.

 

[dimi78]

Making it about the team first rather yourself is probably better for optics since he's already seen as an egomaniac that can only make things about himself and incapable of change because that's how it's always worked.

What do I know though. I don't think anyone was questioning his self confidence.

The question he answered wasn't about the team. It was specific to himself. What I found most interesting about what he said is what's been left out like " I'm at a perfect spot in my life my kids are all grown and if they weren't I wouldn't have signed here"

 

[Havoc]

I don't get why people feel that Matthews etc willl be better if they played 22 minutes over 19-20. blaming that on Babcock to me is just being a bit silly personally.

It's not about just adding 3 minutes blindly.

3 minutes is a big deal within context. Those minutes are scattered to all kinds of situation, momentum swings etc.