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

[CelticDruid]

"All Speed and skill with no will' said no GM ever.

Oops, I lied.

 

[MisterT]

View attachment 278513

Wow. It shocks me how out of touch some posters are. Accept the lip service and enjoy it when we give Carolina a lottery pick.

 

[MSZ]

Wow. It shocks me how out of touch some posters are. Accept the lip service and enjoy it when we give Carolina a lottery pick.

I actually don't worry about the pick all that much, at this rate the Leafs are going to keep that pick as it's top ten protected.

 

[OVO16]

Sheldon Keefe sounds like a coach who doesnt tolerate soft teams. Clune said he has just the same amount of intensity as the players does.

So yeah, this is the move to make.

 

[Faltorvo]

Wow. It shocks me how out of touch some posters are. Accept the lip service and enjoy it when we give Carolina a lottery pick.

a lottery pick?

 

[Polaris1010]

You have to start with the coach. I think most everyone can agree on that.
Then the players and the GM.

The GM is the real problem here and not the coach.

All we got to do is look at the third line they iced tonight. WTF is the only proper reaction.

That's the best they can do?

 

[Warden of the North]

I said prior to tonights game that Monday was the day.

Sticking by that

 

[Faltorvo]

Sheldon Keefe sounds like a coach who doesnt tolerate soft teams. Clune said he has just the same amount of intensity as the players does.

So yeah, this is the move to make.

bahaha not with this soft entitled roster

 

[OVO16]

bahaha not with this entitled roster

Yeah true

 

[DarkKnight]

We’ve really turned a corner without lazy selfish Marner. So many points...

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Wow. It shocks me how out of touch some posters are. Accept the lip service and enjoy it when we give Carolina a lottery pick.

speaking of out of touch, that can't happen because the pick is protected

 

[Leafsfan74]

The sooner Babcock goes, the sooner Dubas goes! Dubas assembled a roster of wimps, and overpaid his players that he can't even get a proper back-up.

Well, certainly Dubas wouldn't be far behind. This isn't a knock on him, but when I first saw him and his age I was surprised. Though I would be impressed if he were the smart, wheeler and dealer who has his pulse on the team. If he was the best guy for the job according to Shanny and others, they have to go with it regardless of age.

His biggest mistake was not trading Nyander when he sat out rather than keeping him in hopes it works out well. You trade him for what you need. A need they never have addressed, though he has tried. A vital piece on the back end. You also send a message, and you have to mean it "if you sit out and try to squeeze us, we will remind you that you have no leverage".

He could then get Marner and Matthews for less. How much less is debatable, but the Nylander contract just gave their camps a comparison that was well leveraged.

You need cash to add depth and build a team. They had four lines rolling at one point, it's been replaced with cheap, young, unproven talent at the bottom of their lineup. You need real defensemen, at least a very competent four. The overpaying has tied his hands.

I would actually not be surprised if he considers making a bit of a splash. Move Kapanan or Johnsson. Do something to inject some energy. Bring in some men. It's amazing how a couple of short contracts takes away all of your GM and organization moves really fast in a Cap era. You have to get creative.

I do think they will (or can) turn it around, but the patience of fans, the sheer inconsistency and even lack of desperation on the ice is real.

 

[Faltorvo]

Yeah true

look at that marlies roster

it has everything

size/skill/grit/balance

 

[ULF_55]

Here is the conundrum ... coaches get too much blame for losses and too much credit for wins.

So is a coach really important.

They don't make dumb decisions on the ice.
They don't make mistakes on the ice.
They don't screw up on the ice.

additionally,

They don't make good decisions on the ice.
They don't make good plays on the ice.
They aren't making any impact on the ice.

Regardless, it points to firing a coach isn't a bad choice if they don't make an impact on the ice.

 

[stickty111]

 

[OVO16]

look at that marlies roster

it has everything

size/skill/grit/balance

Yeah the main roster has no flexibility for change.

At the very least, Keefe could come in and maybe change the mentality/mindset of the team that we have to play a much more different style than we're doing.

But obviosuly I'm not gonna putting much money on that happening.

 

[indigobuffalo]

I don't even care if it's his fault at this point. I think he's a huge problem. But even if he's not, something has to change, and until a coaching change happens to see if that's the issue whatever the problem is won't be fixed.

This is perfectly worded.

Even if it isn’t the issue fans want a coaching change just because maybe it is the issue...

I betcha the fans on the Blues forum who were convinced that either Armstrong or Berube needed to be fired because that would help pinpoint the issue are still campaigning for their firings...

No, probably not. If the Leafs finish this season at a .850 clip then go on to win the Cup everyone here will be convinced they knew all along Babcock and Dubas were the best and brightest.

 

[Trapper]

The GM is the real problem here and not the coach.

All we got to do is look at the third line they iced tonight. WTF is the only proper reaction.

That's the best they can do?

Some people think the coach, some think the GM and some think the collection of players. Some think all together.

Regardless, there is always a chain of events. Before you can get to the next level, you have to start at the first.

That would be the coach. Then you can check that problem off the list. Next level.

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

look at that marlies roster

it has everything

size/skill/grit/balance

Then Keefe would be in for a rude awakening when he works with this group of snowflakes.

wait - that’s actually too much credit, these guys aren’t triggered by ANYTHING.

 

[MattySnipes]

Half the Leafs' were coached by Keefe. Keefe has done almost nothing but win for years. From all accounts the players all love him and respect him. Rich Clune said, earlier today, that he would go through the end boards for Keefe.

The whole no NHL experience narrative for Keefe not being worthy of the gig is terrible. How else should he get the experience?

Give him a shot. You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Polaris1010]

Some people think the coach, some think the GM and some think the collection of players. Some think all together.

Regardless, there is always a chain of events. Before you can get to the next level, you have to start at the first.

That would be the coach. Then you can check that problem off the list. Next level.

Well, where I live, I saw the GM get canned before the coach once before.

He deserved it too.

Dubas right now deserves it even more.

Dubas is just a bad General Manager.

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

Yeah the main roster has no flexibility for change.

At the very least, Keefe could come in and maybe change the mentality/mindset of the team that we have to play a much more different style than we're doing.

But obviosuly I'm not gonna putting much money on that happening.

You can’t teach compete or grit. Size doesn’t equal it - we see that night in, night out with AM, Goat, etc. It’s simply innate, no coach will change that. That is the fault of Dubas for building solely around skill

 

[Faltorvo]

Here is the conundrum ... coaches get too much blame for losses and too much credit for wins.

So is a coach really important.

They don't make dumb decisions on the ice.
They don't make mistakes on the ice.
They don't screw up on the ice.

additionally,

They don't make good decisions on the ice.
They don't make good plays on the ice.
They aren't making any impact on the ice.

Regardless, it points to firing a coach isn't a bad choice if they don't make an impact on the ice.

for me it's pretty simple ULF

we just had back to back 100 point seasons with babs and a 95 where we should not have made the POs

and this year,, a 50% roster turn over and now we suck

it all points towards the roster.

 

[Faltorvo]

Then Keefe would be in for a rude awakening when he works with this group of snowflakes.

wait - that’s actually too much credit, these guys aren’t triggered by ANYTHING.

ehhh ,,,,maybe some when they see the escrow claw backs.

 

[MattySnipes]

Jeremy Roenick said it best recently. He said back in his day he was choked out by Keenan because he wouldn't play his way. The team way. When he was choked out he finally realized he has to change the way he approaches games.

He said nowadays if a coach does that, he'd be arrested. He says nowadays the NHL coach has to work with the player throughout.