Was Mike Babcock right all along about this Leafs core?

[EdJovanovski]

The ‘cock was right.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

The ‘cock was right.

I remember when they made a Detroit roster image where all the players' names were mashed up with "Babcock".

Babtin Abdelcock. Babrik Zettercock. Babel Datscock. Etc. It was funny.

 

[Some Other Flame]

Wasn't the whole point of the babs was to take underperforming rosters to the next level? Sounds like he was just another overrated dinosaur that rode the coattails of stacked rosters to success but was otherwise generally mired in disappointment

 

[Reality Czech]

Babcock was and still is a dinosaur. His time has passed.

Even dinosaurs are right about some things

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Livia Soprano is no joke

 

[Rodgerwilco]

The idea that Babcock was somehow vindicated in his insane toxic behavior because the Leafs did the same thing they’ve always done for decades now “gives me the ick” as the kids would say.

 

[TageGod]

Marner had 13 points in 13 games and is being scapegoated. Yes, the core can't get it done, but that is sports. Toronto scapegoats a different core player every year. Marner pissed fans off by blocking a trade so he is naturally the one taking the heat this year. Matthews is the real choker on that team.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Wasn't the whole point of the babs was to take underperforming rosters to the next level? Sounds like he was just another overrated dinosaur that rode the coattails of stacked rosters to success but was otherwise generally mired in disappointment

Babcock is a lot like Torts.

If you've assembled a roster that plays his style, you'll go far. If you've got guys in the roster that don't fit his style, he's gonna make them play his style. Some can adjust. Some can't. The ones who can't, he steamrolls.

Doesn't necessarily work out the best for developing players who are offensive minded first. On one hand, I think he stunted the development of a guy like Brendan Smith. On the other hand, I also remember those late 00s Red Wings teams that were nearly impossible to possess the puck against.

 

[Dotter]

The Core Four should’ve been broken up years ago. Instead, upper management lacked the guts to make bold moves, and now they’re staring down the possibility of losing Marner for nothing.

They had the assets and the window to reshape the roster—add grit, add bite, build a team that actually wins in the postseason. But Shanahan and Dubas played it safe, betting on skill and chemistry over physicality and playoff depth.

Now it’s too late. The Leafs already squandered the peak trade value of Marner, Nylander, and even Matthews. This era isn’t built to win a Cup. At this point, it’s not a retool—it’s time to rebuild.

I think Babcock saw the writing on the wall.

 

[DFC]

There's a big difference between being a hard-ass and what Mike Babcock did.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

He was right in his diagnosis...still wrong about what he did. Basically comes down to he is right...but an asshole.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Marner had 13 points in 13 games and is being scapegoated. Yes, the core can't get it done, but that is sports. Toronto scapegoats a different core player every year. Marner pissed fans off by blocking a trade so he is naturally the one taking the heat this year. Matthews is the real choker on that team.

Hilarious how Marner gets roasted for denying a trade when they are all given NMC's by the organisation and it's well within his right lmao are they gonna ask choker king AM34 to wave his NMC?

 

[Ulysses31]

miss that guy, NHL is a better place with him

 

[Curufinwe]

The Leafs made their defense and bottom 6 worse, and got unlucky with a goalie injury.

 

[Djp]

Mike Babcock is an old school hard ass-type coach and the Leafs quit on him in 2019. Sure he's an ass and used questionable methods, but 6 years and multiple EMBARRASSING playoff exits and breakdowns later it looks like the same core players still can't get it done. They are slowly earning the crown as the biggest collection of chokesters in NHL playoffs history.

For all his faults, Babcock knew this Leafs core was rotten to the mushy soft core, and almost a decade later they still haven't matured and grown up. The more time passes, the more it looks like this rotten core was the problem in Toronto.

Did he also say...not my fault it was him

 

[Menzinger]

He was mean to Mitchy, his hard ass methods were tuned out by the team and he was fired shortly after. He was too "tough" for this marshmallow soft core and basically got blackballed from the league as a result.

He has a career comeback set up for him on a silver platter by the hockey media and Columbus, and then proceeded to fumble things so poorly he was fired before the preseason even started

He has nobody but himself to blame for what happened