Mike Babcock shocked the hockey world on Wednesday when he elected to sign with the Maple Leafs when all signs pointed to him heading to Buffalo or remaining in Detroit.
In this post hotstove members share their thoughts on the move and whether they agree or disagree with Babcock's decision.
Todd Cordell You could make a good case he should have went to Buffalo, but I think Toronto was a fine choice, too.
First and foremost the Maple Leafs aren't a complete lost cause. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of work to be done. That said, they do have some key pieces in place that they can either a) keep moving forward or; b) move for quality assets that can help speed up the rebuild.
For all the talk about Phil Kessel's conditioning and lack of leadership (or whatever people complain about) he's one of the most prolific scorers in hockey and his numbers back that up.
Nazem Kadri is a very good young player. Morgan Rielly is a very good young player. James van Reimsdyk isn't very good defensively but there's no denying his scoring ability.
The Leafs also have a decent prospect system (headlined by William Nylander, who is going to be a stud), two first round picks in this year's draft - including the 4th overall pick - and a very bright management team filled with young, up and coming forward-minded thinkers.
And then there is the money. Sure he had a good thing in Detroit, but after 10 years his message was probably starting to wear thin, and he is getting three more years and $30 million(!) more to come to Toronto.
That's impossible to pass up.
If you like the management team in place, have say in personnel decisions going forward and are being compensated like an elite player it makes a lot of sense to jump on board.
That's what Babcock did, and I can't blame him for it.
Matt Henderson I will never blame a guy for taking the money. I wouldn't turn down that kind of money so why should I expect anyone else to do it? That said, I will say that going to Toronto is 100% about the money. There is no reason to go to the Leafs that involves hockey. Sure, he knows Shanahan and there's a relationship there, but who is going to play for him? Nobody. He complained that the Wings didn't have the high end pieces to replace their aging core. Meanwhile the Leafs are on the verge of tearing the whole thing down. That's no short term commitment to losing. That's several years of losing.
One last thought, it's about time someone pushes the price for coaches up. The fact that the highest paid coach before this Babcock contract was only making 2.75M is atrocious. Compared to the other major North American sports the NHL is stuck in the mid 90's as far as compensation for coaches goes. There aren't many people who can run an NHL bench like the elite coaches (Babcock being one of them) and there is no reason to pay them, less than a 3rd pairing Defenseman. Relative to the players they coach they are grossly underpaid. If the Babcock deal means others make even just a little bit more then that's fantastic.
Tim Chiasson Agree.
There is no bigger challenge than putting the Leafs on the path to a Stanley Cup, so for anyone with even a little ego it's an interesting thought. When you throw in 50 million dollars it's impossible to turn down.
Sure, he reportedly got near the same money in Buffalo but, really, what's a better market to turn around? What will make you more famous? Increase your legend status? Certainly not Buffalo.
The only catch is the Leafs are still going to lose for a few years, so he has to be prepared for that. His biggest asset will be perception over the next few seasons - a positive image that may start to attract players to Toronto. This is a great move for Babcock and the Leafs as long as they stick to the rebuild plan and don't try to expedite the process.
The only people that will hate this situation are people who like to make fun of Toronto, because those days are coming to an end. Mike Babcock brings hope, credibility and extreme talent to a suffering franchise.
Ed Stein If I were him I wouldn't do it. I am not, however Mike Babcock.
Here is my breakdown. Coaching the Leafs is like managing the Yankees or coaching the Cowboys. No matter what your team's talent level is, the fan base expects you to win and win now. They will not be patient through a rebuild because they expect you to spend everything you have and then some to put out a winner. Additionally, because those teams as well as the Maple Leafs have such rabid fans who will pay a big premium for seats and TV; not to mention the sponsors that spend millions to be associated with said team will not put up for extend periods of a losing product. Very few people have the makeup to handle that kind of pressure as the man in charge.
If you can win in that kind of crazy environment, you are a hero. The question is, Is it worth it?
In my opinion, the way this organization has been run in recent years, the answer is no. It isn't worth it for someone with Mike Babcock's history to take the job.
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