Tavares head to head against Bergeron - 1 goal in 6 games

Bergeron is the best overall player in the NHL. he does that

Also Tavares has 26 points in 30 playoff games.
- senstroll

Tavares was 3rd in goals this year with 47.

He should have more than 1 in 6 games.

And I get the argument, it's Bergeron but Tavares is a former 1st overall, exceptional player himself in his prime "living his boyhood dream". He's gotta win that battle. That's why he earns 11 AAV.

He needs a big game 7. This is literally why they signed him.

Leafs have outplayed Boston IMO for the most part, outside of of a few 5-10 mins and of course the PK. To me, the Leafs are being out-coached. Cassidy saw issues with his offence from the big line, makes an adjustment and it pays dividends. Babs sees his PK losing games form him and does.... Nothing. Hymen taking draws, Bruins in their end for almost the full 2 minutes. How do you not make adjustments with that terrible of a PK?

I think you would see Shanahan fire Dubas before Dubas fired Babcock... just guessing.

- BorjeFan4Ever

Short of winning the cup or a complete special teams turnaround, the assistants will be replaced by next year. Babcock survives and get's one more crack next playoffs. PK/PP have severely underperformed so far.

Mike Augello: Leafs come up short with chance to clinch; Will history repeat in Game 7?
- mikeinbuffalo

Let's hope lifting the cup will ease the pain of not lifting the Norris for him
- floater_willy

im sorry but ive seen how this movie ends pre and post salary cap era🤦‍♂️

loafs get crushed 6-2 tomorrow and everyone starting with greedy willi and dubass gets a pass because we’re still rebuilding and developing players the right way so we have to be patient 😭

rielly is soft as slime and dubass should’ve traded greedy melander and garbegener for a shutdown grown man to compliment him 🤦‍♂️

he should be in the running for the norris 🤦‍♂️

meanwhile we’re all going to work for a relative pittance and being patient for some playoff success while these bureaucrats come and go making billions off of you and splitting the loot😭

what a (frank)ing joke 🤦‍♂️

edit: nice alliteration 👍

I have no doubt that Marleau is integral to the team's psyche, but he can not play the minutes Babschlongus is throwing him. They need to be reduced.
- BetterCallSaul

Moore has shown more (pun?) this series and would be a better fit for Nylander. Guy is a mini me of Hyman. Put Marleau on the 4th line and 2nd PP unit in front of the net. He should not be playing more than 5 mins a game.

I think you would see Shanahan fire Dubas before Dubas fired Babcock... just guessing.

There's been at least 7-10 instances where they have flashed to the private box where those guys are watching the game. Shanahan always looks serious, Dubas always looks like he's playing online Bingo.


- BorjeFan4Ever

Gonna disagree there totally. Dubas didn't hire the coach or staff there. Shanny and Dubas seem to be on the same page. Babs in his statements has already indicated he isn't on board and on the same page with Dubas and likely might take time if it happens. His own words there in prior interview over the whole rift reporting.

I think more likely is yes Dubas MIGHT remove Babs IF and only IF it seems that rift and not being on the same page is going to continue and affect things.

Other aspect I wonder about and would keep watch on is the usage and ice time of players. IF again there are star players in our core that are not happy (think Matthews last year making comments on his use and ice time) well like the line in the movie The Replacements... you went head to head with a million dollar player, who did you think was going to win?!

Honestly it is all a big question mark and am sure more for the offseason, and post playoff discussions. Just wait for it the talking heads and media will all be all over it soon enough.

For now though meh, Babs and his staff are there and none of them are going anywhere so lets just hope we show up for Game 7 and win the sucker!

Gonna disagree there totally. Dubas didn't hire the coach or staff there. Shanny and Dubas seem to be on the same page. Babs in his statements has already indicated he isn't on board and on the same page with Dubas and likely might take time if it happens. His own words there in prior interview over the whole rift reporting.

I think more likely is yes Dubas MIGHT remove Babs IF and only IF it seems that rift and not being on the same page is going to continue and affect things.

Other aspect I wonder about and would keep watch on is the usage and ice time of players. IF again there are star players in our core that are not happy (think Matthews last year making comments on his use and ice time) well like the line in the movie The Replacements... you went head to head with a million dollar player, who did you think was going to win?!

Honestly it is all a big question mark and am sure more for the offseason, and post playoff discussions. Just wait for it the talking heads and media will all be all over it soon enough.

For now though meh, Babs and his staff are there and none of them are going anywhere so lets just hope we show up for Game 7 and win the sucker!
- Roadrunner75

Can anybody name a suitable replacement and proven improvement over Babcock?

I can't think of one.

Quenneville was available for a short period of time but as of today, there's nobody else out there.

They should fire all the assistants but until a candidate who is an actual improvement presents themselves, Babcock should stay as head coach.

Leafs have outplayed Boston IMO for the most part, outside of of a few 5-10 mins and of course the PK. To me, the Leafs are being out-coached. Cassidy saw issues with his offence from the big line, makes an adjustment and it pays dividends. Babs sees his PK losing games form him and does.... Nothing. Hymen taking draws, Bruins in their end for almost the full 2 minutes. How do you not make adjustments with that terrible of a PK?
- aminnes

What Babcock should do is have Tavares for the defensive zone faceoff.. If he wins it, then dump the puck down the ice and then he goes to the bench and Marner comes on.
Start the PK with Tavares and Hyman. Having a winger constantly line up in the faceoff circle against Bergeron is not in our favour.

What Babcock should do is have Tavares for the defensive zone faceoff.. If he wins it, then dump the puck down the ice and then he goes to the bench and Marner comes on.
Start the PK with Tavares and Hyman. Having a winger constantly line up in the faceoff circle against Bergeron is not in our favour.
- PatC80

The Leafs were a good face-off team for most of the year but they're getting killed in the face-off dot now.

The only guys 50% or better are Marleau, Nylander and Matthews and two of those guys aren't taking face-offs against Bergeron.

Maybe Matthews should be taking those PK face-offs. Gives him more ice-time, he's a better skater and could even score a SH goal.

Hyman is 5 for 21 on the PK. Completely idiotic to have him taking FOs at this point.

They definitely need a better 4th line center who can handle these defensive responsibilities next year.

What Babcock should do is have Tavares for the defensive zone faceoff.. If he wins it, then dump the puck down the ice and then he goes to the bench and Marner comes on.
Start the PK with Tavares and Hyman. Having a winger constantly line up in the faceoff circle against Bergeron is not in our favour.
- PatC80

Hyman isn’t horrible on face offs. 48% on the season.

Bergeron is a beast on FO. You aren’t winning many against him. So fix what has been going wrong after that.

While I do think it would help having JT win the face off it isn’t the real problem here.

It’s been the coverage. Let’s hope they figure it out for game 7...or just don’t take any penalties.

What Babcock should do is have Tavares for the defensive zone faceoff.. If he wins it, then dump the puck down the ice and then he goes to the bench and Marner comes on.
Start the PK with Tavares and Hyman. Having a winger constantly line up in the faceoff circle against Bergeron is not in our favour.
- PatC80

agreed

Hyman isn’t horrible on face offs. 48% on the season.

Bergeron is a beast on FO. You aren’t winning many against him. So fix what has been going wrong after that.

While I do think it would help having JT win the face off it isn’t the real problem here.

It’s been the coverage. Let’s hope they figure it out for game 7...or just don’t take any penalties.
- Santo_44

23% in the playoffs.

Yes he is horrible.

Can anybody name a suitable replacement and proven improvement over Babcock?

I can't think of one.

Quenneville was available for a short period of time but as of today, there's nobody else out there.

They should fire all the assistants but until a candidate who is an actual improvement presents themselves, Babcock should stay as head coach.
- JohnFergusonJr

I am not debating anyone on this board but do you think the Leafs would be this good if it weren't partly because of Babcock?

23% in the playoffs.

Yes he is horrible.
- JohnFergusonJr

20 face offs dude.

I don’t care if you want to use small sample sizes.

But I’ll choose the 250 faceoff sample size thank you very much.

I am not debating anyone on this board but do you think the Leafs would be this good if it weren't partly because of Babcock?
- sabreadvocate1

You chose the wrong guy to ask questions to

Fire DJ Smith too.
- Steven_Seagull

he's staying

20 face offs dude.

I don’t care if you want to use a small sample sizes.

But I’ll choose the 250 faceoff sample size thank you very much.
- Santo_44

Below 50% is usually bad.

23% in a playoff series is horrible.

There's a reason he's a winger.

But of course you would.

20 face offs dude.

I don’t care if you want to use a small sample sizes.

But I’ll choose the 250 faceoff sample size thank you very much.
- Santo_44

i tend to agree on the sample sizes comment.
but bergeron is much better of a faceoff man than hyman - so he has a point that a change should be made.

the pk's issue is not the faceoff alone though - it's the fact that it's much too static (no agressiveness, no movement at all).

I am not debating anyone on this board but do you think the Leafs would be this good if it weren't partly because of Babcock?
- sabreadvocate1

He's a good coach who makes some questionable decisions rooted in his preferences (vets over young guys, work ethic over skill, etc).

I am not debating anyone on this board but do you think the Leafs would be this good if it weren't partly because of Babcock?
- sabreadvocate1

He is most definitely a big reason why the Leafs are where they are now. But he's also a little over-rated too.

He's won with stacked teams but with teams that are less than perfect, he doesn't have the winning results.

That being said, there's nobody out there better available at the moment so they'll have to keep him for now and replace his assistants to see if that improves their results before they fire him.

i tend to agree on the sample sizes comment.
but bergeron is much better of a faceoff man than hyman - so he has a point that a change should be made.

the pk's issue is not the faceoff alone though - it's the fact that it's much too static (no agressiveness, no movement at all).
- MaximusAurelius

Losing the face-off is a huge reason why the PK has sucked. If the team on the PP has possession of the puck in the O-zone from the very beginning, it's really only a matter of time before it's in the back of the net.

The fact that the Leafs are even in a 7th game with how bad their PK is right now is actually quite astounding. The only worse team was swept. Losing a playoff series because you can't kill penalties and that literally being the reason is an awful reason. What have they been working on all year? Why wasn't this dealt with and changes made? Terrible way to lose.

If they win despite this it speaks to how talented many of these guys are....

I am not debating anyone on this board but do you think the Leafs would be this good if it weren't partly because of Babcock?
- sabreadvocate1

No. He’s gotten everything out of these guys. Brought the young guys along at the right pace. They’re still not there yet when it comes to their defence but there will be some tweaks done in the off season.

He's a good coach who makes some questionable decisions rooted in his preferences (vets over young guys, work ethic over skill, etc).
- markmark

which younger players haven't had a real chance from babcock?

maybe a bit more of moore over marleau, but that's it?

Losing the face-off is a huge reason why the PK has sucked. If the team on the PP has possession of the puck in the O-zone from the very beginning, it's really only a matter of time before it's in the back of the net.
- JohnFergusonJr

precisely... I don't know why this is difficult to understand.

regardless of our opinion... what they are doing is not working often enough.... so perhaps try Matthews or Tavares for at least the face-off portion of the PK... Hyman(god bless him no one works harder) is getting killed in the faceoff circle.

maybe use Moore to spell Marner a bit as well... he's super quick and Marner looks tired.