I thought you were a fan of Peter Holland
- PatC80

The Habs did acquire him at some point I believe.

Don't think he ever played a game though.

The Habs did acquire him at some point I believe.

Don't think he ever played a game though.
- Scabeh

No, but he was fire for the Laval Rocket

No salary cap for AHL and big big financial advantages over other teams does a lot.
It's really that big of an accomplishment (and let's see whether these marlies players will indeed come through consistently)
- MaximusAurelius

Yeah that’s why every other leaf GM has been able to do it.

So easy.

(frank) you are a piece of work

It wasn't that big of a miracle with Andersen in net and a bunch of young top draft picks who scored a bunch of goals.

The facts don't lie; coaches have a shelf life. Babcock is running out of time.

He's a good coach but he's not getting it done unless he proves otherwise with some playoff success. But at this rate, being a wild card team might be a success.
- JohnFergusonJr

boston
washington
boston

cup
cup
semi's if I recall - its not like the leafs were playing against bad teams round 1.

and we've seen a number of teams poop the bed with top draft picks for years on end, take a look at Edmonton, perfect example and they have/had a LOT MORE top picks than the leafs.

boston
washington
boston

cup
cup
semi's if I recall - its not like the leafs were playing against bad teams round 1.

and we've seen a number of teams poop the bed with top draft picks for years on end, take a look at Edmonton, perfect example and they have/had a LOT MORE top picks than the leafs.
- Lucas.Neilson

It doesn't really matter if they were playing good teams in the playoffs because that's who they have to beat to win a Cup. Have people forgotten what it means to win a Cup? You have to beat the best teams. End of story. If the Leafs can't get out of the 1st round, regardless of who it is, they'll never win jack poop.

The first time they made the playoffs, yeah, it's understandable that they lost. But the 2nd time? 3rd? 4th? No improvement means changes have to be made to the coach as well as the players.

Edmonton went to the 2nd round one year. Why? Goaltending. The difference for the Leafs the 1st year they made the playoffs? Andersen. If it wasn't for Andersen and they still had some sieve in net, they'd still be missing the playoffs and Babcock would have been fired a long time ago.

It doesn't really matter if they were playing good teams in the playoffs because that's who they have to beat to win a Cup. Have people forgotten what it means to win a Cup? You have to beat the best teams. End of story. If the Leafs can't get out of the 1st round, regardless of who it is, they'll never win jack poop.

The first time they made the playoffs, yeah, it's understandable that they lost. But the 2nd time? 3rd? 4th? No improvement means changes have to be made to the coach as well as the players.

Edmonton went to the 2nd round one year. Why? Goaltending. The difference for the Leafs the 1st year they made the playoffs? Andersen. If it wasn't for Andersen and they still had some sieve in net, they'd still be missing the playoffs and Babcock would have been fired a long time ago.
- JohnFergusonJr

Unless you're already one of the best teams, then you can sometimes get a decent path.

Unless you're already one of the best teams, then you can sometimes get a decent path.
- BINGO!

Didn't work for Tampa bay

Unless you're already one of the best teams, then you can sometimes get a decent path.
- BINGO!

That's the reward for being a great team in the season.

You might avoid a bad match-up, maybe two if you're really, really lucky but eventually, you gotta play a top team. And then another in the Final.

The fact that the Leafs are still struggling with the 1st round shows no improvement. And Babcock might be a great coach but truly great coaches have to adapt. If he doesn't have the right players to play his style, he's gotta make a change or get replaced just the same way Dubas has to patch the holes in the lineup or he can get poop canned too.

Everybody has to be accountable. They can't have the same results every year and watch their window of opportunity dwindle to nothing.

Didn't work for Tampa bay
- PatC80

Yep. Hence why I said "Sometimes" lol

Didn't work for Tampa bay
- PatC80

If Tampa Bay does that for 10 years in a row, the odds are they make the final four, make the final and win a Cup at least 1 time each.

It's not a guarantee but it's a better starting position than any other position out there.

That's the reward for being a great team in the season.

You might avoid a bad match-up, maybe two if you're really, really lucky but eventually, you gotta play a top team. And then another in the Final.

The fact that the Leafs are still struggling with the 1st round shows no improvement. And Babcock might be a great coach but truly great coaches have to adapt. If he doesn't have the right players to play his style, he's gotta make a change or get replaced just the same way Dubas has to patch the holes in the lineup or he can get poop canned too.

Everybody has to be accountable. They can't have the same results every year and watch their window of opportunity dwindle to nothing.
- JohnFergusonJr

this was a team that wasn't suppose to make the playoffs the first 2-3 years of babcock's contract; so i think he gets a little slack not getting out of the first round.

experience counts in the playoffs. now they have some. they can't lose again in the 1st round.

this was a team that wasn't suppose to make the playoffs the first 2-3 years of babcock's contract; so i think he gets a little slack not getting out of the first round.

experience counts in the playoffs. now they have some. they can't lose again in the 1st round.
- Tumbleweed

He missed the playoffs in the 1st year.

They got him a very good goalie and he made the playoffs.

He also had a bunch of top picks, all of which performed almost immediately.

He deserves some credit but it's not like he pulled off a miracle like he did with the Ducks. And even that, Giguere played out of his mind that year.

If you look at what he did in Detroit, he went out in the 1st round, went out in the 3rd round and then won a Cup. That's year to year improvement with eventual success. That's not what's happening here if he loses in the 1st round again. He has to show some kind of improvement.

He missed the playoffs in the 1st year.

They got him a very good goalie and he made the playoffs.

He also had a bunch of top picks, all of which performed almost immediately.

He deserves some credit but it's not like he pulled off a miracle like he did with the Ducks. And even that, Giguere played out of his mind that year.

If you look at what he did in Detroit, he went out in the 1st round, went out in the 3rd round and then won a Cup. That's year to year improvement with eventual success. That's not what's happening here if he loses in the 1st round again. He has to show some kind of improvement.
- JohnFergusonJr

agreed, i think.

If you guys think the trolls are bad now...wait till the 18 wheeler shows up
- BestRapperAlive

We deserve it with some of our fans “guaranteeing things”

It wasn't that big of a miracle with Andersen in net and a bunch of young top draft picks who scored a bunch of goals.

The facts don't lie; coaches have a shelf life. Babcock is running out of time.

He's a good coach but he's not getting it done unless he proves otherwise with some playoff success. But at this rate, being a wild card team might be a success.
- JohnFergusonJr

So is this season done?

new blog everyone

If Tampa Bay does that for 10 years in a row, the odds are they make the final four, make the final and win a Cup at least 1 time each.

It's not a guarantee but it's a better starting position than any other position out there.
- JohnFergusonJr

Math and stats seldom fails; except in sports...

Those were the days.
- Scabeh

february 9th , 2013

for sure they need to play more team oriented. both ends of the ice.

again, what I'm getting at is ovechkin didn't change anything.
- Lucas.Neilson

Do you watch hockey?

Do you watch hockey?
- Cptmjl

no

no
- Lucas.Neilson

Ok then your position on Ovechkin’s game evolving or not over the years makes perfect sense.

Ok then your position on Ovechkin’s game evolving or not over the years makes perfect sense.
- Cptmjl

I'm glad you have it all figured out now

Ok then your position on Ovechkin’s game evolving or not over the years makes perfect sense.
- Cptmjl

you can make very educated judgments from watching sports center. Highlights, well highlight everything about a team and players game.

you can make very educated judgments from watching sports center. Highlights, well highlight everything about a team and players game.
- munky123

That’s quite an assumption.

I'm glad you have it all figured out now
- Lucas.Neilson

I have to wonder like anyone else who has watched Ovechkin over the years if you’ve watched him play over his career. He’s not the same player he was even four seasons ago. You’re just salty because he gave an obvious, honest, observation of the Leafs. It’s embarrassingly obvious. I honestly can’t stand the guy but he’s not one dimensional and hasn’t been for a pretty long time now. It’s not even an opinion based thing that’s why this is a gong show blog.