Mike Augello: Babcock sounds off on team depth; Leafs vs. Preds

Babschlong didn't get what he wanted... Boy wonder has been put on notice...

Interesting opinion from Babcock. Sounds like a coach who cares. Dubas hasn't made a bad trade yet. He's being very careful, and considering every move. That said, he also made a mistake and should have traded Nylander as soon as it became clear he wasn't willing to sign.

Mike Augello: Babcock sounds off on team depth; Leafs vs. Preds
- mikeinbuffalo

This is just Mike trying to take media focus off the players themselves and putting it on himself.

Interesting opinion from Babcock. Sounds like a coach who cares. Dubas hasn't made a bad trade yet. He's being very careful, and considering every move. That said, he also made a mistake and should have traded Nylander as soon as it became clear he wasn't willing to sign.
- Falon

Nylander did sign...

Interesting opinion from Babcock. Sounds like a coach who cares. Dubas hasn't made a bad trade yet. He's being very careful, and considering every move. That said, he also made a mistake and should have traded Nylander as soon as it became clear he wasn't willing to sign.
- Falon

Nylander hasn't been the problem. Fact is that Matthews is really bad/ineffective when he's not really good.

The bottom 2dmen are weak ATM. If we thinking of today then yeah it's an issue but with Carolina playing so well d men just aren't available on the market. The one exception being Montour, who we could have acquired for a decent price.

The understanding is that lilly and sandin could be our third pair next year and while they're both good this is still somewhat of a rebuild.

We're the same team as last year but with Tavares so it'll really come down to beating Boston to gauge where we are.

Babcock getting fired.

Babcock getting fired.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

He'll get another year at it. After that he's gone if no progress

I hope this amber alert goes well.

AMBER ALERT!!!!!!!!!

AMBER ALERT!!!!!!!!!
- Arctic_AARDVARK

I actually pinched a poop in half.

I actually pinched a poop in half.
- Drapz

I actually pinched a poop in half.
- Drapz

Those things always make me jump out of my skin. I never read them, I can't get rid of the sound quick enough.

Those things always make me jump out of my skin. I never read them, I can't get rid of the sound quick enough.
- TrashPanda

Make me jump more than any horror movie does these days lol

Hopefully this one ends better than the last one

Make me jump more than any horror movie does these days lol

Hopefully this one ends better than the last one
- LeafGuy89

Me too. I thought North Korea was nuking us.

Yeah let’s hope.

Me too. I thought North Korea was nuking us.

Yeah let’s hope.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

yes

yes
- daeth

They just played it again on tsn 1050.

I hope they find her.

The only place they are short on depth right now is d, and noone ever told babs to keep rolling out marincin as one of the six d, and using hainsey as a top pairing dman...or cutting muzzins ice time from the 22 to 24 min that he used to get in la as their top pairing d. Depth isn't the issue...his stubbornness is.

- 21peter

Dubas didn't hire Babcock so their relationship will always be one of compromise.

That being said, a lot of Cup winning teams have fired their coaches relatively before they won the Cup.

Going back to Anaheim, even Babcock himself was fired and Carlyle took over to win the Cup. As did Detroit when they hired Babcock after they fired Dave Lewis.

Pittsburgh fired Therrien and replaced him with Bylsma, won a Cup, fired Bylsma and won two Cups with Mike Sullivan (after Johnston). Won Cups in the same season they replaced the coach.

Chicago fired Savard and replaced him with Quenneville, won a Cup a year later, two more after that.

Los Angeles fired Murray and replaced him with Sutter, won two Cups, the first in the season he was hired.

In many of these cases, the (young) core players were mostly the same but the coaching change seems to have a role to play in putting the team over the top. I'm not saying they'll win a Cup just because they fire and replace Babcock. I'm just saying it seems like a pattern that's worked before and maybe Babcock's style was good to get this young team on the right track and maybe it's time for somebody else to finish the job.

Some people have compared the Leafs to the Blackhawks. If that's true, the Leafs certainly have the money and the opportunity to fire (and pay) Babcock and hire Quenneville, who is available and probably looking for a new job.

Dubas didn't hire Babcock so their relationship will always be one of compromise.

That being said, a lot of Cup winning teams have fired their coaches relatively before they won the Cup.

Going back to Anaheim, even Babcock himself was fired and Carlyle took over to win the Cup. As did Detroit when they hired Babcock after they fired Dave Lewis.

Pittsburgh fired Therrien and replaced him with Bylsma, won a Cup, fired Bylsma and won two Cups with Mike Sullivan. Won Cups in the same season they replaced the coach.

Chicago fired Savard and replaced him with Quenneville, won a Cup a year later, two more after that.

Los Angeles fired Murray and replaced him with Sutter, won two Cups, the first in the season he was hired.

In many of these cases, the (young) core players were mostly the same but the coaching change seems to have a role to play in putting the team over the top. I'm not saying they'll win a Cup just because they fire and replace Babcock. I'm just saying it seems like a pattern that's worked before and maybe Babcock's style was good to get this young team on the right track and maybe it's time for somebody else to finish the job.

Some people have compared the Leafs to the Blackhawks. If that's true, the Leafs certainly have the money and the opportunity to fire (and pay) Babcock and hire Quenneville, who is available and probably looking for a new job.
- JohnFergusonJr

All true but think it will come down to just how big of a rift and difference of opinion there is between coach and GM, AND if he has lost standing at all with the players. A lot of intresting possible issues and not a lot of answers to be found. This is going to be an offseason thing really, and may be something or absolutely utterly nothing. Nobody will know either way till something happens in the summer.

Man, remember when John Tortorella won a cup with a team that had Nikolai Khabibulin in nets?

All true but think it will come down to just how big of a rift and difference of opinion there is between coach and GM, AND if he has lost standing at all with the players. A lot of intresting possible issues and not a lot of answers to be found. This is going to be an offseason thing really, and may be something or absolutely utterly nothing. Nobody will know either way till something happens in the summer.
- Roadrunner75

The line-up certainly isn't perfect nor in their prime yet but they also shouldn't be afraid to make a change behind the bench as well as on the ice is what I'm saying.

Babcock certainly has a tremendous resume but he's not the only capable coach out there. Sometimes it's not the message, it's the messenger. Sometimes it's the message, not the messenger. Changing the coach could change both.

Nylander did sign...
- Steven_Seagull

Yeah barely....but he wasn't Willyng to