Fire Babcock

[WordsOfWisdom]

Well, I'm done. Yes it's cliche, but I'm done. 

 

The Leafs are 20th on the power play, 23rd on the penalty kill, and they rank 28th in goals allowed. 

 

I think Mike Babcock can't coach his way out of a wet paper bag. I think his defensive system was Nicklas Lidstrom in Detroit or Team Canada in the Olympics. 

 

There are no more excuses. This is a cap ceiling team that has never had the ability to defend under Mike Babcock.  Not once have the Leafs ever iced a good defensive team in his years here. 

 

This team has a COACHING problem. The personnel (for the most part) is here. This is a structure-less team that looks completely lost on the ice. 

[Hockey-78]

4 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

Well, I'm done. Yes it's cliche, but I'm done. 

 

The Leafs are 20th on the power play, 23rd on the penalty kill, and they rank 28th in goals allowed. 

 

I think Mike Babcock can't coach his way out of a wet paper bag. I think his defensive system was Nicklas Lidstrom in Detroit or Team Canada in the Olympics. 

 

There are no more excuses. This is a cap ceiling team that has never had the ability to defend under Mike Babcock.  Not once have the Leafs ever iced a good defensive team in his years here. 

 

This team has a COACHING problem. The personnel (for the most part) is here. This is a structure-less team that looks completely lost on the ice. 

Good to get that off your chest, huh?!

 

Well, 4th season, low winning %... saw the highlights of the Penguins game. Defensively horrible goals they gave up. So um... yeah, fire him.

[WordsOfWisdom]

9 hours ago, Hockey-78 said:

Good to get that off your chest, huh?!

 

Well, 4th season, low winning %... saw the highlights of the Penguins game. Defensively horrible goals they gave up. So um... yeah, fire him.

 

Yeah. It has been a long time coming. If you look back to last season, the Leafs didn't play well in the final two months of the 2018-19 season either, and that's before the changes they made over the summer. So, the team hasn't played well since about February of last season. 

 

If you look at this season, you can say injuries have been a factor, but the team wasn't playing well with Marner and Tavares in the lineup either, and they managed to get by without Auston Matthews for over a month last season. So, I'm not buying the injury excuse. Every team has injuries, and if anything, the injuries to Tavares and Marner would affect the Leafs offensively, not defensively. They haven't been able to defend all year long. 

 

This team has allowed a goal while penalty killing in every game that I've watched, and always on the first PP given to the opposition. It happened again last night in Pittsburgh. Any PP against Toronto is a guaranteed goal for the opposing team. Then, the Leafs surrendered a goal while ON the PP -- again. Giving up short handed goals is just something that can never happen. 

 

You can't fault the goalie either because Andersen has been solid in goal once again. A bit shaky to start, but then he settled in and has played well since then. 

 

So, it's not the goalie. It's not a lack of scoring. The team has turned over virtually all of its defencemen since Babcock arrived and there has been no improvement to this team. The only reason Toronto has progressed from last place team to playoff team is because of the development of Matthews, Marner, and Rielly, and the addition of Andersen. That's it. The coach hasn't done a d@mn thing to improve this team. My two cents.  

 

Yes, I had to vent.   

[WordsOfWisdom]

But I'm still not joking on the "Fire Babcock" message. 

 

I thought he should have been fired after Toronto's first round playoff loss to Boston last season. People thought I was nuts. I was the first one on the Fire Babcock bandwagon but now it's starting to get a lot more people on it.  

[WordsOfWisdom]

TRAIKOS: With Leafs in danger of missing playoffs, Dubas must fire Babcock

Michael Traikos

Published:November 17, 2019

Updated:November 17, 2019 5:03 PM EST

Filed Under:

• Toronto SUN 
• Sports 
• Hockey 
• Toronto Maple Leafs

 

"Kyle Dubas has a decision to make.

It might be most important decision of his career.

Some might suggest it’s also the easiest.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs out of a playoff spot and on a five-game losing streak, when does the general manager go ahead and fire the head coach? This week? Next week? Next month?

Before the season began, the thinking had been that the Leafs needed to reach the second round of the playoffs — and perhaps beyond — in order for Mike Babcock to keep his job. But with the team heading out west to play the Golden Knights, Coyotes and Avalanche this week, can Dubas even wait until U.S. Thanksgiving?"

 

https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/traikos-with-leafs-in-danger-of-missing-playoffs-dubas-must-fire-babcock

 

 

@AJgoal This time I happened to be first lol.   

[lynxrattle]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/button-on-leafs-you-have-to-consider-a-coaching-change-this-is-a-code-red~1830969

 

Code red, but still... with the player material you have, you should be winning games with Mike Yeo coaching.

[Hockey-78]

7 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

But I'm still not joking on the "Fire Babcock" message. 

 

I thought he should have been fired after Toronto's first round playoff loss to Boston last season. People thought I was nuts. I was the first one on the Fire Babcock bandwagon but now it's starting to get a lot more people on it.  

You thought? I have to say in Babcock's defense that was a very good Boston team you faced and it still is. I definitely wouldn't have fired him for that.

 

But for poor defensive structure, yes.

[J0e Th0rnton]

To be fair, some teams just have rough starts. I was and still kinda am on the "Fire Deboer" bandwagon. he had Karlsson standing on the point and shooting pucks into people's shins for gods sakes.

 

But after a 4-10-1 start in the first 15 games, they suddenly have a 6 game winning streak. Word came out that Deboer had 2 weeks to fix this or he was cooked and suddenly the team won 6 straight. Man getting back Simek to solidify our defensive pairings was incredibly important. Word is the players all love Deboer like crazy.

 

Not sure if that will work with Babcock. He seems to be universally loathed by his players wherever he is

[WordsOfWisdom]

9 hours ago, Hockey-78 said:

You thought? I have to say in Babcock's defense that was a very good Boston team you faced and it still is. I definitely wouldn't have fired him for that.

 

But for poor defensive structure, yes.

 

Definitely. I'd call it no structure whatsoever.

 

It wasn't just that they lost to Boston, it's how they played in the final months of the season and how they lost to Boston. 

[WordsOfWisdom]

53 minutes ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

To be fair, some teams just have rough starts.

 

I think at this point it has to be seen as more than just a bad start. We're nearly 1/3 of the way through the schedule. 

 

54 minutes ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Not sure if that will work with Babcock. He seems to be universally loathed by his players wherever he is

 

Which makes me wonder if the players have quit on him. Maybe he has lost the room at this point.

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

Prediction: This is going to be Babcock's last road trip with the team as head coach.

 

A loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday and he's terminated.

 

[brelic]

1 hour ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

Prediction: This is going to be Babcock's last road trip with the team as head coach.

 

A loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday and he's terminated.

 

 

Two questions for ya.. 

 

1. Who do you *think* will take over?

 

2. Who do you *want* to take over?

 

Could be the same person.

 

The one person you probably *don't* want is Hakstol!
 

[WordsOfWisdom]

54 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

Two questions for ya.. 

 

1. Who do you *think* will take over?

 

2. Who do you *want* to take over?

 

Could be the same person.

 

The one person you probably *don't* want is Hakstol!
 

 

I think one of the assistant coaches (McFarland or Hakstol) will take over for the rest of this season.

 

Here's a wish list of coaches that I wish Toronto could get (should any of them become available):

• Bruce Boudreau
• Peter Laviolette
• Bruce Cassidy
• Barry Trotz
• Joel Quenneville
• Gerard Gallant
• Jon Cooper

 

[Holymakinaw]

LMAO.  Typical (over)reactionary,  Leaf fans.  

 

They lost 5 in a row.........so what?  Watch them win 5 in a row and you same Dummies will be squawking about how we have no weaknesses and how the Cup will be ours.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by J0e Th0rnton
Name calling

[WordsOfWisdom]

38 minutes ago, Holymakinaw said:

LMAO.  Typical (over)reactionary, Dumb-arse Leaf fans.  

 

They lost 5 in a row.........so what?  Watch them win 5 in a row and you same Dummies will be squawking about how we have no weaknesses and how the Cup will be ours.

 

 

 

If you read my other posts pertaining to points percentage, you would know the situation is a lot worse than that.  It's not just a losing streak, it's an entire season of poor play since the first puck drop.

 

Also, it's curious that you referred to Leafs fans as "dumb" when (according to your forum avatar) your favourite team is the Leafs lol.

 

                       ^

      

[Holymakinaw]

Yup, I'm a Leaf fan.

 

But I don't let that stop me from having a brain.  A HUGE number of other Leaf fans are Morons, and I have to read it all the time, if I want to "talk puck".  

 

Sometimes there will be ups......and sometimes there will be downs.

Try not to slit your wrists.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Holymakinaw

[flyercanuck]

11 hours ago, Holymakinaw said:

Yup, I'm a sports fan.

 

But I don't let that stop me from having a brain.  A HUGE number of other sports fans are Morons, and I have to read it all the time, if I want to "talk sports".  

 

Sometimes there will be ups......and sometimes there will be downs.

Try not to slit your wrists.

 

Fixed it for ya.

[Hockey-78]

21 hours ago, brelic said:

1. Who do you *think* will take over?

 

2. Who do you *want* to take over?

 

Though not a Leafs fan, I'll throw in the name of Guy Boucher - a little bit of French connection?

[brelic]

16 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

If you read my other posts pertaining to points percentage, you would know the situation is a lot worse than that.  It's not just a losing streak, it's an entire season of poor play since the first puck drop.

 

This. 

 

Just looking at the Leafs metrics, it is very reminiscent of the Flyers last year around the same point, and a few weeks later, Hakstol was fired. 

 

It's much more than the record - it's all the red flags that surround it. 

 

Out of curiosity, I wonder what the Blues' metrics were around this time last year. Couldn't have been much better, right? 

 

Of course, the Blues won a Cup with ex-Flyer coach Berube, so if history holds, the Leafs will win the Cup with Hakstol at the helm lol.

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

3 hours ago, Hockey-78 said:

Though not a Leafs fan, I'll throw in the name of Guy Boucher - a little bit of French connection?

 

I'd throw in the kitchen sink at this point lol.  Whenever things aren't working, change needs to be made. Babcock hasn't achieved anything impressive in his time in Toronto, and it's time to try someone new. Next on the chopping block will be the GM if Dubas can't (or won't) acquire the necessary mix of players to make this team competitive. 

 

I realize defencemen are difficult to acquire, but it's not that difficult when you have the assets the Leafs have to trade.  

[WordsOfWisdom]

15 hours ago, Holymakinaw said:

Yup, I'm a Leaf fan.

 

But I don't let that stop me from having a brain.  A HUGE number of other Leaf fans are Morons, and I have to read it all the time, if I want to "talk puck".  

 

Well you won't find them here. 

 

15 hours ago, Holymakinaw said:

Sometimes there will be ups......and sometimes there will be downs.

 

The whole season has been a down so far... and the last month or two of last season was a down. The Leafs began trending downward sometime around March of this year. They finished the regular season looking like a road killed flea ridden dog, choked against Boston (as usual) and they've been stuck in neutral this season with the team slowly rolling backwards down the side of a mountain heading for a ravine. 

 

15 hours ago, Holymakinaw said:

Try not to slit your wrists.

 

I'm trying not to slit your wrists lol.   

 

[WordsOfWisdom]

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2019 by WordsOfWisdom

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Well dam, @WordsOfWisdom   you called it!

 

Babs out...Sheldon Keefe in!

Edited November 20, 2019 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[yave1964]

As a Wings fan, we will happily take him back!!

[SpikeDDS]

22 minutes ago, yave1964 said:

As a Wings fan, we will happily take him back!!

I’m not sure the Wings would be willing to pay his salary to be an assistant coach for Blashill.