Doug Maclean said something on Hockey Central at Noon last week regarding coaches in the playoffs that hit a note with me. It was something to the effect of: it so vitally important that not only a coach has to make adjustments in the playoffs but that also his players believe in him and his adjustments. The players have to buy into everything he's saying and doing.


When I heard him talking about this I immediately thought of Sully and the Pens and I dont think the players are buying into him anymore. Sure, he made lineup adjustments, mostly bad, but he didnt make many, if any, changes to their game plan on the ice...or...if he did, the Pens players didnt but into it.
- MattStrat

This.

And a lot of times where it at least SEEMED obvious IMHO the coach and the GM weren't on the same page regarding player usage.

It's pretty thick, but it ain't that one. I don't know many people who sound like Babcock does.
- BINGO!

like he's almost trying to be a caricature.

It's bad enough you have to spew your negative trash on your own team. Leave the Leafs out of this, gym teacher!
- LeafsPain54

I'm not a huge fan of RW myself, but it's hard to argue with any of this.

Ryan Wilson: Mike Babcock is a fraud
Mike Babcock is a fraud
- Ryan_Wilson

It's sort of a grey area for me to blame Babcock, Boston is a good team and mean good team, they choke the middle and suffocate the oppositions offence like it's in their dna.

Last night, to me, it was either Rask or Andy, turns out it was Rask...

When your team is behind in a game, you get your most talented players more ice time in order to try and tie the game, right? Just like you pull the goalie?

Matthews played less than 19 minutes.

How on earth do you justify that?
- BINGO!

Matthews is a world class scorer and he scored some goals in the series but he also really didn't push much play.

Also, 19 minutes isnt exactly a number to scoff at. Patrice Bergeron only played 17 minutes! FIRE CASSIDY! Exactly one Bruin forward played over 19 minutes...

TOI for the Leafs went Tavares, Marner, Matthews... As it should have.

( I have no idea how much time Matthews played in the third, just using NHL.com)

Matthews is a world class scorer and he scored some goals in the series but he also really didn't push much play.

Also, 19 minutes isnt exactly a number to scoff at. Patrice Bergeron only played 17 minutes! FIRE CASSIDY! Exactly one Bruin forward played over 19 minutes...

TOI for the Leafs went Tavares, Marner, Matthews... As it should have.

( I have no idea how much time Matthews played in the third, just using NHL.com)
- Mahewman

Six minutes and change

Babs should have played Nic Petan more.

Seeing so many memes around social media today about the Islanders making second round and Tavares not, that the Islanders are better without him/Leafs worse with him, etc.

What a crock of steaming bullsh!t.

If the Isles had Tavares AND Trotz this year they'd be even better. They'd of probably taken 1st seed in the Metro.

So many dummies out there that dont have a clue.

When your team is behind in a game, you get your most talented players more ice time in order to try and tie the game, right? Just like you pull the goalie?

Matthews played less than 19 minutes.

How on earth do you justify that?
- BINGO![/quote]

Matthews is a world class scorer and he scored some goals in the series but he also really didn't push much play.

Also, 19 minutes isnt exactly a number to scoff at. Patrice Bergeron only played 17 minutes! FIRE CASSIDY! Exactly one Bruin forward played over 19 minutes...

TOI for the Leafs went Tavares, Marner, Matthews... As it should have.

( I have no idea how much time Matthews played in the third, just using NHL.com)
- Mahewman

The bruins were leading, though. You can keep guys fresh when you have the lead.

When you're behind, you should run your horses. We've seen Aho play 25+ minutes because you need those guys to be difference makers and should give them every opportunity to do so.

[quote=BINGO!]When your team is behind in a game, you get your most talented players more ice time in order to try and tie the game, right? Just like you pull the goalie?

Matthews played less than 19 minutes.

How on earth do you justify that?
- Vukota[/quote]

Trotz with Leafs roster... = cup win...

Babs with isles roster .... lottery top 3 ...

Seeing so many memes around social media today about the Islanders making second round and Tavares not, that the Islanders are better without him/Leafs worse with him, etc.

What a crock of steaming bullsh!t.

If the Isles had Tavaras AND Trotz this year they'd be even better. They'd of probably taken 1st seed in the Metro.

So many dummies out there that dont have a clue.
- MattStrat

I'll add JT to those dummies, bailed on the Island when there actually started to be a glimmer of hope. Now they have a great coach, good goal-tending, a TEAM that has bought in, hmm, one thing missing.

[quote=BINGO!]When your team is behind in a game, you get your most talented players more ice time in order to try and tie the game, right? Just like you pull the goalie?

Matthews played less than 19 minutes.

How on earth do you justify that?
- Vukota[/quote]

Dress coat and dress shoes with jogging pants?

Sweet

Trotz with Leafs roster... = cup win...

Babs with isles roster .... lottery top 3 ...
- dozerD10

Probably not, but carry on.

Doug Maclean said something on Hockey Central at Noon last week regarding coaches in the playoffs that hit a note with me. It was something to the effect of: it so vitally important that not only a coach has to make adjustments in the playoffs but that also his players believe in him and his adjustments. The players have to buy into everything he's saying and doing.


When I heard him talking about this I immediately thought of Sully and the Pens and I dont think the players are buying into him anymore. Sure, he made lineup adjustments, mostly bad, but he didnt make many, if any, changes to their game plan on the ice...or...if he did, the Pens players didnt but into it.
- MattStrat

Most of this is exactly what happened to the Pens this season, but the more I read about it, the more I'm hanging the systematic breakdowns on the players. I've hated Sully's personnel choices going back to last season.....he deserves no slack in that regard.

If you go back and watch some of those (cup team) games, Dman pinched like crazy and forwards we're always covering. It was like a machine. That's why I laugh at all the hate for Letang is currently getting. Obviously, the OT mistake was ridiculous in the 1st game, but those pinches from Letang, Schultz, Maatta, Pet were all the same system they won 2 cups with. The forwards deserve a huge chunk of blame. Ultimately the dman has to make the right decision when he see's he doesn't have coverage, but those guys have been trained to be aggressive. It's hard to repeatedly blame them when other players aren't doing what they're supposed to. Which all goes back to the players tuning Sully out. They definitely have.

Seeing so many memes around social media today about the Islanders making second round and Tavares not, that the Islanders are better without him/Leafs worse with him, etc.

What a crock of steaming bullsh!t.

If the Isles had Tavares AND Trotz this year they'd be even better. They'd of probably taken 1st seed in the Metro.

So many dummies out there that dont have a clue.
- MattStrat

I think it has more to do with Since July 1st everybody took a big steaming dump on the Isles and their fans especially on here and social media. So now the Isles fans are having some fun at the expense of JT and the Leafs. As an Islander fan I can't help but think what if, but at the same time I won't bash any Islander fan for flaming the leafs fan base since they couldn't help themselves all summer with the constant trolling of the isles

Dress coat and dress shoes with jogging pants?

Sweet
- Garnie

Those look like my dads shoes and he is 78

BYE BYE Babcock......6 mil a year should be ashamed of himself.....some very bad decisions through the regular season and playoffs.....WELCOME Sheldon Keefe

Babcock isn't perfect, but jumping on the Commodore bandwagon is lame. Had the won that game, it would be the exact opposite reaction.

Seems insane that nobody is giving credit to the Bruins, an cup experienced team that were 2nd in the league in points. They have a solid D core. Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak are elite players making up arguably the best line in the league. They're a good team, Leafs got outplayed.

As much as I love the Leafs they're just not there yet, Babcock is a part of that but so are the players. Bruins play a more consistent game and that usually wins, Leafs obviously need more experience to be able to play like that.

Probably not, but carry on.
- Garnie

based on results not really far off.

I don't understand how the other Leaf fans in here are getting so defensive. This article was bang on; sure, players can take the blame but that doesn't make this blog post any less valid. I look around at these other Leaf fans in amazement with how naive and brainless they can be. Babcock has to go, it's clear as day. Other team's fans can see it and the team is clearly showing it.

He did a terrible job of coaching the Pens this year.
- Rinosaur

What is there to say about the Pens right now?

Sure would have been nice of Babcock to make those saves for Freddie last night...

Give me a break.. Toronto would be a dumpster fire without Babcock.
- Mahewman

POOR POST you are in La La land....all season Babcock made poor decisions and playoffs also.....did not play Matthews enough, he could have made the difference...should not have played an injured Gardiner so don't rag on him....both games 6 and 7 he really screwed up pulling the goalie both times when they did not have total posseion