- eichiefs9

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.
- Conquest

Good Post...totally agree.....bring in Sheldon Keefe or possibly lose him after the Marlies season

Only difference Laffs and Hahabs?

Those matchups.

It could've easily been the Habs against Boston and we all know Habs would be en route to the 2nd round.

Cooper played stamkos I believe less than 16 minutes in game 3 with an unavailable Kucherov

Saving him for what who the hell knows

a lot of great points in this article.

Babs time should be up here. there is no excuse for a coach who had a better team this year, facing an older Boston team that should of been kicked out in 6 games.

Babs doesnt know how to make in-game adjustments, and we saw it the whole series.

#TimeIsUpBabs

100 pt season
7 20+ goal scorers on the team.
A Top 10 defencemen arguably top 5, top 10 goalie, high end centres.

All this was achieved by the players playing his system.
Failure to win the series is more on the players then the coach.

Should he have loaded some lines at times... sure. Matthews was gassed by the midway point of the 3rd and needed to to be held back as he had little left in the tank. Maybe he was hurt maybe its conditioning time will tell.
Maybe the better, more prepared, less fragile and potentially better coached team won.

Not trolling here guys but blaming the coach, GM and ref's for team not scoring like the did in regular season sounds like a cop out.
Every game was close and there is no shame in losing a close series.

What is there to say about the Pens right now?
- deadpoulet

That they’re looking to trade Letang because GMJR is retarded.

I don't think Babcock is a fraud, I just think that unfair expectations were placed on him.

the Toronto media essentially praised him as the franchise saviour, and the leafs didn't exactly help things themselves when they gave him a contract that was double what the next highest paid coach received.

every coach makes mistakes, unfortunately Babcock makes more than most players and works in a market where the media criticizes you if you use 6 sheets instead of 4 to wipe your ass

I still think Babcock will get at least one more season to try and get them over the 1st round hump. If they miss the playoffs next year or bumped in the 1st round again he definitely will be canned!

100 pt season
7 20+ goal scorers on the team.
A Top 10 defencemen arguably top 5, top 10 goalie, high end centres.

All this was achieved by the players playing his system.
Failure to win the series is more on the players then the coach.

Should he have loaded some lines at times... sure. Matthews was gassed by the midway point of the 3rd and needed to to be held back as he had little left in the tank. Maybe he was hurt maybe its conditioning time will tell.
Maybe the better, more prepared, less fragile and potentially better coached team won.

Not trolling here guys but blaming the coach, GM and ref's for team not scoring like the did in regular season sounds like a cop out.
Every game was close and there is no shame in losing a close series.
- Thornton22

I disagree. I personally believe it’s easier to get by in the regular season on talent. Playoffs are where coaches really do their mojo in my opinion, given that you’re playing the same team for 4-7 games... I think think that’s when systems, deployment, matchups, adjustments, etc. are most important. Sure the players can take some of the blame. Sure the bruins absolutely deserve credit. But if the coach isn’t willing to make adjustments and just beats their system (much like Cooper in TB and Sully in PIT this year) to death, then blame absolutely falls on the coach as well.

I don't think Babcock is a fraud, I just think that unfair expectations were placed on him.

the Toronto media essentially praised him as the franchise saviour, and the leafs didn't exactly help things themselves when they gave him a contract that was double what the next highest paid coach received.

every coach makes mistakes, unfortunately Babcock makes more than most players and works in a market where the media criticizes you if you use 6 sheets instead of 4 to wipe your ass
- sensarmy_11

Don’t you hate when your finger breaks through the TP and you get dookie in your finger nails?

I don't think Babcock is a fraud, I just think that unfair expectations were placed on him.

the Toronto media essentially praised him as the franchise saviour, and the leafs didn't exactly help things themselves when they gave him a contract that was double what the next highest paid coach received.

every coach makes mistakes, unfortunately Babcock makes more than most players and works in a market where the media criticizes you if you use 6 sheets instead of 4 to wipe your ass
- sensarmy_11

what a missed opportunity to go far with a team when Marner and Matthews were still making 875K a year though

next year they'll both likely be making 11 million a year and much less of a chance to improve the shortcomings that showed their face in this series

I disagree. I personally believe it’s easier to get by in the regular season on talent. Playoffs are where coaches really do their mojo in my opinion, given that you’re playing the same team for 4-7 games... I think think that’s when systems, deployment, matchups, adjustments, etc. are most important. Sure the players can take some of the blame. Sure the bruins absolutely deserve credit. But if the coach isn’t willing to make adjustments and just beats their system (much like Cooper in TB and Sully in PIT this year) to death, then blame absolutely falls on the coach as well.
- j.boyd919

I would agree if the Leafs lost in 4 or 5, and the coach didn't make any adjustments. This went to 7 games all close so either Boston coaching sucks as well and did not adapt and blow out the leafs, or the teams are closely matched and coached.

Which is it?

Not being a Richard here, just asking.
Pitts and Tb that's on the coach much more than the leafs. I agree there.

I would agree if the Leafs lost in 4 or 5, and the coach didn't make any adjustments. This went to 7 games all close so either Boston coaching sucks as well and did not adapt and blow out the leafs, or the teams are closely matched and coached.

Which is it?
- Thornton22

To me when you have a chance to win your first playoff series in 15 years on home ice in game 6 and fail to do so it falls on the players

I'm here for the comments

At the end of the Day, this team had more reasons to beat Boston this year (adding Tavares/Muzzin), than last year. there are a lot of things Babs can be questioned on....such as:
#1 - continuously putting out Marleau...who did NOTHING all series. i repeat...NOTHING. move him down to the 4th line. you are trying to win a series. You had a guy in Trevor Moore who played 6-9 minutes a game. he was an impact everything he was on the ice. move him to the 3rd line.
#2 - No In-Game adjustments. Move Marne/Tavares around a bit. Get creative, like other coaches do (like Cassidy).
#3 - Play your top players more....give them more chances to impact the game.
#4 - Try Matthews and Marner together.....what do you have to lose?
#5 - Conner Brown?? did he play this series? yet you continue to roll this guy out. go give Ennis more playing time.
#6 - Game 6...at home...where was the killer instinct to put Boston away.

All i know is, Babcock is not liked for a lot of reasons...and i think a lot of players, other than Marleau feel that way. He is not a players coach. He's a dinosaur. Babcock is not Dubas' guy--remember that.

To me when you have a chance to win your first playoff series in 15 years on home ice in game 6 and fail to do so it falls on the players
- Vukota

Agree with this.

Don’t you hate when your finger breaks through the TP and you get dookie in your finger nails?
- j.boyd919

it's just the worst

Valid points in the article. I'm sure bringing in Tavares and later Muzzin, the expectations grew. But you could also argue Boston was just a bad matchup and perhaps a better team. And you took them to 7.

Toronto is definitely a talented team. It'll be interesting to see where they go from here.

Who is this Penguins blogger? Has he ever played the game? Does he usually just echo the thoughts of noted plug Mike Commodore? Mike Commodore is still sore Babcock over past treatment in Anaheim and Detroit. Commodore even got salty 3-4 years ago on twitter. Comparing Babcock to Hitler of all people. He later said he had been hacked, then he said he didn't
Lay off the booze, Mike Commodore.
It is easy to take shots right now. The fact is the Maple Leafs do have some great talent on their roster, but they are still finding their way. Only Rielly, Muzzin, Zaitsev and Hainsey are trusted D. Gardiner was hurt, Dermott still young. Everyone else available on D are AHL caliber

Are you going to blame Babcock for Nylander floating around all year? Kadri's suspension? Marleau being done? Freddie the Goat being terrible? Connor Brown having a bad year? 12M man Marner doing nothing in the last four games of the series?

They were beat last night by the Bruins 3rd and 4th lines. Two bad turnovers and a weak goal against.

Firing the coach is something a lousy franchise like Buffalo or Edmonton would do. Who would they get to replace him? Who would be better.

Babcock's perceive lack of success? He took over an aging Detroit team and a lousy Maple Leafs team.

The Maple Leafs will be back. Some teams win right away, others (Wash), it takes time

a lot of great points in this article.

Babs time should be up here. there is no excuse for a coach who had a better team this year, facing an older Boston team that should of been kicked out in 6 games.

Babs doesnt know how to make in-game adjustments, and we saw it the whole series.

#TimeIsUpBabs
- Sandro

The hot topic right now seems to be the in game adjustments, what exactly would these be that would change the outcome of the game? It's not like Matthews was dominating out there, they might have got lucky throwing him out there with Moore and Ennis randomly but seems unlikely.

Also, its not like Babcock is against in game adjustments, we've seen him do it all year, moving players around in the 2nd and 3rd to get something going. But most of the time it was a gamble and rarely worked out.

Babcock isnt perfect but at some point the players have to play and make things happen. All the goals were because of players making mistakes and Freddy not being able to bail them out. Unfortunately there's little to no margin for error against a team like the Bruins.

Who is this Penguins blogger? Has he ever played the game? Does he usually just echo the thoughts of noted plug Mike Commodore? Mike Commodore is still sore Babcock over past treatment in Anaheim and Detroit. Commodore even got salty 3-4 years ago on twitter. Comparing Babcock to Hitler of all people. He later said he had been hacked, then he said he didn't
Lay off the booze, Mike Commodore.
It is easy to take shots right now. The fact is the Maple Leafs do have some great talent on their roster, but they are still finding their way. Only Rielly, Muzzin, Zaitsev and Hainsey are trusted D. Gardiner was hurt, Dermott still young. Everyone else available on D are AHL caliber

Are you going to blame Babcock for Nylander floating around all year? Kadri's suspension? Marleau being done? Freddie the Goat being terrible? Connor Brown having a bad year? 12M man Marner doing nothing in the last four games of the series?

They were beat last night by the Bruins 3rd and 4th lines. Two bad turnovers and a weak goal against.

Firing the coach is something a lousy franchise like Buffalo or Edmonton would do. Who would they get to replace him? Who would be better.

Babcock's perceive lack of success? He took over an aging Detroit team and a lousy Maple Leafs team.

The Maple Leafs will be back. Some teams win right away, others (Wash), it takes time
- BernardShakey

So we're lousy because we don't accept garbage. Ok guy. Keep shaking your pompoms.

Who is this Penguins blogger? Has he ever played the game? Does he usually just echo the thoughts of noted plug Mike Commodore? Mike Commodore is still sore Babcock over past treatment in Anaheim and Detroit. Commodore even got salty 3-4 years ago on twitter. Comparing Babcock to Hitler of all people. He later said he had been hacked, then he said he didn't
Lay off the booze, Mike Commodore.
It is easy to take shots right now. The fact is the Maple Leafs do have some great talent on their roster, but they are still finding their way. Only Rielly, Muzzin, Zaitsev and Hainsey are trusted D. Gardiner was hurt, Dermott still young. Everyone else available on D are AHL caliber

Are you going to blame Babcock for Nylander floating around all year? Kadri's suspension? Marleau being done? Freddie the Goat being terrible? Connor Brown having a bad year? 12M man Marner doing nothing in the last four games of the series?

They were beat last night by the Bruins 3rd and 4th lines. Two bad turnovers and a weak goal against.

Firing the coach is something a lousy franchise like Buffalo or Edmonton would do. Who would they get to replace him? Who would be better.

Babcock's perceive lack of success? He took over an aging Detroit team and a lousy Maple Leafs team.

The Maple Leafs will be back. Some teams win right away, others (Wash), it takes time
- BernardShakey

You forgot to add the guy who scored 47 goals during the regular season only scoring 1 when there was an actual goalie in the net Kidding aside JT had a solid series but still you have to expect and demand more then 1 goal in a 7 game series from your best goal scorer, no?

what a missed opportunity to go far with a team when Marner and Matthews were still making 875K a year though

next year they'll both likely be making 11 million a year and much less of a chance to improve the shortcomings that showed their face in this series
- jimbro83

they can poop on Babcock all they want, but I think a lot of blame should also be thrown at Dubas. He made a lot of mistakes too:

- he signed Marleau to a big deal without the foresight to realize that it went beyond when all their big young names would be due extensions. they're going to be in cap hell because they're paying huge money to a 40 year old 3rd liner.

- signing Tavares was great, but he gave huge money to a center (which was already an area of strength for the team) while he let some other really good players walk away for nothing....and he failed to address the teams actual needs

- he waived 2 solid backup goalies and kept Sparks.....who almost singlehandedly cost the leafs atleast 10 points in the standings (if not more)

- even with the addition of Muzzin, there was a severe lack of depth on the blueline that he failed to address


he gets all this praise in Toronto for being such a great young GM, but in reality what has he done that was so great, other than sign Tavares (which a half-trained monkey with a pen could have done.

granted he's still early in his career, but in terms of how they're portrayed, I think Dubas is more of a "fraud" than Babcock is.