Toronto is no good

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

There is a general belief that Toronto is just wasting this year with a lame-duck coach and waiting for Mike "the saviour" Babcock to decide that Toronto is where he always dreamed of coaching.

This is what is occurring. And my bet is Babcock says yes..In exchange for the biggest contract in NHL history for a coach. Babcock is done in Detroit. Even Holand has said it makes sense for him to explore other options.

[schooner]

I think this is my favourite thread right now. Just so much to enjoy.

[Headshot]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

This is what is occurring. And my bet is Babcock says yes..In exchange for the biggest contract in NHL history for a coach. Babcock is done in Detroit. Even Holand has said it makes sense for him to explore other options.

lol

[haiku]

since 67
he's searched for a leafs forum
the smallest minnow

[Mike Teavee]

Skeptical over whether Babcock would be a great coach for the Leafs. They're improvement hinges heavily on the play of their younger talent. And Babcock isn't a guy who is known for being good with young players. They should fire Carlyle and find a coach who actually can develop players.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

This is what is occurring. And my bet is Babcock says yes..In exchange for the biggest contract in NHL history for a coach. Babcock is done in Detroit. Even Holand has said it makes sense for him to explore other options.

There's certainly enough links to suggest Babcock might accept if Toronto brings a dump truck full of money to his door.

But this creates issues for your "best team evar" narrative for this year. You have a team of players that haven't really responded to the current coach, and whom is widely believed to be a lame duck. That doesn't bode well for the likelihood of the players putting it all together this year.

Which, in turn, puts a great deal of pressure on your bold prediction that this group is good enough to snag home ice in the playoffs. Or, frankly, to even qualify for the post-season.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Mike Teavee

Skeptical over whether Babcock would be a great coach for the Leafs. They're improvement hinges heavily on the play of their younger talent. And Babcock isn't a guy who is known for being good with young players. They should fire Carlyle and find a coach who actually can develop players.

Why isn't he known for being good with young players? Detroit as an organization likes to over-ripen their players in the AHL, but that has nothing to do with Babcock.

With their lack of depth the last couple years several Rookies have had increased roles with Detroit and players like Nyquist and Abdelkader seem to be developing just fine.

Since I would hate to see Toronto on the right path, I really hope they don't hire Babcock. Ideally Torts gets the job. That will amuse me.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

This is what is occurring. And my bet is Babcock says yes..In exchange for the biggest contract in NHL history for a coach. Babcock is done in Detroit. Even Holand has said it makes sense for him to explore other options.

I don't know about the money but I think Babcock wants what Roy has in Colorado. That is some control of hockey operations without the hassle of the day to day GM duties. Maybe he can get this in Toronto, maybe not.

If as you say happens, it will be a pretty typical Leafs move, to try to by a cup, which they've been doing for years with no success.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

There will be a full on bidding war for Babcock if he so chooses. With typical Toronto arrogance, they assume he will sign there for no other reason than it's the Maple Leafs. Their fans will say they can offer the most $$ and maybe that's true but I would say there's just as much a chance signs somewhere that's less of a circus and where the media won't try to get him fired when they don't win the cup in the first 2 years. The leafs with their insane media, corporate ownership, history of failure and current mediocre management are not as much of a desired destination as they would hope. Some people actually want to be successful more than they want 10% more money than what a good franchise might offer them.

[Mike Teavee]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Why isn't he known for being good with young players? Detroit as an organization likes to over-ripen their players in the AHL, but that has nothing to do with Babcock.

With their lack of depth the last couple years several Rookies have had increased roles with Detroit and players like Nyquist and Abdelkader seem to be developing just fine.

Since I would hate to see Toronto on the right path, I really hope they don't hire Babcock. Ideally Torts gets the job. That will amuse me.

Yes it does. Babcock, as coach, is responsible for picking the team. He consistently favours vets, even ones obviously passed by by the game, at the expense of younger players. He seems incredibly impatient/distrustful when it comes to younger players - while he seems to tolerate mediocrity from veteran favourites. This isn't a new thing with him.

I just don't see him as a guy who would do well coaching a team that's heavily reliant on younger players to turn it around.

Tortorella would never ever be offered a job by the Leafs. He's the last guy MLSE would want.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

This is what is occurring. And my bet is Babcock says yes..In exchange for the biggest contract in NHL history for a coach. Babcock is done in Detroit. Even Holand has said it makes sense for him to explore other options.

Why would Babcock pick Toronto "where coaches go to get crapped on"?

He could virtually go wherever he wants

[Resolute 14]

It all comes down to how big of a challenge Babcock wants. I can easily see him going to the Leafs next year, but I agree that to do so, he will expect to be given the keys. He'll want the power to mold the team his way.

[Flash Walken]

You'll recall that David Clarkson missed the first 10 games of last season because he did a dumb thing: He left the bench to join in the fracas caused by John Scott trying to fight Phil Kessel.

Not the best way to start a contract that, at the time of its signing was widely viewed — and then over the following 82 games repeatedly verified — as being the worst in the league by a pretty wide margin. Between suspension and injury last year, Clarkson ended up missing a whopping 22 of the Leafs' season; and when he was on the ice he served as a horrible drag on pretty much everyone.

But okay, this kind of thing happens a lot. Guy signs a big new contract (in Clarkson's case it's seven years at $5.25 million per against the cap) in a high-pressure climate like Toronto and stumbles a bit. Maybe you can even accuse the guy of trying to do too much, and that's why he was so bad. Yeah, you don't want a big-money player playing only 60 games, nor scoring just 11 points in those 60, but it happens.

So the Toronto media — bafflingly — seemed willing to forgive and forget for the horrible disappointment this nearly $37 million man brought to His Hometown Team The Toronto Maple Leafs. There were plenty of stories ahead of training camp that Clarkson was now focused completely on turning things around.

Then the Leafs started practicing. Just a little while into into pre-camp workouts (which, it seems to me, kind of counts as camp), he picked up a minor injury and missed a few days. He came back in a preseason game against the Sabres on Friday night and even picked up a goal and an assist

But then this other thing happened. Early in the third period, for no readily apparent reason whatsoever, Clarkson saw fit to clash a little bit after a whistle with Cody McCormick, a borderline NHLer who figured fighting someone — anyone dumb enough to engage him — would help him earn a spot on the team.

So they ended up fighting. Clarkson ended up getting his lunch fed to him, and went to the box rubbing his cheek a little bit. He also ended up missing the rest of the game, and may or may not have had his eye swollen shut. Two days later, he ended up seeing a specialist to have a closer look at that cheek, and now he might be out for the start of the season in another week and a half or so.

His coach was asked after the game whether Clarkson should be engaging in a fight with anyone, let alone a known pugilist like McCormick, given his particular set of unique circumstances such as “trying to prove he's not the biggest waste of money in the league” (a crown he holds despite Brooks Orpik's best efforts). Here's Carlyle not-choosing his words all that carefully:

[ ]

“I guess that’s a question. There are certain times where you’re better suited to turn the other cheek depending on the opponent and whatnot.”

“I guess that's *A* question,” indeed.

Leafs fans are very rightly upset that this contract even exists, and to see this player going out there and doing something this dumb must make them want to hike an hour or two out into the woods and just scream for a while. This is the second preseason in a row in which Clarkson has gotten in a stupid, pointless fight against the Sabres in the preseason and put at least part of the regular season in jeopardy for himself. Now, you could argue that if Clarkson were to hold himself out of the lineup for 82 games a year, that would be all fine and dandy; the Leafs wouldn't miss him because he's not very good. But he's still pulling more than $5 million a season to make these decisions, and that's money the Leafs can't spend otherwise.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...080636708.html

[BigFlameDog]

The only way that would have looked more awkward is if they were hitting each other with purses.....

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Why would Babcock pick Toronto "where coaches go to get crapped on"?

He could virtually go wherever he wants

Most money in NHL history for a coach is what I said.

Remember in 2008 when everyone laughed at the Leafs and said Brian Burke would never go there?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Most money in NHL history for a coach is what I said.

Remember in 2008 when everyone laughed at the Leafs and said Brian Burke would never go there?

Actually no, I don't remember that ... I seem to remember it was assumed he was going.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It all comes down to how big of a challenge Babcock wants. I can easily see him going to the Leafs next year, but I agree that to do so, he will expect to be given the keys. He'll want the power to mold the team his way.

The keys and every City of Toronto Dump Truck filled to the brim with cash.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Most money in NHL history for a coach is what I said.

Remember in 2008 when everyone laughed at the Leafs and said Brian Burke would never go there?

Wouldn't surprise me if he goes to the Leafs in the Patrick Roy role. They are the rare team to have a lame duck coach and a lame duck GM at the same time.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Remember in 2008 when everyone laughed at the Leafs and said Brian Burke would never go there?

Hey, is this one of your "facts"? Care to add a citation to it?

Anyway, since that giant, unlikely coup, kindly do tell me how many times you've made the playoffs.

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by nik-

Actually no, I don't remember that ... I seem to remember it was assumed he was going.

Burke actually said he's never leaving the Ducks and everyone laughed at the Leafs.