[News] Leafs hire Babcock (8yr contract, $50 million)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

If it takes 4 or more years for them to be contending I would imagine Babcock and Shanahan will be on their last legs. It's easy to preach and buy into patience in the summer but that organization, media and fan base has never had the stomach for it. After two years if they still stink the knives will be out in full force.

Yeah, the media and the fans are brutally impatient. The other thing against them is that 2016/17 will be year 50 sans la Coupe. And that will re-ignite the pressure, frustration, and need to show improvement.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by heep223

Source? I must have missed this.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/r...-mike-babcock/

Multiple Buffalo reporters tweeted, citing anonymous sources, that the Sabres believed they had a deal in principle with Babcock for similar money and term, perhaps even more term.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by JohnnySkittles

Yeah, pretty sure it was the opposite. Toronto was #1 and Buffalo #2 in terms of term and money.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index....ushing_bl.html

WKBW.com: The reason Babcock chose Toronto might have come down to more than money, reporter Shawn Stepner said in a tweet that suggests the Sabres were offering basically the same deal.

League source tells me #Sabres thought they had deal in principle w/ Babcock 2 days ago around same term/dollars as Leafs. Maybe even 9 yrs.

— Shawn Stepner (@StepnerWKBW) May 20, 2015

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/r...-mike-babcock/

"Similar money and term. Perhaps more term."

Why even post this? I read it as Buffalo being butthurt because things didn't go their way again, like the lottery. Even if they said "We offered MORE money and MORE term" I'm not sure I'd believe them without Babcock confirming it. You'd think Buffalo would be a more gracious loser given how used to it they must be.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

"Similar money and term. Perhaps more term."

Why even post this? I read it as Buffalo being butthurt because things didn't go their way again, like the lottery. Even if they said "We offered MORE money and MORE term" I'm not sure I'd believe them without Babcock confirming it. You'd think Buffalo would be a more gracious loser given how used to it they must be.

Why post it? Because the poster had said Toronto offered more money and a longer term when it is being said by reporters that Buffalo possibly offered more term and similar salary.

Also why would Buffalo lie about offering more term and pay? Wouldn't that make them look worse? "We offered Babcock more money and term and he still chose Toronto." Looks worse for Buffalo, no? So there is no way that they would come out and admit it which is why it is being reported by anonymous people in the organization.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Why post it? Because the poster had said Toronto offered more money and a longer term when it is being said by reporters that Buffalo possibly offered more term and similar salary.

Also why would Buffalo lie about offering more term and pay? Wouldn't that make them look worse? "We offered Babcock more money and term and he still chose Toronto." Looks worse for Buffalo, no? So there is no way that they would come out and admit it which is why it is being reported by anonymous people in the organization.

That's why this is a waste of time.

Who cares about anonymous people supposedly leaking information? It's just as likely Toronto leaked it to make themselves look better.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

That's why this is a waste of time.

Who cares about anonymous people supposedly leaking information? It's just as likely Toronto leaked it to make themselves look better.

Toronto doesn't need to leak anything. They got Babcock. Everyone knows they paid a truckload of money to get him. Everyone knows they overpaid. All I am saying is people on here are talking like the Leafs came in and made an offer that blew Buffalo's out of the water when it is being reported anonymously (because who is going to go on the record if you are working for the Sabres organization) that that is not the case. In all likelihood, it was similar money, and Sabres POSSIBLY had a longer term. So it wasn't only money.Maybe Babcock liked the idea of living in the city of Toronto over Buffalo (impossible, I know. Toronto is such a hellhole, right?) or he liked the idea of working with Shanahan or he liked the idea of going to Canada's Wonderland. Anyways, it wasn't only money.

[Jay Random]

My guess would be that he liked the idea of going to a team with an unlimited budget. Buffalo has an owner who’s willing to spend to the cap, but a market that may not be able to break even on that level of spending. An eight-year contract (or longer) might not turn out to mean much if the money ever runs out.

The difference off the ice is the key. The Leafs just fired about 30 people and still have what most NHL clubs would consider a large staff. I suspect there aren’t 30 people in Buffalo’s whole hockey operations department. If Babcock wants a solid gold robot as an assistant coach, the Leafs can buy him one. To put it more realistically, they can afford to hire as many people as Babcock wants to make his work easier and more effective. Money is no object for them.

[BigTuna]

Buffalo really is the armpit of America. It's basically Oshawa, Ontario.

They are no match for the city of T-Dot.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Buffalo really is the armpit of America. It's basically Oshawa, Ontario.

They are no match for the city of T-Dot.

Probably a bit of ego here as well as being front and center in Buffalo and front and center in Toronto is two different things as in Buffalo you would be respected and in Toronto worshipped as the same applies to coaches and GM's as it does to players in that everything in that market is overhyped as better than it really is. If he gets them into the playoffs Leafs fans will put him in the same light as Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, etc.

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by transplant99

No it didn't, but Calgary wasn't saddled with the boat anchor contracts that the Leafs are....and that makes a massive difference.




Worst case scenario? I suppose. It could take even longer however. My point was that it can take that long....the Oilers aren't the only team that has spun their wheels that long either but make the best example as they have had all those #1 overall picks along with all the money in the world to spend. Hasn't made a lick of difference.



Right..and even the top picks have some questions about them. Again though, the Leafs have some of the very same issues now. Babcock is a great coach, there is no doubt about that. We have NO idea how good Shanahan is as a player personnel guy nor anyone else in that capacity currently on staff. So we cant even project that part of things.

The best chef in the world cant make a gourmet meal with canned vegetables and frozen hamburger. They need the proper ingredients.




Babcock sure...Shanahan has zero track record as a GM and that is where the rebuild works or doesn't...period.

Let me guess, those "Boat Anchor" contracts are Kessel and Phaneuf? Both will be traded no problem. Phaneuf was already gone at the deadline but the Leafs wanted more. Nonis stated after he was let go 5 teams called about him. They'll be more in the summer. The best UFA D-Men are Franson and Green. Enough said.

The Leafs traded David Clarkson. Spare me how the Leafs are screwed with Kessel and Phaneuf.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Spare me how the Leafs are screwed with Kessel and Phaneuf.

Either way, the Leafs are screwed.

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

Either way, the Leafs are screwed.

They're fine. They'll make their trades and get young assets in return.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

"Similar money and term. Perhaps more term."

Why even post this?

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Why post it? Because the poster had said Toronto offered more money and a longer term when it is being said by reporters that Buffalo possibly offered more term and similar salary.

I had asked for a source on the comment that Buffalo may have offered better contract terms than TO because I missed it.

Originally Posted by BigTuna

They're fine. They'll make their trades and get young assets in return.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Let me guess, those "Boat Anchor" contracts are Kessel and Phaneuf? Both will be traded no problem. Phaneuf was already gone at the deadline but the Leafs wanted more. Nonis stated after he was let go 5 teams called about him. They'll be more in the summer. The best UFA D-Men are Franson and Green. Enough said.

The Leafs traded David Clarkson. Spare me how the Leafs are screwed with Kessel and Phaneuf.

So the Leafs will trade them "no problem"? Will they get more players who they pay, but can't play? What muckers did teams offer for ol' Dion anyway?

Oh, and both Dion and Phil have limited NTCs. So the list of teams with "young assets" just got shorter. I doubt Elisha is keen on Buffalo. I don't think Phil will agree to go to the 'peg.

[northcrunk]

Toronto and Edmonton. The two worst run franchises in the league.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Toronto and Edmonton. The two worst run franchises in pro sports.

Fyp

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Let me guess, those "Boat Anchor" contracts are Kessel and Phaneuf? Both will be traded no problem. Phaneuf was already gone at the deadline but the Leafs wanted more. Nonis stated after he was let go 5 teams called about him. They'll be more in the summer. The best UFA D-Men are Franson and Green. Enough said.

The Leafs traded David Clarkson. Spare me how the Leafs are screwed with Kessel and Phaneuf.

uh-huh.....teams will be lining up to take on 42 or 56 million dollars respectively...wont be a problem.

And I LOVE the "the leafs traded David Clarkson"....like that wasn't the most insane set of circumstances to ever arrive for a deal that would never ever ever have seen the light of day otherwise....tell me, is that the kind of return we can expect for Dion? A player that will never see the ice again? Sounds about right.

[dissentowner]

BigTuna is the epitomy of a Leafs fan and a prime example of why nobody takes them seriously or wants to listen to them.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

BigTuna is the epitomy of a Leafs fan and a prime example of why nobody takes them seriously or wants to listen to them.

Yeah, I was actually warming up to the Leafs the last couple of years and becoming a fan, and part of that was because CP didn't really have the over the top, annoying poster representation that makes us loathe the other canafian franchises.

But BigTuna single handedly ended that on CP, he makes it very easy to hate the Leafs.