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Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: Mike Babcock’s Future

By Mike Stephens

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 23: Head Coach Mike Babcock of the Toronto Maple Leafs returns to the loser room after the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Arena on February 23, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 23: Head Coach Mike Babcock of the Toronto Maple Leafs returns to the loser room after the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Arena on February 23, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – FEBRUARY 01: Former Detroit Red Wings head coach and current Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock watches the No. 4 jersey retirement ceremony of former Red Wing Red Kelly (not pictured) prior to an NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena on February 1, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – FEBRUARY 01: Former Detroit Red Wings head coach and current Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock watches the No. 4 jersey retirement ceremony of former Red Wing Red Kelly (not pictured) prior to an NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena on February 1, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /

It’s been a rough couple weeks for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Not only have they been dropping games with one toothless performance after another, it appears that there is now some friction brewing behind closed doors, as well. It all began when Mike Babcock addressed the media on Monday morning, letting slip a pretty telling quote of what he thinks of the Leafs’ depth at the moment, and it wasn’t a pleasant one.

The quote in its entirety can be found below.

Later that same day, Kyle Dubas took to Twitter to quote-tweet a graphic from Houston Rockets General Manager, Darryl Morey, signifying how the best long-term solutions to problems are often harder and more complex.

The timing of the two interactions is potentially the most damning part of this entire situation. It’s been common knowledge for quite some time that Dubas and Babcock have different philosophies on how to run a hockey team, and for the most part, the two had managed to co-exist quite successfully. The Leafs’ recent slump, however, seemed to alter that dynamic, and while Babcock chalked this all up to normal squabbles within a marriage earlier today, it’s brought the veteran coach’s future within the organization into question.

So, that’s exactly what we’re going to tackle in this week’s’ roundtable. The question:

If the Leafs lose once again to the Boston Bruins in their inevitable first-round series, will Mike Babcock still be the coach at the beginning of next season? 

The answers may shock you. Or probably not. I don’t know you.

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