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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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VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 6: Head coach Mike Babcock of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena March 6, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 6: Head coach Mike Babcock of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena March 6, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Mike Stephens

Personally, I think he will, although it won’t be without some awkward conversations.

The roster that Babcock currently has at his disposal is, with everyone fully healthy, almost fool-proof. It should be impossible to deploy it in a sub-optimal way. Reeling from their prior loss to the Bruins in April, the Leafs essentially upgraded in two areas over the summer, adding John Tavares to replace the departed Tyler Bozak, and adding Jake Muzzin, to boot. Not to mention, both players joined a roster already featuring the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Frederik Andersen, among others.

What are the pillars of a Stanley Cup contending team? Well, you need high-end centre depth. Matthews, Tavares and Nazem Kadri check that box. You need a solid blueline. Rielly is in the midst of a Norris-calibre season, Muzzin is a phenomenal top-four contributor, and Travis Dermott, when healthy, has that potential. So, another check there.

Of course, though, the most important component of any contender is what’s in net. Teams can’t win without goaltending. And with Andersen, the last few weeks notwithstanding, Babcock has a Vezina-calibre netminder whom he can turn to on a nightly basis.

What more does he need?

Injuries have ravaged the Leafs lately, sure, but their roster is still among the most lethal in the entire NHL and the highest paid coach should be capable of bringing out its best. If he fails to do that for yet another year, that 5th year out clause in Babcock’s contract may come in handy after all.

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