Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: Mike Babcock’s Future

James Tanner

The Toronto Maple Leafs might make a coaching change. Kyle Dubas has shown himself to be a bold, proactive manager.

It is reasonable to think that a General Manager would want his own hand-picked coach to execute his vision, and there are all sorts of things you can complain about that Mike Babcock does (the breakouts and stretch passes, for example, and the fact that the Leafs tend to allow a lot of shots against).

The Leafs basically print money, and Babcock is a sunk cost. They also have a coach in waiting that they will almost certainly lose with six or seven vacancies across the NHL. There is also the fact that messages get stale, and Babcock is a message guy. The more I think about it, the more reasons I can find to make a change.

That’s balanced against the reputation of 100 point seasons, and the good things that Babcock does. Plus he’s got another four years on his contract. Basically, like the Bruins series, you can just flip a coin here.

My guess is that they do make a change. Should they though? That’s tougher.

If Kadri doesn’t get suspended, the Leafs advance and Babcock’s job is safe. Does a flukey loss mean you should switch coaches? Is it reactionary or are there solid reasons for doing so? Hard to say. Mike Babcock, has charisma, and an authority that would be hard to match.

I think the best thing for the Leafs would be to retain the good things about Babcock by keeping him, but get the strategic element of the game improved by bringing in assistant coaches that will game plan and strategize in a way more consistent with the general manager’s vision.

If Babcock is open to learning, adaption and change, I think you have to keep him.

Thanks for reading! What do you think?