Mark van der Lugt
It’s almost a month into the season and the Toronto Maple Leafs now see their record sitting at 6-5-2, which is exactly what we expected right?
Does this mean Toronto has to make a trade or even make a firing? Looking at the standings, if the playoffs started today, Toronto would be facing Boston AGAIN. The outcome this time would not end well AGAIN for the Leafs. So what gives? Dubas did his job in acquiring two right-handed defencemen and was able to acquire quality depth forwards to fill the cracks. Yet it looks like the same old story, same old song and dance with Babcock- he miss-plays his lineup and it costs the Leafs.
So the saying goes “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” This quote applies to Babcock- he is forcing his theologies of how to play hockey with his systems, to the wrong team.
Toronto is not built for what Babcock wants out of it. Toronto has the depth and resources to be a juggernaut offensively in the NHL, but Babcock constantly wants to muzzle it. The previous cup winners may have proven that you need a level of grit to withstand the rigours of the playoffs, in order to get to the promised land.
A level of goaltending is also required and I will not deny that Toronto needs some more rounding out, Dubas knows it too. What Toronto needs is for Babcock to realize the amount of firepower he has and maximize it. When you’re given- *deep breath* Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Muzzin, Johnsson, Kapanen, Kerfoot, Mikheyev, Barrie AND you sit at 6-5-2? Something needs to change.
Dubas has held up his side of the bargain of forging a more than capable team to win, it’s time for Babcock to do the same.