What the Toronto Maple Leafs Players Have Said About Their Coaches
The Toronto Maple Leafs players have been speaking to the media. This is a collection of their quotes about their former and new coaches.
Unless you’ve been off the grid, unable to check your devices in fear of being located, then you know that things have flipped upside down with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs fired Mike Babcock in favor of promoting the Toronto Marlies head coach, Sheldon Keefe.
If you were hiding, welcome back. Now’s the perfect time to see what the front office and some of the players have said about the coaching move. We will explore a few of their recent quotes.
At the Leafs press conference, (the following quotes are from that) the president and alternate governor for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brendan Shanahan and the team’s general manager, Kyle Dubas, sat for questions from the press. They addressed the recent coaching change.
Kyle Dubas
On Mike Babcock’s Firing
I thought we showed signs even during this stretch of playing really really well even in long timeframes of games we ended up losing. I just felt that, in constant discussions with Shanny about it, that our ups and downs, our inconsistency a little bit, just kind of reading off the players and watching them and how they were reacting to different things that it was just time to potentially go down this path. Just continue to watch and let this story unfold and then make the move. I can’t point to any one specific [trails off]. . . and I think everyone wants that. They want one loss or one moment in the game that sort of pushed you over the edge. In my brief experience here and before there was never really one thing and I don’t think that either one of us are that style of people where we get frantic about one thing that happened and decide that it’s time. I think it was just an accumulation of watching the group continue to play and evolve on and off the ice that led us to that point.
On Sheldon Keefe
Sheldon and I have in our past have had some of the biggest disagreements and arguments I’ve ever had with anyone I was working with, but in the end, I believe that we we largely and philosophically and in terms of style of play we have always been aligned and on the same page. And I know we’ve gone through, I know it’s lower level, but we’ve gone through a change like this in-season in Sault Ste. Marie so that made it a little bit easier. It’s not optimal by any stretch, but we’ve had to do this before. This is obviously going to be a much biggest test and that really falls on me and nobody else.
Brendan Shanahan
On Mike Babcock
I don’t know if I’d characterize it that a coach had lost the room, I just think that certainly from a player’s perspective, you can see the frustration in their eyes. I really thought, even in our last game, that our players were working really hard, but there was sort of a belief missing in them. When things are going poorly like that a lot of things are running through your mind during the hockey game and you could almost see it in their faces that don’t necessarily even involve the hockey game.
On Sheldon Keefe
I don’t think it’s any one person to point the blame at, coach or player. I think that’s the challenge for Sheldon, our entire coaching staff and our players to have better communication and get this sorted out.
What We Learned
Both Dubas and Shanahan we careful not to destroy Babcock’s reputation as they shoved him out the door. They did their best to protect the coach while also explaining why he needed to go.
They were clear in their explanation that there was a series of events and a stretch of games where these discussions were happening. There was no single “aha” moment that led either executive to determine that what’s best for the organization is a change of leadership.
Dubas explained that he and Babcock were not always “Sympatico” in their philosophies on hockey and how to win games.
He then immediately downplayed that notion by suggesting that the same can be said about him and Keefe. Reading between the lines, one can assume that there wasn’t cohesion between the coach and the general manager. This could have been palatable if only the Leafs were winning, but sadly, they weren’t.
Shanahan was adamant that Babs was not the sole person to blame for the team’s underperformance. He holds the players responsible as well for their efforts and play. Shanny also hinted at poor communication playing a role in the divide between coaches and players. There’s no doubt that this has already been addressed with Keefe by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
During the first morning skate after Babcock was relieved of his duties, many of the Maple Leafs players were asked about the coaching change. The Leafs Nation Network was there interviewing the stars. The following quotes are from that.
Captain John Tavares
On Mike Babcock
Well, I think many mixed emotions. I think we all know how dedicated and committed Mike was and how passionate he was about this team and coaching this team, doing all he can to get the most out of us and have the most success. I think you feel a lot of that burden and not playing up to expectations and the standards we have for ourselves. There is a sense of responsibility in owning that but now is kind of time, it’s come to this point, and turning the page this morning.
On Sheldon Keefe
Obviously, I think Sheldon has a great mind for the game and we’re excited about the energy and the things that he’s bringing and we’re to improve from where we’re at. I didn’t know a ton [about him]. A lot of the guys that have played for him have spoken highly about him and you see how many guys have and are here now so I think that says a lot. He’s done a tremendous job with working with players, especially on the development side and what he’s been able to do with the team as well. I’m looking forward to him implementing a lot of those things and transitioning some of that stuff here, especially with our young group. A lot of these guys being underneath him, that’s the hope.
Auston Matthews
On Mike Babcock
It’s kind of the unfortunate part of the business. We hadn’t been playing well and management thought that change needed to be made. Obviously this doesn’t rest just on the coaches, but the players as well.
On Sheldon Keefe
There’s going to be changes and little things systematically the way that we play. No coach is ever the exact same so obviously there’s a learning process that [the players] have to go through and just gradually over the next couple weeks, work on those things. I’ve chatted with him over the course of three years I’ve been here and whether it was in training camp; he lives in Arizona in the summer so just running into him there. It will be a change. We’ve got to put our best foot forward here and get out of this rut we’ve been in.
Morgan Reilly
On Mike Babcock
It’s obviously a bit of a different feeling today, but as players we’ve got to answer the bell. It’s time for us to dig in more. I know we’ve said that in the past but changes have been made, it’s time to start playing a bit better.
On Sheldon Keefe
He’s got a great reputation amongst the guys he’s had. It’s kind of a clean slate for him. As a group, we want to play well for him and do a good job. He came in, he talked about a couple things, but [practice] was good, It was uptempo it was a different practice. He asked for a little bit more attention to detail just because It’s a new day, a new skate, new routine and I thought we did a good job.
What We Learned
If some fans were hoping that the players used their first opportunity to share their true feelings of dislike for Babcock, they were sorely disappointed. Babs was characterized positively by his strengths. The players demonstrated that they’re all pros and know how to speak to the media without saying anything damning.
Most eyes were on Auston Matthews due to their public disagreements and the need for summer meetings to repair their relationship. Matthews had a specific line he used multiple times in several interviews. He deflected most questions by leaning into the line, “systematically, we’re not going to play the exact same”.
What is up for interpretation is whether Matthews was surreptitiously suggesting that the team’s systems need changing or if he was simply stating that all coaches have unique styles. It’s probably a combination of the two. It is believed that the players wanted more freedom on the ice, but Babcock’s systems wouldn’t allow for it. Keefe brings a different approach, which should let Matthews explore his on-ice creativity.
After the first game under Keefe, fresh off beating the Arizona Coyotes, Leafs were once again questioned about everything that had just gone down. The Leafs Nation Network was able to collect great sound from the players, quoted below.
Tyson Barrie
On How His Style of Play Has Changed with the Coaching Change
I think I’ve done a good job jumping [into the rush] in the past and choosing some holes it’s kind of what I’m accustomed to. I think our whole team was a little more aggressive and had a little bit more speed to the neutral zone. I think we had a lot of fun out there tonight and I think it showed. I think anytime a coach gets let go it means you’re obviously not meeting expectations. [Keefe] came in with a really fresh attitude and we all know that we haven’t met expectations and it wasn’t good enough. We needed to be better and we kind of felt excited, it was kind of like a fresh start. He was really positive and made a couple changes that really helped us big time.
On His Week Since News Broke
From practice the next morning, Tyson Barrie once again spoke to reporters.
It’s been a whirlwind [week]. Lots of change and then we bring Sheldon in and lots of emotion in that. . . It’s been a crazy week, but a fun one.
Frederik Andersen and Alexander Kerfoot also made themselves available at the practice to answer questions from the press.
Frederik Andersen
On the Near Future of the Maple Leafs
I don’t want to start talking too much . . . It’s going to be a testing time now to keep moving and keep moving forward off of this and build on it.
Alexander Kerfoot
I don’t think there was any problem with communication before Sheldon or after Sheldon. This organization is really good with that and Sheldon’s no different. Coming in here as a new coach, obviously, midseason, there’s lots of things going on.
What We Learned
These quotes speak more to what wasn’t said rather than what was. Frederik Andersen held his cards close to his vest. There are many possible reasons why so it’s difficult to speculate why he wasn’t interested in sharing openly.
Alexander Kerfoot addressed the idea that Babcock’s communication with players was lacking. The speedy winger came to the coach’s defense without being overly direct. His responses were similar to Andersen’s in that it appeared as though he didn’t want to give too much information away.
Barrie didn’t take the same approach. He seemed eager to let the media know that he felt that there was now a greater opportunity to activate his offense. This sentiment happens to have also been proven to hold weight. There have been two games played under Sheldon Keefe. In those pair of matches, Barrie has scored two goals. In the previous 23 games with Babcock, he had none.
It has aided the defenseman to now be allowed to play a similar style to what he was doing in Colorado. Barrie said as much in a circuitous fashion, also adding that he’s also now having “fun”.
It’s never pleasant to see someone lose their job. It’s not something one should hope for. All that we the fans can do now, is hope that the change has been for the better for everyone involved, including Babcock. Perhaps now, the players will have more fun.
Next. Twitter's Reaction to Mike Babcock's Firing. dark
Time will tell how the team does under its new head coach. The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to turn things around. Meanwhile, it’s anyone’s guess what’s next for Babcock.