Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 1,540
I agree with you, Goulet - the line up choices can baffle me sometimes. As do some of his systems... Babs will do Babs things, and that's tolerable when they're winning, but witnessing this last run leaves me scratching my head.. the players get critized all the time when things aren't going well, by the media, the fanbase and Babcock himself. Babcock shouldn't be beyond reproach .
The things that stand out and bother me are a) his rhetoric about how players need to constantly adapt their game (should hold true for Babcock too.. change up the systems, the break outs, the PP - good god, it sucks right now! and with all that talent..), b) the obvious double standard that exists for different players over the last two years (i.e. Hyman, Brown, Marleau, Hainsey, Lindholm can do no wrong.. Johnsson, Kappy, Nylander, Dermot, Sparks and others look afraid to make mistakes).. c) his compulsive desire to line match, and then being out played at that game by other coaches, and d) ice time allocation amongst players... I don't think Matthews is even in the top 40 for centremen icetime per game across the league??
I became a fan of Babs when he took a bottom placed sqaud, dressed like 9 rookies the next year, let them play to their strengths, and took him to the playoffs.. now?? I don't know, but if the leafs bow out in the 1st round again this year I expect Babcock to have his feet held to the fire.. not suggesting he gets fired, but he needs to stop offloading all the responsibility onto his players, show he can adapt pre game and in game, , and be held held accountable for the outcome..