What Can Mike Babcock Do?

By Alex Hobson

After a 2014-15 season most Leafs fans would like to forget, Brendan Shanahan wasted no time cleaning house, including firing GM Dave Nonis, head coach Peter Horachek, assistant coach Steve Spott, and over 20 scouts. They recently fired Marlies assistant coach Derek King as well, and are planning to demote current marlies head coach Gord Dineen. After Shanahan finished firing the majority of his management, there was tons of speculation as to who might take over as GM and head coach. One name kept circulating around the media, dating back to 2014, and that name was Mike Babcock. Mike Babcock had coached the Detroit Red Wings dating back to 2005, and he has earned the repuatation of arguably the best coach in the NHL. He has a current coaching record of 527-285-119, and he has coached Team Canada at the Olympics in 2010 and 2014, and he has a real knack for developing prospects and young players, and also pushing players to play at their highest potential. Anyways, back to the story. There were several teams in the race for Mike Babcock, nicknamed the Babwatch, and these teams included the Leafs, Sabres, Oilers, Flyers, Sharks, Blues, and his own Detroit Red Wings. Just last week, several analysts were tweeting about the Babwatch, stating that the Leafs had supposedly backed out. They had plenty of other head coaches in mind, such as Guy Boucher, Sheldon Keefe, Peter DeBoer, and others, so this wasn't a big deal. But then on Tuesday, May 19th, the Leafs were said to be back in the race with the Sabres and the Red Wings as the Sabres, and then an announcement was made that excited Leafs fans around the world. Mike Babcock had been named the 30th Leafs head coach in franchise history.

 Finally, we have it. A good solid coach that understands every aspect of the game, knows how to work with youngsters as well as veterans, and pushes players to their full potential. So what does this mean for the future?
Babcock appeared in a press conference at ACC on Thursday, and he stated that he loves winning, and has a burning desire to win. But he's prepared for the rebuild and understands that lots on pain is coming. Babcock will work with our youngsters trying to maintain a spot on the roster next years, including players such as Stuart Percy, Josh Leivo, William Nylander, and Connor Brown, etc. and he will also try to push players who have been in slumps, and try to help them reach their full potential. Who are we talking about when we say players in slumps? These two players are Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel.


First, let's talk about Dion Phaneuf. Every Leafs fan misses the 2010-11 Dion Phaneuf. The hard hitting, shooting, tough defenseman that every team hated to play against. Phaneuf has seemed to have slacked off and his point production has gone down significantly. When Mike Babcock was in hired, it was stated that he would get to have a say in all signings, trades, draft picks, etc that the team had. Babcock is a big fan of Dion, which is why the Leafs attemtpted to deal him to Detroit at the deadline, so if Babcock is going to be our head coach, then you might not see Dion shipped off to another team in the offseason like the media claimed he would be. Babcock likes Phaneuf and if he can whip Phaneuf back into shape, he could be a very good defenseman coming into next season. Like I said, Babcock knows how to handle slacking and he's very good at what he does.

Second, let's talk about Phil Kessel. There's no doubt that Kessel is a dynamic player. He doesn't have a number one centre to play beside, never has, and he has still managed to stay in the top 3 when it comes to point producing in the last 5 years. This past season he had an awful campaign, recording just over 60 points compared to the 80+ points we usually see from Phil. However, last season people questioned Kessel's conditioning level and his true dedication to the team. He has earned the reputation of a floater, so here's my take. The way I see it, Phil will likely be given one last chance to redeem himself, and Babcock will face another challenge, and if Phil is still giving off the vibe that he isn't trying out there or doesn't seem to care, then expect him to be dealt to another team midway through the season. Babcock is intolerant of prima-donnas and he will surely not stand for Kessel's production if he shows no heart.

In conclusion, I honestly believe Mike Babcock is a great start to this rebuild, and I think having a great coach that understands players and has lots of experience is a great idea. He will be a gem in this organizaiton for years to come, and if he can bring a cup back to Toronto within the next 8 years, he will be regarded as the best head coach in history.

What's your take on Babcock Leafs fans? Let me know in the comments or be sure to leave feedback on the post.