OT: Leafs Hire Mike Babcock as HC 8yr/50M

[Inevitable]

Are Leaf homers still hating on Tim Lieweke?

[BramptonYute]

Are Leaf homers still hating on Tim Lieweke?

Were leaf fans ever hating on TL? All he did was give the reigns to Shanahan. Not much to be mad about.

[Potential]

if I was a leafs fan I wouldn't get hyped for anything right now until they actually make noise. Same with the Raptors.. if we get a big name and a good coach I'm not getting hyped about anything until we actually get out of the first round.

[vaff87]

Don't be thick. He's easily one of the best coaches in hockey today.

I'm not saying he's not. It still doesn't make sense for the Leafs to hire him for 8 years in their current position.

You're wrong for a bunch of reasons. Whenever you have a chance to get the best coach and someone of his stature, you do it. Especially when the term or the money doesn't affects the cap. Great signing

He's really not that great. People here are comparing him to Gregg Popovich, which is absurd. The guy isn't in the same hemisphere as Scotty Bowman. But yes, he is good. He won 2 gold medals with ridiculously stacked Team Canada's. He went to two finals, winning one with Detroit. And he went on a complete fluke run to the finals thanks to JS Giguere turning into George Vezina. I have two very good friends who are Red Wings fans, I've known both my whole life, and both have been Wings fans the entire time. I feel they're honest in their assessments, and both say this was a ridiculous signing by the Leafs.

Also, I don't agree that paying a huge amount on a longgg deal for a top coach is always a good thing. The Leafs are not a good team right now, if things don't work out, they'll cheap out in the future. That's what Rogers did with the Jays. The Jays made one splash, it didn't work, and now Rogers aren't willing to spend anymore money. In 4 years time, if Babcock has failed, do you think the Leafs will be willing to pay another coach $6 mil a year when they're still on the hook for Babcock?

[Potential]

leaf haters mad the goat franchise got the best coach in the nhl loving the tears tbh

are they really the goat franchise if they've never won a championship in a league with more than 6 teams?

[OakleyDokely]

Are Leaf homers still hating on Tim Lieweke?

Were leaf fans ever hating on TL? All he did was give the reigns to Shanahan. Not much to be mad about.

A lot were. Some thought he spent too much time on Raptors/TFC.

[youngtea]

I'm not saying he's not. It still doesn't make sense for the Leafs to hire him for 8 years in their current position.

You're wrong for a bunch of reasons. Whenever you have a chance to get the best coach and someone of his stature, you do it. Especially when the term or the money doesn't affects the cap. Great signing

He's really not that great. People here are comparing him to Gregg Popovich, which is absurd. The guy isn't in the same hemisphere as Scotty Bowman. But yes, he is good. He won 2 gold medals with ridiculously stacked Team Canada's. He went to two finals, winning one with Detroit. And he went on a complete fluke run to the finals thanks to JS Giguere turning into George Vezina. I have two very good friends who are Red Wings fans, I've known both my whole life, and both have been Wings fans the entire time. I feel they're honest in their assessments, and both say this was a ridiculous signing by the Leafs.

Also, I don't agree that paying a huge amount on a longgg deal for a top coach is always a good thing. The Leafs are not a good team right now, if things don't work out, they'll cheap out in the future. That's what Rogers did with the Jays. The Jays made one splash, it didn't work, and now Rogers aren't willing to spend anymore money. In 4 years time, if Babcock has failed, do you think the Leafs will be willing to pay another coach $6 mil a year when they're still on the hook for Babcock?

Bluejays are a completely different case. Bluejays at best break even in terms of profits, while the leafs are profitable every year. In reality one playoff season for the leafs results in huge profits, so hire a good coach for 8 years and hope he gets you in the playoffs after 4-5 years should pay off in itself.

[kidr1211]

leaf haters mad the goat franchise got the best coach in the nhl loving the tears tbh

are they really the goat franchise if they've never won a championship in a league with more than 6 teams?

Dont care we're still the goat and most valuable franchise

[Inevitable]

Are Leaf homers still hating on Tim Lieweke?

Were leaf fans ever hating on TL? All he did was give the reigns to Shanahan. Not much to be mad about.

A lot were. Some thought he spent too much time on Raptors/TFC.

He was constantly ridiculed for the parade remarks too.

[vaff87]

leaf haters mad the goat franchise got the best coach in the nhl loving the tears tbh

are they really the goat franchise if they've never won a championship in a league with more than 6 teams?

Nobody with any semblance of objectivity thinks they're the GOAT franchise.

[kidr1211]

leaf haters mad the goat franchise got the best coach in the nhl loving the tears tbh

are they really the goat franchise if they've never won a championship in a league with more than 6 teams?

Nobody with any semblance of objectivity thinks they're the GOAT franchise.

It's clear you're a leafs hater tho idc what you have to say

[Potential]

are they really the goat franchise if they've never won a championship in a league with more than 6 teams?

Nobody with any semblance of objectivity thinks they're the GOAT franchise.

It's clear you're a leafs hater tho idc what you have to say

leafs are trash and will forever be trash just accept it

[Steven1562]

I'm not saying he's not. It still doesn't make sense for the Leafs to hire him for 8 years in their current position.

You're wrong for a bunch of reasons. Whenever you have a chance to get the best coach and someone of his stature, you do it. Especially when the term or the money doesn't affects the cap. Great signing

He's really not that great. People here are comparing him to Gregg Popovich, which is absurd. The guy isn't in the same hemisphere as Scotty Bowman. But yes, he is good. He won 2 gold medals with ridiculously stacked Team Canada's. He went to two finals, winning one with Detroit. And he went on a complete fluke run to the finals thanks to JS Giguere turning into George Vezina. I have two very good friends who are Red Wings fans, I've known both my whole life, and both have been Wings fans the entire time. I feel they're honest in their assessments, and both say this was a ridiculous signing by the Leafs.

Also, I don't agree that paying a huge amount on a longgg deal for a top coach is always a good thing. The Leafs are not a good team right now, if things don't work out, they'll cheap out in the future. That's what Rogers did with the Jays. The Jays made one splash, it didn't work, and now Rogers aren't willing to spend anymore money. In 4 years time, if Babcock has failed, do you think the Leafs will be willing to pay another coach $6 mil a year when they're still on the hook for Babcock?

I'm sorry cheap out in the future ??? come on it's not the Blue Jays for christ sakes that can barely fill the skydome. Even when the leafs were last in the league they still sold out every night. They have the money to spend so let them.

[youngtea]

Nobody with any semblance of objectivity thinks they're the GOAT franchise.

It's clear you're a leafs hater tho idc what you have to say

leafs are trash and will forever be trash just accept it

lol Leafs don't have it as bad as the Red Sox did before they won it. They'll be fine if they can tank correctly and get a star or two out of it. It seems like everyone in the organization is ready to tank so give it 5 years and reevaluate.

[Wo1verine]

Wow, that's a lot of money for an NHL coach.

Not surprising he took the $50M but that career coaching record the next couple years is going to take a beating

[vaff87]

are they really the goat franchise if they've never won a championship in a league with more than 6 teams?

Nobody with any semblance of objectivity thinks they're the GOAT franchise.

It's clear you're a leafs hater tho idc what you have to say

Sorry if you don't like reality.

Mike Babcock IS overrated. And a team that has 11 Stanley Cups less than another franchise, and has not only not won one since the league expanded past 6 teams almost 50 FREAKING YEARS AGO, but hasn't even reached the Finals in that span, is nowhere close to the GOAT franchise.

[s e n s i]

I'm not saying he's not. It still doesn't make sense for the Leafs to hire him for 8 years in their current position.

You're wrong for a bunch of reasons. Whenever you have a chance to get the best coach and someone of his stature, you do it. Especially when the term or the money doesn't affects the cap. Great signing

He's really not that great. People here are comparing him to Gregg Popovich, which is absurd. The guy isn't in the same hemisphere as Scotty Bowman. But yes, he is good. He won 2 gold medals with ridiculously stacked Team Canada's. He went to two finals, winning one with Detroit. And he went on a complete fluke run to the finals thanks to JS Giguere turning into George Vezina. I have two very good friends who are Red Wings fans, I've known both my whole life, and both have been Wings fans the entire time. I feel they're honest in their assessments, and both say this was a ridiculous signing by the Leafs.

Also, I don't agree that paying a huge amount on a longgg deal for a top coach is always a good thing. The Leafs are not a good team right now, if things don't work out, they'll cheap out in the future. That's what Rogers did with the Jays. The Jays made one splash, it didn't work, and now Rogers aren't willing to spend anymore money. In 4 years time, if Babcock has failed, do you think the Leafs will be willing to pay another coach $6 mil a year when they're still on the hook for Babcock?

you can't compare rogers as an owner in a league with no salary cap where the baseball team (that lost money last season) is not their primary line of business to MLSE where the leafs (most valuable and one of the most profitable franchises in the NHL) are their flagship enterprise. i'm sure most jays fans would kill to have MLSE own the jays instead of rogers and spend whatever they can to win.

and the leafs have had no problem paying people to stay home (wilson, carlyle) in the past. it doesn't seem to matter to them. again money has no relevance in this either, MLSE has shelled out for the best executive available (leiweke), the reigning executive of the year in the NBA (ujiri) and the best coach in hockey (babcock). what's not to like about this? they could have spent $2 billion on babcock, why should leafs fans care, it's not their money and doesn't effect the ability to sign players -- if anything it'll be easier to recruit better players down the line when they get out of cap hell.

i'm sure bringing in the best coach in the sport outweighs any completely hypothetical concern about MLSE not paying top dollar for a coach 6 years from now...

[kidr1211]

Nobody with any semblance of objectivity thinks they're the GOAT franchise.

It's clear you're a leafs hater tho idc what you have to say

Sorry if you don't like reality.

Mike Babcock IS overrated. And a team that has 13 Stanley Cups less than another franchise, and has not only not won one since the
league expanded past 6 teams almost 50 FREAKING YEARS AGO, but hasn't even reached the Finals in that span, is nowhere close to the GOAT franchise.

still the goat franchise wipe those salty tears off your face

[dacrusha]

Babcock rode the success of excellent Detroit scouting and upper management that was already put in place in the 80s. When he took over the Wings, they were coming off of 3 cups in 6 years under Scotty Bowman. Even so, with multiple Hall-of-Famers and All-Stars at his disposal, he only managed one cup over the next 10 seasons in Detroit.

It'll be interesting to see what he does with an AHL-level Leafs roster.

My guess is that fans will start calling for his head by his third season.

[Wo1verine]

TSN is so much better with coverage!

Who the hell wants to listen to guys like John Shannon, Matt Barnaby, etc.