Mike Babcock left the Detroit Red Wings in 2015 after 10 years behind the bench and a Stanley Cup win in 2008 to take over what was at the time a rebuilding Toronto Maple Leafs squad. He was given the richest coaching contract in NHL history, and was seen as the right candidate that would eventually lead Toronto to their first Stanley Cup win since 1967.
The Leafs are now stacked with elite talent with the likes of John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, but three consecutive first-round playoff losses and some early season struggles have led to grumblings that Babcock is wearing out his welcome in Toronto.
http://gty.im/1144689440
He’s earned plenty of criticism from fans and media members alike for his handling of the roster, not dissimilar to puzzling moves he made with Detroit – such as being one of the driving forces as to why Dan Cleary managed to hang around for so long.
While appearing on the Leafs Lunch show, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said he believes that the Leafs (led by president and former Red Wing Brendan Shanahan) could consider a coaching change.
“It’s early for that (putting all of the blame on Babcock), but I can see it happening at some point this season. This is too important a year for the Maple Leafs as an organization. They won’t dump Babcock and replace him with anyone other than Sheldon Keffe”
.
“If at some point they feel they gotta do something to salvage this, then, they’re going to do it, I don’t have any doubt in my mind.”
“If things don’t turn around and the Maple Leafs are stumbling and rumbling after 20 games, what choice do they have?”
It would certainly be a monumental shakeup.
