So Shanahan cleans house...

[Dythbringer]

I'm optimistic that within 4 or 5 years the Leafs will be a different organization that is competing in the playoffs. IMO, it is irrelevant that Shanahan doesn't have experience - he knows what it takes to win as he's won at every level. All he has to do is look around for examples of WHAT NOT TO DO - lot of screwups made by so called, highly paid 'best in the business' executives. (he should have a picture of David Clarkson in his office )

Just follow these very simple lessons - don't fall in love with your players, don't overpay, be very careful with the length of term and develop your new talent. And like he made clear during the press conference - BE PATIENT!

Wahoo,

I understand what you are saying but simply excelling at every level you played a sport at doesn't make a good executive. If that were the case the Phoenix Coyotes would have won a lot of games with Gretzky as the coach. Don't get me wrong, Shanahan was a stud when he played (one of the reasons I always picked him in my hockey pools) but being President of a hockey team requires a different set of skills and experience. Most Presidents have had experience running a successful business (and an education in business) as their responsibilities are totally different than a coach or GM (who run the day to day affairs of the team). Most of your points which you say Shanahan needs to adhere to are the responsibilities of the GM.

Let's look at Shanahan's most recent move. He fired Nonis, the coaching staff, the director of scouting and the director of player development and has stated he hopes to have a GM in place by the draft but he isn't going to be bound by deadlines. Now you are going to rebuild your team with one of the deeper draft pools coming up (I have heard it may rival 2003's depth) and you say don't feel bound by deadlines? I think he should have had a new GM ready to go because the new GM rebuilding a team will want to hire his own coaching staff, director of scouting and director of player development and getting those pieces in place takes time and you are just over 2 months from the draft.

[Oddmott]

Chiarelli just got canned by Boston. So, there's pretty much the best young GM in the league available. Leafs can afford to pay him triple what anyone else could.

But, as a Sens fan... i sure hope Ottawa can lure Chiarelli back to the fold and force Bryan Murray to retire before he dies.

[BIG MAC]

As good as Chiarelli is he has made his share of mistakes in a Salary Cap world. The best bet is to Hire Babcock as your GM and then Step out of the way and let him put the rest of the puzzle together, know he wanted to be the highest paid coach, make him the highest paid GM. He certainly knows a lot of the coaches in the league and right now one of the smarter men around the league. leafs can afford to pay top dollar for everyone they hire ( outside the players ) as it doesn't count towards the cap. You could see a half dozen coaches fired if they make an early exit from the playoffs. not sure you'd want all 6 of them but sure there would be 1 or 2 that should at least get a look.

[Oddmott]

Babcock has been the visible face of an extremely well-run organization. I'm sure he has learned and experienced plenty during his time with Detroit... but I'd never bet on his being experienced/knowledgeable enough to pull the Leafs out of the gutter and build them into a contender.

That is exactly what Chiarelli did with the Bruins. Took them from the basement of their division, and made them Stanley Cup Champions.

[Dythbringer]

Babcock has been the visible face of an extremely well-run organization. I'm sure he has learned and experienced plenty during his time with Detroit... but I'd never bet on his being experienced/knowledgeable enough to pull the Leafs out of the gutter and build them into a contender.

That is exactly what Chiarelli did with the Bruins. Took them from the basement of their division, and made them Stanley Cup Champions.

I agree with you Oddmott. However, I am not 100% convinced Chiarelli would be accepted as the Leafs GM. The fans of the Leafs are jaded and ignorant (lack of knowledge) about what it takes to build a solid contending team. To be fair, if my team ownership lived through Harold Ballard and then the OTPP years.

[Wahoo]

As good as Chiarelli is he has made his share of mistakes in a Salary Cap world. The best bet is to Hire Babcock as your GM and then Step out of the way and let him put the rest of the puzzle together, know he wanted to be the highest paid coach, make him the highest paid GM. He certainly knows a lot of the coaches in the league and right now one of the smarter men around the league. leafs can afford to pay top dollar for everyone they hire ( outside the players ) as it doesn't count towards the cap. You could see a half dozen coaches fired if they make an early exit from the playoffs. not sure you'd want all 6 of them but sure there would be 1 or 2 that should at least get a look.

Babcock as GM? He won't go near the Leafs. He'll re-sign with Detroit and watch what happens from there for a couple of years..

One thing that is very clear (with me anyways) is that Shanahan is running the show. Even if he hires a 'General Manager', it will be in name only. That individual will not have the autonomy of the title - the buck will stop with Shanahan.

With that said, things could change this weekend with the draft lottery picks!

[Mattones]

I would be shocked if Babcock or Chiarelli want to be apart of Toronto. The amount of negitive pressure put on by the fans and news agencies when they lose a game or two is more then any other team. Although if the money is there and you don't mind the constant abuse thrown at you every minute sure why not.

[Dythbringer]

So it seems Babcock is a part of the Leaf organization.

http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/...ight-year-deal

I am shocked. I thought he wouldn't have touched this train wreck with a 25 ft pole.

[Hunter John]

50 million over 8 years seems to have changed his mind.

[Oddmott]

I love this.

Already have every Leafs fan on my facebook crowing about the 2016 stanley cup being theirs. Conveniently forgetting that Babcock was just one single piece of a master machine that is the Redwings' organization.

Just as the oilers will destroy McDavid, so too will the Maple Leafs destroy Babcock.

Book it.