Marlies triumph ‘a good sign’ for Leafs
TORONTO Mike Babcock couldn’t help but ponder the big picture as he watched the Toronto Marlies win the Calder Cup on Thursday night.
“I’m a big believer that it’s really hard to win at any level, any championship, but I am also a big believer that once you learn how to win, you have a better chance to win again,” the Maple Leafs coach said during a phone interview with Postmedia on Friday.
“So I think that’s a good sign for all of us. I’m ecstatic for the players. I’m more ecstatic for (general manager) Kyle (Dubas) and for Keefer (Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe).”
Babcock viewed Game 7, a dominating 6-1 Marlies win against the Texas Stars, from a private suite with other members of the Leafs front office, taking notes throughout. For Babcock, the Marlies’ first American Hockey League championship serves as another step in the Leafs’ goal to win the Stanley Cup.
Any number of Marlies could step into the Leafs’ lineup next season. Andreas Johnsson has a spot locked up months in advance of training camp, while Travis Dermott should be in a similar spot on the blue line. Babcock also mentioned forwards Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Moore and defenceman Calle Rosen as Marlies who impressed, but it’s the overall depth that exists in the organization that is among the factors that have Babcock upbeat.
“Every year you go to camp and there are guys on your team you know are going to be on your team, but there are other guys who are going to be competition for jobs,” Babcock said.
“These guys have to enjoy this, enjoy it with their family, be safe, take a couple of weeks off and then get to work. The better we get, the harder it is to play.
“I’m excited for these kids. They have worked hard, they have done a goodjob,andifyoutalktothem,they will tell you they are confident and feel good about themselves. That’s a wonderful thing and it’s a good sign for us. In the end, when you’re really good, you have too many players for the amount of spots. It’s when you know you have arrived in the National Hockey League.”
Crucial for Babcock was the dominating post-season performance of Johnsson, who was named the AHL playoff MVP after leading all players with 24 points in 16 games. This after Johnsson demonstrated he was capable in the NHL during a late-season stint with the Leafs that included six playoff games.
“Johnny is a player who has shown that he is ready for the next level,” Babcock said. “It’s so important to score at the level you’re at if you want to be a scorer before you move on and (he has) done that.
“What it shows you is that the time is right for him. It didn’t hurt him to play for us at all, to help him with his confidence. But I can’t emphasize this enough: When you get to the National Hockey League before you are ready, you lose your confidence and you don’t score.”
Babcock knows it’s on himself and his staff, as well as anyone in the organization who influences player development, to ensure that the benefits from the Marlies championship are seen through. “You need tons of depth to have success at playoff time in the NHL and the teams that have one line might win a round, but they’re not going to win a championship.