Toronto Maple Leafs: No need to worry about Babcock and Matthews

Last week, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos claimed Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock lost Auston Matthews, but his comments are much ado about nothing.

On Monday, Sportsnet‘s Nick Kypreos claimed he was surprised his comments regarding Mike Babcock and Auston Matthews touched a nerve with Toronto Maple Leafs fans. In truth, the only surprise is that Kypreos would be caught off guard by the reaction.

Recently, there have been rumours of a rift between the Leafs coach and his star player. This speculation was magnified, in large part due to Matthews looking visibly upset on the bench towards the end of the Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins.

The two-time NHL All-Star didn’t have the expected impact on the seven-game series with the Bruins. By the same token, there is some belief Babcock is not using him properly.

Before we get into this, let’s consider the comments Kypreos made last week, while appearing on 590 The Fan. As per Sportsnet, he said:

"“There has to be a strong bond between a coach and his best players. There has to be a trust…Babcock lost Matthews.”"

In reality, it’s the final comment which most people focused on. Unsurprising really, as saying a coach has lost his star player is quite a claim.

It’s the kind of comment which fans are going to latch onto, especially in the hockey-crazed city of Toronto. Kypreos knew full well what the reaction would be from the fan base.

How could he not? The 51-year old was born in Toronto and played the last season of his NHL career with the Leafs.

Just to stress, there is nothing wrong with Kypreos sharing his opinion, which he’s entitled to. Just don’t claim to be surprised by the reaction to such a standout comment.

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There has been criticism of the former winger’s words, with some fans asking why they should value the opinion of someone who was just a role player. However, the irony here is that those same fans who want to dismiss him have never played in the NHL themselves.

Kypreos expanded on his earlier comments, in his article on Monday. He referred to how a hockey player’s body language is telling in respect of any frustration.

However, the one-time Stanley Cup winner did add that it’s a two-way street, which includes the coach. Matthews never got his game back in the playoffs, while Babcock failed to get the most out of him.

Kypreos also stressed that, to his knowledge, there is no rift between the coach and his star player. But he did counter by saying the incident isn’t fake news either.

So what are we to make of all this? From an official standpoint, both Babcock and Matthews insist there is no issue, but that’s exactly what you would expect them to say.

Really, it was Babcock’s comment about the 2016 first overall draft pick being pissed, which is key. As the coach said, his star centre should be pissed, along with the rest of the roster.

Really, there would be more concern if Matthews wasn’t annoyed. Game 7 was slipping away and he wanted more time on the ice.

Sometimes, people seem to forget the youngster is only 20 and has just completed his second season in the NHL. Regardless of how supremely talented he may be, he’s still learning.

In that respect, Babcock is also still learning how best to use Matthews. They both have a long way to go, which should be encouraging, given how much they’ve already accomplished together.

Overall, there is no reason to worry about the duo. It’s just that hype, speculation and criticism among fans and media alike is always going to be prevalent, when it comes to anything associated with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Next: Time for Kyle Dubas to make his mark

What’s your take on the storyline involving Babcock and Matthews. Is it something for Toronto Maple Leafs fans to be worried about, or is it essentially a storm in a teacup? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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