New Jersey Devils: Three Head Coaches To Avoid At All Costs

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 04: Alain Nasreddine, head coach of the New Jersey Devils works the game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Prudential Center on January 04, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 04: Alain Nasreddine, head coach of the New Jersey Devils works the game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Prudential Center on January 04, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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New Jersey Devils Alain Nasreddine
(Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs were underperforming as much as any team in the league before they made the decision to fire Mike Babcock. This team is loaded with multiple stars. With players like Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, and Frederik Andersen making up their core, they should be elite. Most general managers in the league would trade their cores for that one. Especially if you ignore the money they make.

Babcock has been a very successful coach in the NHL. He has won Olympic Gold Medals and a Stanley Cup. Beyond those years, he has had some underperforming teams. He gets his players to work hard and play defense. Of course, that is a good thing but it would fit better for a team that doesn’t have the firepower that the Devils have. The things that Maple Leafs fans complained about the most with him are the exact same things that Devils fans said about John Hynes. Since the firing of Babcock, the Maple Leafs have been on fire. They are 8-1-1 in their last ten games.

There are also stories out there about the way Babcock is away from the rink. He doesn’t treat people with respect no matter where they rank in the organization. There is reason to fear that if the Devils hired him it would do way more harm than good to the development of the young players. Obviously, can’t miss guys like Auston Matthews, Nico Hischier, and Jack Hughes are going to still be good, but you can always get more by putting them in a position to succeed. It doesn’t seem that Babcock fits that bill for New Jersey.