That's an expensive firing. Babs was owed a lot of money per year to coach. It seems like they listen to the fans too much in Toronto. Their team will never get it right doing that.
According to an article I read on the Canadian Yahoo portal, there was thought of releving him his duties over the summer. While it is expensive to pay a 6 million to not coach the team annually, it was probably foolish to give Babcock that contract in first place. Dubas wasn't GM though so you can't link that contract directly to him.
Bab's is the 'best' coach money can buy and he wasn't getting results. Toronto isn't going to be able to make a trade that is suddenly going to reverse course in season until at least the trade deadline. Thus the coach is the most flexible piece to jettison since he doesn't count against the cap. Toronto isn't cashed strapped and it won't effect their cash flow next season against the cap. The division standings also dictated the change. While everyone in that division is within a couple points of each other, except the Bruins, it still gives Keefe plenty of chance to make a run on nearly equal footing. Keefe is Dubas' guy and he's said as much.
But on another hand, this serves as notice for lots of other coaches, namely Jeff Blashill of my Wings. I know he sweats it that we keep losing. He seems to be safe though, under the auspices of a team in full rebuild mode. The team is not making it very attractive to other coaches with the way they've been playing, anyway.
Firing Blashill would be dumb. The Red Wings aren't going to sniff the playoffs this year or next. Let him play out his contract and worry about the net guy up then.
That said, I don't imagine Babs will be on the market for very long. This firing may cause a chain reaction of fires and hires at the coaches position.
I don't honestly think there will be a chain reaction. I think there are two clubs right now that could possibly get canned before the end of the season and an outside chance of a third that might consider Babcock. In order from top down: Nashville, San Jose, Calgary. The first two because their cup window is closing and Calgary as a bit of a knee jerk reaction to how poorly they have been playing in the last month. Nashville though is leaps and bounds above the other two.
They won with the new coach last night. It could be a step in the right direction. Babcock is/was not an offensive minded coach. There's too much offensive talent on the Leafs that they shouldn't be held back by a offensive dunderhead. It appears the new guy will open it up a bit.
I expected them to win last night. Phoenix is a decent team this year, but Toronto should stomp them. They won, but not overwhelming fashion. Babcock never used his players to their best strengths. His defense has always been awful. While he still would have likely never made it out of the second round with what he had, focusing on the offense first probably would have extended his tenure. This version of the Leafs could easily be the equal of Caps 'Young Guns' from the last decade.