The NHL Redux: Bab-tism in Toronto

Mike Babcock's most passionate critic couldn't help but be impressed by this.

There's instruction to behold happening in Toronto, and for the misfit Maple Leafs, who, despite being devoid of special talent at every last position on the roster, have been built up into much more than just a "tough out" by their $50-million head coach.

Since a 4-0 defeat on Halloween at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins - a loss that would ensure they would have only one win to show for their first 10 games - the Maple Leafs have secured points in nine of 12 games. And in each loss they came up either a goal short, or saw their fate determined with a puck deposited into their empty net.

Toronto's run has directly coincided with James Reimer having seized the starter's role. But this turnaround, without question, is Babs' doing. He's the supreme ruler in complete control of a sovereign state, melding outcast characters and their skills into a specific, highly-organized structure, and in turn creating a product far greater than the sum of its parts.

His scheme isn't thrilling - it's working. But it's vulnerable. Because a glitch, slight deviation, or inaccuracy (say, an ill-timed mismanaged rebound in New York) results in severe consequence with the margin of error so slim.

This will change, and the system, too, when Toronto is ready to get where it wants to go.

Mike Yeo is in his fifth season as coach of the Minnesota Wild. He's seen his team steadily improve its record from season to season since working to implement his brand in the NHL.

But as he explains, once the foundation is set and an organization is in sync - from those at the top of the payroll hierarchy to those still toiling in the minor leagues - instruction takes on a more narrow focus and adapts to personnel.

"We all have ideas on how we want to play the game, how it should look. What the successful ones do is adjust their game to fit the group they have as well," Yeo told theScore earlier this season.

"The system that we're playing today is very different from the system that we played four years ago. And that's on both sides of the puck - how we attack, and how we play offensively, but also how we defend. In all areas of the ice, we tailored it, adjusting it to the group we had."

It goes without saying that the Maple Leafs are not at this evolutionary stage. And there isn't a case study more representative of that than Morgan Rielly.

The rover, whose skill set is closest to the special talent the Maple Leafs are currently without, is consciously being removed from situations where he's most likely to offer positive contributions to have him refine other areas of his game.

Rielly is a quarterback holding a clipboard, averaging 70 seconds per game with the man advantage, which ranks 12th among Toronto skaters.

"All you have to do is look at the stats. He should be on the power play," Babcock said earlier this month. "But we're trying to get him to learn how to play without the puck and focus on that totally. If we want him to be the best player he can be, we have to get him (better) without the puck first.

"The other stuff is natural for him, so it's no issue. Some people might say that doesn't make any sense, but it makes sense to me, and that's all that really matters."

This sort of counter-intuitiveness is something fans can stomach right now, in a moment on the Maple Leafs' timeline that promised pain. But not as likely if it becomes a rite of passage.

Toronto's impressive and extensive stable of top prospects, which includes the AHL's leading scorer in William Nylander and OHL scoring wiz Mitch Marner, cannot be held down much longer.

So when the time comes, will Babcock budge, and allow the future to help dictate direction? Or will these exciting prospects oozing potential merely continue shuffling forward in a fixed, straight line and cater themselves to the coach?

As of now, Toronto's rebirth has been more soothing than harrowing, even with Rielly logging twice as many minutes on the penalty kill as he is with a man up.

But the patrons will stir if the next wave is Babtized just the same.

THE TEN

10. Patrick Marleau: 1,000 points in the same uniform. Damn cool.

9. Dmitry Orlov: His first two goals this season were scored in consecutive games. One with deception, one with sheer force.

8. Bobby Ryan: Ryan shook off a hard hit from David Savard and extended his point streak to 10 games with three assists over two games this week.

7. Shayne Gostisbehere: He's seven games into his NHL career and far and away the most impressive defenseman on the Flyers. This overtime winner Monday night was a treat.

6. Rick Nash: The Blueshirt tripled his goal total over the last two games.

5. Craig Anderson: Two starts, 61 saves, and two shutouts. Not enough to unseat Martin Jones as the league's first star, though.

4. Brad Marchand: It was much more than a vintage week for Marchand, who, in addition to being a super pest, was an absolute force offensively, scoring five times in four games.

3. Dylan Larkin: Became the first Red Wings teenager since Steve Yzerman to score in four straight games.

2. San Jose Sharks: Still sizzling with a sixth straight win.

1. The Sedins: Wizard-like in three games this week, totaling 13 points - including Daniel's 900th.

THE TAKES

1. Where have all the shoddy teams gone?

It wasn't long ago now when being horrible was awfully trendy. Now there isn't an off night on the schedule. Over the last 10 days, the Oilers - currently last in the overall standings - gave the Kings, Blackhawks, and Capitals everything they could handle.

2. Brendan Gallagher breaking his fingers couldn't have possibly introduced another contentious issue to the NHL, could it?

Oh, yep, it has. Cool.

3. The "bye week" does sound like a pretty great idea ...

... but how long until coaches stack two-a-days before and after the scheduled vacation?

4. Ondrej Pavelec's injury could help the Jets.

Connor Hellebuyck, one of the top goaltending prospects in the game, is set to finally get his chance for a crease currently stopping less than 90 percent of its shots faced.

5. The Oilers must find a way to land Travis Hamonic.

Advantages, for the Oil, are few and far between.

6. Jakub Voracek is playing on the Flyers' third line.

His $66-million extension kicks in next season.

7. The Panthers have serious fight.

Florida met, and maybe surpassed, Los Angeles in terms of physicality in Monday's loss. The Panthers might be toiling a bit in the division, but they're always worth watching.

8. With the Red Wings setting the bar this low, the Blackhawks weren't about to have any trouble surpassing their opponent's Stadium Series jersey design.

... but they must be plum out of ideas.

9. Ovechkin is the only player with more shots than ...

... unkempt Sharks defenseman Brent Burns.

10. Patrick Kane is on pace for 124 points ...

... or 37 more than Jamie Benn's Art Ross Trophy-winning total last season.