from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

The tightrope walk for Mike Babcock as coach of the Maple Leafs has already begun.

He is metaphorically wobbling as training camp is about to begin, trying to remain stable with a new coaching staff around him, trying to remain balanced with so many comfort zone players removed from his roster, trying to focus on his team and its goals with full knowledge there is a front office split of sorts on his present and his future.

There isn’t consensus around the Leafs that Babcock should still be the coach. Publicly, they will smile, the way general manager Kyle Dubas smiled the other day, saying he tripped over his words at the end of last season when not being certain about Babcock’s return, but the fact of the matter is not so definitive.

Management wants to see a different Babcock this coming season. He knows that. He’s had to adjust before. He’s had to grow on the job before. He’s capable of doing that so long as he defeats his long-time penchant for stubbornness along the way.

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