I wonder if there's a real perception out there that the Toronto market is problematic for the players. I know we talk about it around here, but I wonder if it actually exists as a deterrent for signing players. I'm of the opinion that if the team sucks, it makes the environment suck. The way Babcock uses it, it's almost like he's attributing it to something outside of the talent level or team record.
I don't think so. I think what Babcock is saying is addressing the perception you're talking about rather than the reality of it. I think there are some players who, if given the choice between playing for a terrible Leafs team and, say, a terrible Carolina team might choose Carolina because at least then they don't have the added burden of the media pressure.
But I think what some people have misinterpreted that to mean is that the media pressure in Toronto is bad no matter what and that people will choose signing with a pretty good Carolina team over a pretty good Toronto team or a great Carolina team over a great Toronto team.
To me Babcock's comments were more in the vein of what you're saying. Along the lines of "Toronto's media will make it hard to build through free agency because nobody wants to sign up for the media pressure
and losing. So the key to making this place attractive to free agents, to make the "environment" better is to win."
