Lou Lamoriello is an impatient general manager. Mike Babcock can lose his patience with losing.

That's a volatile combination for a Maple Leafs team that is going to require patience more than anything while it struggles with new personnel, new structures and a new franchise philosophy.

Breakaway had a conversation with Lamoriello on Wednesday to find out what the general manager thinks of what he's seen so far, and what he thinks the future holds.

We won't bury Lamoriello's key message: "We have to be realistic, not idealistic, and make sure whatever decisions are made are made for the right reasons of the total picture. The big picture. I don't think you'll see us get off course no matter what."

Here's an edited version of the interview:

Breakaway: What do you think of the team you see in front of you?

Lou Lamoriello: First of all, from the positive side is the effort that has been given each and every night. The other night (vs Arizona) was out of the ordinary. The consistency that's been there from what the players have given and what Mike has asked is to me going to be the foundation going forward. What happens in these things is you have to get used to doing it every night, doing it all the time, and doing it right. You're going to go through sometimes what we went through the other night. We have to respond to that.

Breakaway: Do you think roster is capable of winning more games than they're going to lose?

Lamoriello: If you look over the games we played thus far, a better fate could have come about. I don't believe in 'should have' and 'could have' but the effort was there. The opportunity to win was there. Each and every night you can look for what didn't go right or what did go right. There's certainly a lot of areas of improvement. But to answer your question, yes, I do think we're capable of winning. We have to get everybody playing at the level they're capable of playing.

Breakaway: We're seeing success with 19- and 20-year-olds across the league with different teams. The plan as laid out is you're not going to call up your prospects until you think they're absolutely ready. But what do you think the chances are this season that some of your higher-end prospects under 21 will be with the Leafs?

Lamoriello: I won't be surprised if they are. What has been said consistently is that they will determine really when they're ready by how they're playing on a consistent basis. And twofold, it's us knowing who we have here. Who will be a part of the big picture. Remember, most of us are new in this area, the coaching staff and myself. We have to give an opportunity for people to see who they are and then that comes together as far as being ready. Primarily it's them having success where they're at right now. There is no question in my mind that there are between five and seven players at the Marlies who will be playing in the NHL in the near future.

Breakaway: Usually, one win in October and this city goes crazy. There'd be calls for change, or firings. That's not happening on the streets. But how patient are you going to be as the general manager of the team if the losses continue to pile up?

Lamoriello: There's been a plan, there's been a process. You're dealing with a couple of impatient people here in personality and history. I don't want to get into that. But I think we have to be realistic, not idealistic, and make sure whatever decisions are made are made for the right reasons of the total picture. The big picture. I don't think you'll see us get off course no matter what.

Breakaway: Quick word on second-round pick Jeremy Bracco leaving Boston College for the PHL Kitchener Rangers. Your thoughts on him developing in the OHL rather than college? What are the reasons, and were you guys involved in the decision?

Lamoriello: We weren't involved in that. That was a decision he made on his own. I've always said that college isn't for every player and junior isn't for every player. Nor is every player for college or is every player for junior. That's a decision they made. I was surprised to be perfectly honest. He was in an excellent program at Boston College, an outstanding coach (Jerry York), a program that put a lot of NHL players in here. I don't really know everything about it. I have spoken to the coach of Boston College, he was surprised at the decision just like I was.

Breakaway: The trade market usually takes a while to heat up. When do you think, league-wide, the trade market will get going?

Lamoriello: That's an interesting question. Every time I think something is going to happen, nothing happens. And when I think something won't happen, it will. You never know. I don't think if you go over history you could ever pinpoint when. It has to do with so many variables, with how teams are going, needs, and abilities. It's more and more difficult each year to make trades because of the present system, the cap system. The teams at the cap. But put that aside. If there's an opportunity for the Toronto Maple Leafs to get better through whatever transaction might take place, it's not going to matter what time of the year, when and how. That will be done. But you know as much as I do about when that will happen.

Breakaway: Nathan Horton has gone on long-term injury reserve. What about Stephane Robidas? Is he going on long-term injury reserve? Are we going to see him again? Is he even in Toronto?

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Lamoriello: He is not in Toronto today (Wednesday). He had been working out. He's still bothered by several injuries, what he had last year, and then strain in different areas. He trained very hard. You don't know to what involvement the strain is in different areas. He went through training camp. We all saw him. Things are acting up.

He will be back here this weekend. We told him to go home for weeks to see where he is at. It would not surprise me if at some point he went on long-term injury depending on what his status is. At the present time, that is not the decision.

GOT A QUESTION? Email me at askkevinmcgran@gmail.com and I'll answer it in Friday's mailbag.