I agree team toughness is a thing with us. The toughest version we had seen in a long time was the first year of Rod which lacked skill but had good chemistry and the guys stood up for each other more than being actual tough. Every version since then has been more like it was in the pre Rod era. I think Rod wants some team toughness, he loves third pair guys who play that way. He played Ferland until he didn’t. He likes something about it but I agree there’s a line in there somewhere.
Everyone laughed when Mrazek over acted that time Thornton popped him in the face, but your teammates are supposed to lose their minds when that happens whether you dive or not …not stand there and say “well he didn’t really get hit hard so we don’t have to do anything”. It felt like Mrazek did it to spark the guys and get everyone going and it was just…..nah. They even joked about it the next day which was a good way to get past it, but it showed us something. Last night the same thing happens and Slavin kinda started, but overall the same tepid response followed until Patches comes flying in with the standard across the league kind of response. Great to see, and showed that we don’t have the fire that way really. When Nino left and hinted something was missing, I think it was in this direction. Not fighting really, just a team toughness. Mentally and physically. All it takes is a guy or two to lead the way and others will follow. Don’t know that I expected that, or will continue to expect that from Patches but if he sees that as what we’re lacking and takes it upon himself to change the attitude I’ll like him even more. We’re already seeing the effect of someone who gets the idea of just shooting at the net hard even when it’s not the perfect angle or someone maybe being in the way. He’s a good addition, but we need that long term and I don’t know that he is. We’re going to lowball him.
We’re still a very good team, and it was an afternoon game against a crap team. I don’t think we’re good at that. Moving on.
ps……and I put this in wrong thread too!