HespelerGreenFlash
Registered User
- Dec 20, 2007
- 428
- 281
Are the Leafs gonna be tougher to play against?
- Thread starter HespelerGreenFlash
- Start date
-
Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
I think we’ll be a bit harder to play against. It ultimately comes down to the core wanting to be harder to play against for us to truly get tougher. That won’t happen though more likely than not
tuckerintensity
armed with will and determination
- Jul 16, 2022
- 334
- 424
That's a good question. I think so. I attribute that mostly to Domi and Bertuzzi. I just feel like they are going to be those arse hats that you loathe from other teams, but they are also skilled. Bunting was a douche in all the right ways, but he's nowhere near as skilled as Bertuzzi. I don't expect Domi to look too physical, but I think he'll be annoying to the opposing team, and he's skilled. For that alone, I think yes.
Reaves... meh. He's big and tough and fights, but whatever. We've had those guys and they've not made a difference. I do worry about being a little easier to play against defensively. Everyone who was talked to last year said how much tougher we were defensively. I assume a lot of that was the coach, but Klingberg, Bert, and Domi, probably don't make that better.
Reaves... meh. He's big and tough and fights, but whatever. We've had those guys and they've not made a difference. I do worry about being a little easier to play against defensively. Everyone who was talked to last year said how much tougher we were defensively. I assume a lot of that was the coach, but Klingberg, Bert, and Domi, probably don't make that better.
ACC1224
Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
- Aug 19, 2002
- 78,271
- 45,486
Easily tougher.
Bunting wasn't tough at all, never understood why people think yapping = tough.
Ianturnedbull
Registered User
- Jun 11, 2022
- 6,430
- 5,937
Leaf Rocket
Leaf Fan Till I Die
We are going to be more pain in the ass to play against.
However, defensively we’re going to suck more so it’s on the coaching staff to hopefully tell them to shape up.
However, defensively we’re going to suck more so it’s on the coaching staff to hopefully tell them to shape up.
Definitely missing Schenn on defense.
Buds17
Registered User
- Nov 29, 2015
- 8,590
- 3,623
ROR was a trade deadline addition and thus has no current comparable yet. I think all of Bertuzzi, Domi and Klingberg represent playoff upgrades over the likes of Bunting, Kerfoot and Holl. Therefore, this team should be tougher to play against when the stakes grow higher.
kevsh
Registered User
- Nov 28, 2018
- 3,885
- 5,503
No, not until the rest of the team play tougher instead of relying on the new guys.
After Columbus swept Tampa Bay it wasn't just adding guys like Coleman that made Tampa Bay champions it was a philosophy change starting with the top players. They added nasty to their high level of talent.
The next year Toronto got beat soundly by a weaker Columbus team and the answer was "Ok, we'll just bring in a tough guy or two and the rest of us just keep doing what we're doing." We've seen the result.
As long as the top players refuse to change their approach this team is destined for more playoff misery. And what's so sad was that the blueprint could not have been laid out more obviously, they simply refuse to do what it takes.
tldr; No, still not a tough team to play against.
After Columbus swept Tampa Bay it wasn't just adding guys like Coleman that made Tampa Bay champions it was a philosophy change starting with the top players. They added nasty to their high level of talent.
The next year Toronto got beat soundly by a weaker Columbus team and the answer was "Ok, we'll just bring in a tough guy or two and the rest of us just keep doing what we're doing." We've seen the result.
As long as the top players refuse to change their approach this team is destined for more playoff misery. And what's so sad was that the blueprint could not have been laid out more obviously, they simply refuse to do what it takes.
tldr; No, still not a tough team to play against.
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
That’s the one area I think we need more beef. Right now McCabe is the only one back there who’ll plant someone on their ass.
But he's not nearly as good at it as Schenn. Plus, Schenn seems willing to fight just about anyone in the league.
With him in the lineup, the entire opposing team suddenly gets a lot more respectful.
Last edited:
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
ROR, Schenn, Acciari all have a lot of grit. We lost our 3 most grittiest players imo. But Domi and Bertuzzi also have a lot of grit and Reaves can box. I think we're better offensively though and we're in a similar position in terms of toughness.
Maple Leaf
VIP
- Sep 18, 2009
- 10,190
- 5,423
This will be the story of the season. Defence has taken a step back, but puck possession with Rielly, Klingberg should be better and then Brodie, McCabe and even Liljegren are not liabilities defesinvley. It could work but it's the biggest unknown.
There will be more shenanigans after the whistle... but during the play, Domi and Bertuzzi don't hit, so you are relying on Reaves to make us tougher to play against.
They are after the Bertuzzi & Domi signings but the D needs serious upgrades to complete the entire picture.
Ideally something along the lines of:
Rielly Pesce
Zadorov Klingberg
McCabe -------------
Gio
Send Brodie, Liljegren, Timmins elsewhere.
Ideally something along the lines of:
Rielly Pesce
Zadorov Klingberg
McCabe -------------
Gio
Send Brodie, Liljegren, Timmins elsewhere.
That second pairing is bad. Zadorov has not done anything good since he hit Scheifele
The Iceman
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2007
- 5,343
- 4,065
Schenn's earnings have been
2016-$1.25
2017-$1.25
2018-$800K
2019-$750K-Won Cup
2020-$800K-Won Cup
2021-$850K
2022-$850K
Now as a 33 year old
2023-$2.75 million
2024-$2.75 million
2025 $2.75 million
He wins 2 Cups with TB and off a 12 game playoff run with TML over triples his annual salary with 3 years tagged to it as a 33 year old.
YES, Toronto is the centre of the hockey universe.
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
- 35,591
- 16,777
Depends. We have more offensive upside, but a lot less defensive upside. We also have Reaves, which really throws a wrinkle into what we can do with our lines. So how do we leverage the line with him on it, and how do we adjust if we are only running with 3 lines because of him?
So I guess we have the "potential" to be tougher to play against... But also the potential to be the easiest to play against since Babcock was coach.
So I guess we have the "potential" to be tougher to play against... But also the potential to be the easiest to play against since Babcock was coach.
Rants Mulliniks
Registered User
- Jun 22, 2008
- 23,167
- 6,215
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 83,060
- 61,967
What’s interesting about Domi and Bertuzzi (if healthy) is they’re both still in their 20s. When compared to Foligno, O’Reilly, Acciari, Thornton, Simmonds, Spezza, those guys were all at least in their 30s. So hopefully the energy level is just more competitive.
HockeyVirus
16/34/88/91/44 - Pathetic losers
- Nov 15, 2020
- 21,206
- 32,385
People forget about McCabe for some reason but he likes to lay hits and will drop the gloves. He has some grit. Gio is 75 years old but he has always been known for his grit.
Lafferty isn't a fighter but he is pesty. Fast and will battle hard along the boards. Knies is in the same mold will make life hard along the boards for folks.
I think we've been getting harder to play against for a few years now. These signings help that.
Lafferty isn't a fighter but he is pesty. Fast and will battle hard along the boards. Knies is in the same mold will make life hard along the boards for folks.
I think we've been getting harder to play against for a few years now. These signings help that.
