I don’t get how the flip flopping isn’t a bigger talking point.
Kyle Dubas on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ team identity: “I would say it is still in formation… We are aiming towards is a team built on speed, talent, and creativity but also tenaciousness when we don’t have the puck”
Biggest acquisitions are: Tavares, Muzzin, Foligno, O’Rielly, McCabe, Brodie. Where is the speed talent and creativity in that list? We got slower every single year trying to bring in defensively minded veteran gritgrinders. Barrie was the closest thing to speed and skill he got and the coach didn’t let him do the only thing he’s elite at in skating with the puck.
We were advertised a high intensity speed game and ended up with a team built to appease talking heads on Sportsnet saying they needed veteran grinders that know how to win. I don’t mind the physical grinding game but if you’re going to do it you need to commit to it instead of having a foot on two trains moving in opposite directions and half assing both approaches. We ended up playing a slow east west possession game that didn’t leverage our speed when we had it and neutered the gritty players we got when we lost the speed.