Lack of Killer Instinct

[rumman]

I think Matthews was quite physical in the games we were winning in but faded away more and more as the collapse became apparent. But if any one is still watching Tampa Bay, each and every one of their forwards was laying a big hit on Montreal after they got a 3-1 lead yesterday. Meaning the problem isn't how much hitting we get from Matthews, but hitting needs to be mandatory from everyone if you hope to really beat up on an opponent and strangle the momentum. No killer instinct.

ALL goid points, but come on no way AM was even close to being the most physical Leaf, that narrative is complete bs.

 

[Stephen]

ALL goid points, but come on no way AM was even close to being the most physical Leaf, that narrative is complete bs.

He may have thrown the most hits in one of the games or some of the series which may have been confused as being the most physical. He definitely blew up some guys here and there. Again, with a real team effort where guys like Marner aren't excused from basic chores you can take Matthews level of physicality and work with it.

 

[Stephen]

Rielly one of the leaders of this team - April 2020
"It's important that we use this downtime to really take a look in the mirror. As players, we all have to be better," he told TSN on Thursday.
He added: "When hockey does resume, I think we know that we have to be better and we have to be more consistent. And I think that this time is important for the players to really think about that and know what's at stake."

Rielly after this year's debacle:
"If you could go back and change things, we all would. But when we were talking to each other before games, I truly thought that we were up to the challenge. Maybe it's a good opportunity for us to look at ourselves in the mirror, ask if that was really the case"

Nothing changes. Muzzin has called the team out a few times too

You can tell Muzzin is so disappointed with the group.

 

[rumman]

He may have thrown the most hits in one of the games or some of the series which may have been confused as being the most physical. He definitely blew up some guys here and there. Again, with a real team effort where guys like Marner aren't excused from basic chores you can take Matthews level of physicality and work with it.

Shouldn’t stand out as anything special, on teams like Tampa it’s the rule not the exception.

 

[Stephen]

Shouldn’t stand out as anything special, on teams like Tampa it’s the rule not the exception.

Exactly.

 

[ShaneFalco]

You can tell Muzzin is so disappointed with the group.

Who can blame him? He's one guy who ramps it up for the playoffs. Doesn't just talk about doing it.
How many times do we have to hear they're easy to play against? Their own players say it. Foligno in last year's playoffs basically said they're easy. Their solution - bring in aging vets

 

[keonsbitterness]

What I see is a lot of zero’s

 

[Mess]

I think Matthews was quite physical in the games we were winning in but faded away more and more as the collapse became apparent. But if any one is still watching Tampa Bay, each and every one of their forwards was laying a big hit on Montreal after they got a 3-1 lead yesterday. Meaning the problem isn't how much hitting we get from Matthews, but hitting needs to be mandatory from everyone if you hope to really beat up on an opponent and strangle the momentum. No killer instinct.

Exhibit A .. Tampa Bay 4 - Montreal 1



Killer instinct 101 .. Put the pedal down and don't let up.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

When your "leader" is laughing while being manhandled it's pretty obvious there's no killer instinct there. The pressure is too much for the boys to handle. Once some of them become men things should be different. Unfortunately, the ship may have sailed on our cup window by then.

 

[Stephen]

Exhibit A .. Tampa Bay 4 - Montreal 1



Killer instinct 101 .. Put the pedal down and don't let up.

Would also be great to roll tape on the kind of physical buy in you get from the water bugs too. Impressive stuff.

 

[myleafs]

We have the stupidest goal song that sounds like a teenager picked it...and we stick with it because?

A teenager from 1984 maybe.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Boston made their choice.
Bergeron was their identity not Thornton.
They moved him and used his cap to sign Chara. Identity piece no. 2.

We don’t have that lynchpin core player.
We have skilled individuals but no identity.

Oh we have an identity all right...soft n' easy.

 

[egd27]

Probably because they’re trying to remember Hall and Oats lyrics?

They're still "Living on a Prayer" instead of "Taking Care of Business"

 

[darrylsittler27]

Muzzin is upset because he realizes they are losers with a cra pculture.

 

[Stigma]

A teenager from 1984 maybe.

The sad part is, as an 11-year-old in 1984, I can tell you that if you liked that song, you were considered pretty lame. Even back then.

 

[rumman]

The sad part is, as an 11-year-old in 1984, I can tell you that if you liked that song, you were considered pretty lame. Even back then.

Hall and Oats first couple of albums were killer, Philly soul, then they sold out to be pop artists, which was probably financially smart, musically, not so much. For those not familiar, give Abandoned Luncheonette a listen…..

 

[AvroArrow]

It's not even a lack of killer instinct, it's just that they will only compete in spurts or go full no intensity mode. Two coaches now can't get them to put in a full effort

Starts from the top. They don't respect Dubas as GM, they bent him over for their deals and feel like they run the team. It's so obvious when you watch them play as well. You have the inmates running the prison. Dubas needs to go asap. I like Keefe, he's a young coach, a good coach but these guys like him..they don't respect him. There's a big difference. The entire hierarchy of the team is messed up. It needs to start with the GM, down to the coach, to the captains and rest of the players. Here we have the young guns running the show, doing what they want.

 

[Stigma]

Hall and Oats first couple of albums were killer, Philly soul, then they sold out to be pop artists, which was probably financially smart, musically, not so much. For those not familiar, give Abandoned Luncheonette a listen…..

Yeah, for sure they have great stuff. But, in the 80's, you had to secretly like them. I secretly liked songs like Adult Education, Family Man, Say it isn't So and Out of Touch, but the bangers at my school would have dunked my head in the toilet for a "super bowl" if I told them so.

 

[Robert McLellan]

Without some type of major shake up, I think we are destined to this forever.

 

[Stigma]

Seriously though, as a start, change the goal song. The current one just reflects the wimpy nature of the team. Say you put the bridge from "Angel of Death" from Slayer on loop after every goal. If this doesn't send a new message to other teams and get this team pumped up, I don't know what will.

[youtube]

 

[OVO16]

Zero intensity. Zero fire. Zero physicality.

Coaching staff neutering players. Coaching and Management still refuse to believe that Grit and Physicality is a huge part of winning playoff series

It's one thing to sign Physical players, it's another thing to not let them play like it.

This whole franchise needs a system overhaul. It's just disgusting to see the lack of fire this team plays with

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Starts from the top. They don't respect Dubas as GM, they bent him over for their deals and feel like they run the team. It's so obvious when you watch them play as well. You have the inmates running the prison. Dubas needs to go asap. I like Keefe, he's a young coach, a good coach but these guys like him..they don't respect him. There's a big difference. The entire hierarchy of the team is messed up. It needs to start with the GM, down to the coach, to the captains and rest of the players. Here we have the young guns running the show, doing what they want.

We have all had friends that had 'Cool' parents that were friends with their kids. We can also recount how most of those people turned out later in life because of the 'Relaxed Rules' parents as well.

You can't get respected by someone who thinks they can manipulate you. It just doesn't happen for the most part.

The biggest mistake was not having our young players signed before going after a big name UFA. You can see how that affected us with the negotiations. If we are paying a basically point per game player 11m...what do you pay guys that score at a higher rate like MM? It was just stupid to think JT would make such a difference that it was worth destroying your depth over.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

It's one thing to sign Physical players, it's another thing to not let them play like it.

This is what I don't understand about our management team. Why are you bringing in a Muzzin and then tell him to stop hitting people? Why bring these guys who had booming shots from the point (Brodie and Muzzin) and then tell them to take wrist shots from the point because it has a 4% higher chance of getting tipped? It's like they don't even understand what the hell they want. They probably showed them some stupid statistic that shows a blocked slapper from the point can lead to an odd man break against you and they don't want that. Yet....they also preach this stupidity of the turn back into your own zone with the puck to regroup and don't notice the increased chance of losing it in a bad spot leading to a GA. Look at Dermy and Sandin...both of them did it and we paid the price.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

They could keep Campbell,Tavares and Matthews fot the core and trade the rest today and I wouldn’t blink. If Matthews didn’t like that he can get the fo too. Sandin and Dermott excluded too. I like both better than any vet we have

 

[FraumBallard]

It really is a baffling conundrum. How do you develop or acquire something as intangible as "killer instinct?"

Start by firing the Moronic pocket protector geek gm who disdains physical play.
If it’s not on a chart , it means nothing.
That’s the Wonder Boy philosophy.
Shame on him.
Shanahan too.
Pissed away great opportunities trying to reinvent the wheel.
Disgraceful.