Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose to Stars, 4-1

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
This doesn't sound ideal though, to be honest. Why do we want to get William Nylander playing hard dump and chase hockey? How is this going to work? You're paying 11.5 for a Lamborghini and trying to use it like a Ford F150

I disagree with the idea that they've been optimized their entire careers. I think people developed their opinion on Dubas' style from his first season and used it to shape his entire tenure in terms of roster construction

In terms of the Capitals comparison, I actually think it's pretty on point, except that we're in our Dale Hunter era where we are trying something that just doesn't make sense given the team we have. Remember when prime Ovechkin scored only 32 goals and 65 points because Hunter was trying to turn him into a grinder?

Core 4 criticism is understandable and more than reasonable. However, we're stuck with them and I don't think attempting to turn them into the type of players they aren't is a good idea
Dubas brought in many different kind of players for the bottom 6 over the years. He brought in skilled guys who couldn't help depth scoring. He brought in good defensive players who obviously didn't help much with depth scoring. At the end he finally decided to bring in more physicality who were still respectable defensively and they didn't help much scoring wise but they finally won a round in the playoffs. He also held on to useless depth guys like Kerfoot at 3.5 million who provided nothing all those years when any GM would've moved away from that long ago.

I don't see the connection between the Dale Hunter era and what Berube is doing here. Trotz would make more sense trying to get the team to be better defensively and play simple hockey to try and limit the dumb mistakes that has cost the team many times over the years. I don't think asking your top players to stop playing pond hockey and to play the game is limiting them at all. They're still producing pretty damn well and could be much better if they hit the net or shot it more at times instead of overpassing. Savard is the exact kind of coach who people think would help this core who is more forward thinking and all about skill. Look at the PP though.

They aren't being turned into players they aren't. That's why they got guys like Knies and a bigger guy who will forecheck and retrieve pucks for them. Almost every coach has a guy like this on a line. Early in the year they looked really good because they were doing just that and throwing everything at the goalie and retrieving the rebounds and keeping up the offensive zone forecheck and the team was very fun to watch. Now they go back to their old ways and either refuse to shoot it or can't hit the net or get pucks through and then they don't get the puck back.
 

Ad

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad