I don't want to hear a single person try and blame Savard before they do that. How many years now with how many different coaches, strategies, etc and the PP has been unacceptably awful every year.
The PP lost them their series last year when they went 4%. What have they shown to suggest the PP won't be a detriment in any playoff series again this year?
The thing that really is unacceptable is we have a Hart and Rocket winner, one of the best players and passers in the league, a guy who recently was top 3 in the NHL in goals, and other star talent and yet they can't even consistently gain the zone nevermind generate chances.
Leafs have one series win in nine years. As early as the third year they lost some of us were ringing the alarm bells that this team might be another San Jose Sharks of the 2010s with skill and dominant regular seasons but little playoff success. After the Habs loss
it was imperative that the owners decide if they want to win or not. Nine years later the same bunch are here.
Ironically, SJ as a comparison is a compliment as their playoff successes dwarf this cores successes.
Their PP failures are just an extension of other teams knowing their competition VERY well. As Ovie said,
"same team, different coach". There are little surprises. They know they can keep them dancing on the outside, intercept the perfect pass attempt and go the other way. They aren't too concerned about a presence in front on the PP, they aren't concerned about facing a team of McCabes, only one exists when he is healthy. They don't have a Tanev on the ice every shift (a hell of a pick up by Brad btw).
If I were Berube I'd put Knies on the #1 PP and tell him "the front of the net is your home". Any big body willing to make life difficult for the goalie, I don't care if you put Reaves out there or put Myers up front for the PP and tell him to make the goalies life difficult. They don't have a great QB on the PP so there is that also...
As long as someone ties up a defender and the goalie doesn't like his presence, he has done his job. The odd tip in or puck going in off his ass is a bonus. You aren't going to score many PP goals when kept to the perimeter and the goalie can see the puck throughout.
There have been moments of optimism this year but I've not drank the kool-aid like many on here have, I'm too old for gaslighting myself. I know where this team will end eventually. Why would I think differently? It's akin to doubling down on a nosediving penny stock expecting it to "turn around any day now".
They aren't built for serious hockey. They are great players, but they take up far too much of the payroll. They have talent, they can skate around pylons and make sharp cuts, but they aren't going to be in the grill of the goalie very often.
They will do great against certain teams and there has been a concerted effort to try and change their spots, but these spots are very difficult even impossible to change.
They have played the game a certain way all of their lives, through the talent they have honed and it has paid them very handsomely, more power to them. In a Cap era however, the team can't build depth which I stated in their very first RFA contract years would happen.
I stated "how many extra cars is it worth to NOT win a Cup"? Or something to that effect.
They will re-sign the same gang. They will go down as the latest group of Clubhouse dwellers in a Leaf jersey who never win. The Leaf fans will continue to be mercilessly mocked for their mediocrity and the Leafs will set the historic standard of non-Cup successes. Who knows when the streak ends.
We can cheer them on, we can give the old Dumber and Dumber, "
so there is a chance" every post-season. Accept the fate that Leafs ownership, their lack of vision,
absent objectivity and dwindling courage generally ensured this outcome.
After year three or four, ok, you get a pass. After year nine and still have a job? You're a government employee at that point.
