McRanger92
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2017
- 14,465
- 26,963
Tells you how much toughness is overrated.
Hard to play against is more important. Kakko is hard to play against. Chytil and Lafreniere have the size and skill to be hard to play against, though they have to develop that part of their game more. Trocheck and Kreider are hard to play against (sometimes, especially in Kreider's case).
What you can't have is too many floaters like Panarin.
But guys like Reaves and Blais just couldn't play, or at least not play in this system (amazingly Blais has 2 goals since leaving like 2 weeks ago). Getting "toughness" that is just toughness for toughness' sake is a waste.
You need skilled players first, second, third, and fourth. It then helps if some of them can play a tough game in addition to their skill.
I notice no Blackhawks fans posted or commented on this on their board.
Crickets.
Team toughness matters. Having 1 or 2 plugs that have the lateral mobility of a boat is not helpful.
I also refuse to call Kane or Tarasenko "soft". You dont have the careers and win as much as those guys have being soft.