Softest Leaf Forward Group Since 2000?

[Jimmy Firecracker]

The Leafs have certainly turned things around since the beginning of the season as far as toughness goes. The bottom six has been completely revamped and the defence has also gotten tougher. Not only is there jam throughout the lineup now, the players bringing the physicality also have utility outside of that area. The only place in the lineup that may potentially lack of physicality is the top 6, but that depends on where Keefe decides to play O’Reilly.

I was critical early in this thread wrt how soft the lineup was but Dubas has done very well in addressing this need. Whether or not this will translate to playoff success is still to be determined of course.

 

[WillyC]

It’s as simple as this… every Toronto player has to play their game, however, play it much heavier.

That’s it… do that and we win.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Leafs greatest weakness in any series is they will always have the 2nd best goalie and the 2nd best coach and that is where they will be most vulnerable.

Physically with the additions at that TD of ROR, Schenn, McCabe, Lafferty and Acciari there is enough push back ability if required.

#1 Samsonov is 6th in the League in GAA (Ahead of Vas), 10th in SV% (Tied with Vas), and 4th in shutouts (Tied with Vas)

Vas is (arguably) the best goalie in the league, any team going against him will have the 2nd best goalie in the series.

#2 Keefe he's a young coach that has made mistakes in past series, but i don't think he is the second best coach in most series. I don't think coaching is our issue.

#3 Physicality - i think we are finally good in this regard

 

[Knies iT]

When this thread was posted, the Leafs projected lineup was:

Michael Bunting – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
William Nylander – John Tavares – Denis Malgin
Pierre Engvall – Alex Kerfoot – Calle Järnkrok
Zach Aston-Reese – David Kampf – Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

Which, despite the refusal from many, was one of the softest forward groups the Leafs have iced in a long time. Since then, Dubas added ROR + Acciari, McCabe + Lafferty, and Schenn.

This thread was referencing forwards, so the relevant adds would be Acciari and Lafferty. Looking at the overall team through, I would say that Dubas' deadline moves overwhelmingly reaffirm that this argument had merit and needed to be addressed.

I wouldn't call this team soft anymore and it's probably the hardest group to play against in the Dubas era, but at the same time I wouldn't call it a gritty group either. It's passable. The core will have to buy in to this style of play now.

 

[justashadowof]

This year's defense is equally as hard as last playoffs' defense (Schenn for Lybushkin, McCabe for Muzzin). I feel about the same (guarded optimism) about the goaltending as I did going into last playoffs although it would have been a disaster if Campbell had got injured last playoffs. There are options past Samsonov.

We've replaced Engvall, Blackwell, Kase, Spezza, Mikheyev with Jankrok, Aston-Reese, Acciardi, O'Reilly, Lafferty. It's going to be a more suitable harder bottom 6 undoubtedly. Whether that'll be enough to get the monkey off the Leafs' playoff backs, who knows? The opponent has the better goalie, the experience and the opponent isn't old.

 

[frog]

Forward wise they are pretty soft still.. Oreilly is probably the only above average gritty forward. While Mathews, Tavares etc are just as skilled as stanley cup winners Mackinnon and Landeskog... The latter also beating up the other teams physically was just as important as out skilling the other team to the stanley cup

 

[JL17]

Colorados top players are guys that are willing to engage in the physically or start it. Leafs guys aren’t guys that are willing to start it and seldom want to engage in it.

If your top players don’t want to engage the rest don’t really want to follow suit either. If MacKinnon and Co go out and start banging bodies and not backing down the rest of the guys will follow suit. If they don’t they’ll be getting an earful from them.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

When this thread was posted, the Leafs projected lineup was:

Michael Bunting – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
William Nylander – John Tavares – Denis Malgin
Pierre Engvall – Alex Kerfoot – Calle Järnkrok
Zach Aston-Reese – David Kampf – Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

Michael Bunting – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
William Nylander – John Tavares – Ryan O’Reilly
Noel Acciari – Alex Kerfoot – Calle Järnkrok
Zach Aston-Reese – David Kampf – Sam Lafferty

A marked improvement for sure.