The core players are showing their true colors again

[ToneDog]

I'd wonder how enthusiastic some of our Fab Four players would be in a Trotz system? Would they buy in to a different system & style of play?

That is a good question and I get it but at the end of the day do want the tail to keep wagging the dog. Trotz is no rookie coach, he will bring in structure. He should have their respect to start. Question is how long will it take for his act to wear out with these kids ??

As things stand, I'd be more than willing to find out. Worst case you let him take over the GM role (if the rumours are true and he wants to become a GM) and hire his coach in June.

 

[Trapper]

That is a good question and I get it but at the end of the day do want the tail to keep wagging the dog. Trotz is no rookie coach, he will bring in structure. He should have their respect to start. Question is how long will it take for his act to wear out with these kids ??

As things stand, I'd be more than willing to find out. Worst case you let him take over the GM role (if the rumours are true and he wants to become a GM) and hire his coach in June.

If I made the move to bring in Trotz, and it would be a long term move, my message would be clear. Trotz isnt going anywhere, you are.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

That is a good question and I get it but at the end of the day do want the tail to keep wagging the dog. Trotz is no rookie coach, he will bring in structure. He should have their respect to start. Question is how long will it take for his act to wear out with these kids ??

As things stand, I'd be more than willing to find out. Worst case you let him take over the GM role (if the rumours are true and he wants to become a GM) and hire his coach in June.

Ya, I had the same idea and I like that idea. If he wants to be GM, let him be the coach until the summer and then have him switch roles then.

I would add we have to fire Shanny too. He's an empty suit.

If I made the move to bring in Trotz, and it would be a long term move, my message would be clear. Trotz isnt going anywhere, you are.

Oh for sure. I just wonder whether a certain segments of our Fab Four would react and whether they'd buy in. If they don't, now we have a reason to ship whomever out. It would be pretty interesting and could work. And, if they pull another 1st round exit, it seems kind of unavoidable.

 

[Stephen]

Im feeling like a broken record. Or lagging spotify conection, for those who are younger.
Use your hot players more.

If you look at the team as a living organism, then right now its braindead. Put the turning gears upfront, and sort the others after those.
Try gasillion kombinations with the lines that dont work. There will always be one combination that is the best right now, and this aint it.

Or maby he knows what he is doing and the rusty gears will start moving next game.

The way normal teams slump bust is to take on a pack mentality, everyone goes in for the hard forecheck, get feet moving, get engaged and make that extra little sacrifice, protect the net and let the good basics reset. Keep it simple. It’s not on any one player, no one is carrying the load. It’s a team effort.

I have no idea how the Maple Leafs think or will respond but it’s definitely not about playing the hot hand. It’s getting everyone engaged and pulling on the rope the same way. Refocus on the team.

But the way they seem to be imploding who knows how they respond. And at some point, maybe you just let it fall down.

 

[ZEBROA]

The way normal teams slump bust is to take on a pack mentality, everyone goes in for the hard forecheck, get feet moving, get engaged and make that extra little sacrifice, protect the net and let the good basics reset. Keep it simple. It’s not on any one player, no one is carrying the load. It’s a team effort.

I have no idea how the Maple Leafs think or will respond but it’s definitely not about playing the hot hand. It’s getting everyone engaged and pulling on the rope the same way. Refocus on the team.

But the way they seem to be imploding who knows how they respond. And at some point, maybe you just let it fall down.

You are right about getting everyone engaged. But It is also about giving the team the biggest chance to win games . To play the snakebitten players the most, or not doing anything to help them wake up , will not give the team more wins. More wins give the team energy.

 

[Stephen]

You are right about getting everyone engaged. But It is also about giving the team the biggest chance to win games . To play the snakebitten players the most, or not doing anything to help them wake up , will not give the team more wins. More wins give the team energy.

No, I think it’s about taking the load off individuals and reinforcing a team concept to get mentally right. Everyone pull their weight and give a lot more. Everyone can finish a hit. Everyone can score a goal. Everyone can sacrifice. So many sports cliches. The wins are absolutely important but it’s more about a group buy in first, get a healthy mentality, come together and then let the cream rise to the top again.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

No, I think it’s about taking the load off individuals and reinforcing a team concept to get mentally right. Everyone pull their weight and give a lot more. Everyone can finish a hit. Everyone can score a goal. Everyone can sacrifice. So many sports cliches. The wins are absolutely important but it’s more about a group buy in first, get a healthy mentality, come together and then let the cream rise to the top again.

Everyone can finish a hit? The Leafs?

BWAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Stephen]

Everyone can finish a hit? The Leafs?

BWAHAHAHAHA!

I’m describing a typical team. Obviously the psychology and makeup of this Leaf team is a complete black box.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

I’m describing a typical team. Obviously the psychology and makeup of this Leaf team is a complete black box.

Understatement of the year!

 

[ZEBROA]

No, I think it’s about taking the load off individuals and reinforcing a team concept to get mentally right. Everyone pull their weight and give a lot more. Everyone can finish a hit. Everyone can score a goal. Everyone can sacrifice. So many sports cliches. The wins are absolutely important but it’s more about a group buy in first, get a healthy mentality, come together and then let the cream rise to the top again.

To pull your own weight u need to be able to do what u do best. Everyone can score a goal, but not everybody is good at it. Coach need to be crystal clear on what he wants from each player. And bring out there strenghts towards the gameplan. To buy in you need to know what they want from u. They must know by now?

Group psychology aint as easy as it seem. But you need a clear assignment and a noone is untuchable approach. And hammer in "this is what we represend".

And the load will never be taken of the 11mill players. They have to accept that, and roll with the punches. The bottom 6 should never have to cover up for the top players slump this long. Wich they obviously faild at.

If Matthews and Marner played like they can, we would not have this conversation.

 

[Stephen]

To pull your own weight u need to be able to do what u do best. Everyone can score a goal, but not everybody is good at it. Coach need to be crystal clear on what he wants from each player. And bring out there strenghts towards the gameplan. To buy in you need to know what they want from u. They must know by now?

Group psychology aint as easy as it seem. But you need a clear assignment and a noone is untuchable approach. And hammer in "this is what we represend".

And the load will never be taken of the 11mill players. They have to accept that, and roll with the punches. The bottom 6 should never have to cover up for the top players slump this long. Wich they obviously faild at.

If Matthews and Marner played like they can, we would not have this conversation.

The only sustainable way out of this mess is for the team to come together and have everyone feel like a contributing member. For that to happen everyone has to buy in to a certain program and just have a baseline commitment to all the non scoring stuff.

A defenseman can have a good shift making good decisions and protecting the zone. Doesn’t have to force an up to the Big 4.

The Big 4 can have a great shift just keeping the energy level up on a forecheck.

The random third line combination plays hard and digs out pucks, builds infectious momentum that feeds a Big 4 push.

It’s everyone coming together in a scrum after someone crashes our net.

It’s everyone coming together with a buy in and letting the roles settle down. You can get short term production out of the Big 4 but until they break down the NBA bench mentality this team won’t to anywhere.

That’s typically how teams get out of slumps. But this organization doesn’t really behave like a typical hockey team so it’s a really a toss up how they’ll respond. I don’t think they’ve hit rock bottom yet.

 

[Gabriel426]

JT leads the team in scoring (goals and points) with Willy right now. I don’t know what more you can ask of him? It just goes to show people will still hate to hate.

At least you see JT and willy hauling ass and trying to make things happen. I think it was Willy that set up JT for that beautiful 1 tee that Gibson somehow got a piece of. But Tavares has looked a lot better than last year and looks more hungry, same with Willy styles. The other two guys I can’t say the same

JT is scoring when he had the chances but he is far from dominating plays as a 11mil player. It is not about hate to hate but it is on his plays. Like someone scoring 40 goals in a season without injuries, it is a great accomplishment but if that someone is AM or Pasta or Drai, we would think they underperform due to them being 50 plus goal scorers.

 

[hockeywiz542]

SIMMONS: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas stays silent in the midst of a crisis

They stood along the railing at the Ford Performance Centre — president Brendan Shanahan, beside general manager Kyle Dubas, beside special assistant Jason…

torontosun.com

An independent hockey voice, a keen observer of the NHL, was asked about the Leafs the other day. He called their play selfish and disinterested. He said instead of playing for the team, they’re playing for themselves. He called individual player performance terribly disappointing.

This is Dubas’ team. These are his players. This is his coach. This is his chosen style of play gone awry. Not only should he be answering for his coach right now, he should be answering for himself and his roster. And publicly challenging the players to be better.

 

[Jojalu]

why keep either of them if the team is still struggling and they won't be back next year? Do you want Dubas making deadline trades ?

Keefe won't be fired. Since he started coaching he has the 3rd best record in the league. Dubas would have to go first to then allow the new GM to pick his own coach.

Which will happen if they don't get out of the first round again.

 

[Notsince67]

Dubas needs to trade one of these guys now. Perferably Marner. They continue to not reward you for your faith in them. You will actually be respected for it.

Heh. They won't trade Marner for 2 Nylanders. Nobody trades an elite player except perhaps during a rebuild.

 

[McSnypsky]

SIMMONS: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas stays silent in the midst of a crisis

They stood along the railing at the Ford Performance Centre — president Brendan Shanahan, beside general manager Kyle Dubas, beside special assistant Jason…

torontosun.com

An independent hockey voice, a keen observer of the NHL, was asked about the Leafs the other day. He called their play selfish and disinterested. He said instead of playing for the team, they’re playing for themselves. He called individual player performance terribly disappointing.

This is Dubas’ team. These are his players. This is his coach. This is his chosen style of play gone awry. Not only should he be answering for his coach right now, he should be answering for himself and his roster. And publicly challenging the players to be better.

Did Simmons get this info from the guy working the hotdog stand?

 

[Stephen]

SIMMONS: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas stays silent in the midst of a crisis

They stood along the railing at the Ford Performance Centre — president Brendan Shanahan, beside general manager Kyle Dubas, beside special assistant Jason…

torontosun.com

An independent hockey voice, a keen observer of the NHL, was asked about the Leafs the other day. He called their play selfish and disinterested. He said instead of playing for the team, they’re playing for themselves. He called individual player performance terribly disappointing.

This is Dubas’ team. These are his players. This is his coach. This is his chosen style of play gone awry. Not only should he be answering for his coach right now, he should be answering for himself and his roster. And publicly challenging the players to be better.

It looks like Dubas' not speaking during that time was the correct move. All criticism aside, if he piled on the situation like Keefe was he probably would have deepened the crisis.

 

[Menzinger]

Did Simmons get this info from the guy working the hotdog stand?

That or Howard Berger picked up his phone lol