Speculation: Toughness and Brad Treliving

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Why would you need to sell a borderline NHL player on Toronto? Giving him more than league minimum is the entire sales pitch necessary, he needs to sell us on being one of our 12 best forwards.

Add more bite to the team but that bite needs to be fast, able to clean up garbage in front of the net, and make the other goalie’s life hell without being a liability on the back check. A healthy Wilson would be the top target but failing that, Acciari, Hathaway, Barbashev, etc. You can have one Lucic as a treat for dessert if Brad eats his veggies.

Agreed...having a guy like Lucic come out AFTER they already rag dolled your best players isn't going to move the needle much like it didn't with Simmons. You need a player like Wilson that is going to be on the ice with your meek guys to make them a few inches taller. I would still take Lucic if he was on a league min deal...but would search for someone other than a Bunting to play with AM or MM.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

There are different types of toughness.
There is the aggressive, intimidating toughness like Tkachuk/Bennett.
There is the big body toughness like a Rantanen/Sheifle.
A hard to contain or slow toughness like Stone/Draisaitl.

Many different styles and your core players should have that incorporated with their skill.

Skill that loses races, puck battles, board battles, forecheck, pushed off the puck, intimidated to fall back will lose to the above more often than not.

Are you teaching me a lesson based on my answer?

 

[Martin Skoula]

Agreed...having a guy like Lucic come out AFTER they already rag dolled your best players isn't going to move the needle much like it didn't with Simmons. You need a player like Wilson that is going to be on the ice with your meek guys to make them a few inches taller. I would still take Lucic if he was on a league min deal...but would search for someone other than a Bunting to play with AM or MM.

Wilson being there to instigate and get AM into the trenches with him is a bonus but the main thing I’d be looking for is players that are tough for the opponents D to handle more than just physically tough. Even if Lucic was good enough to play shotgun on AMs wing, he’s not forcing the opponent’s D to have to adjust to him because he’s not fast enough to do that even if he hits and fights. Wilson has (had?) legit top end speed to his game that would force the other team to make decisions they wouldn’t make otherwise.

 

[Trapper]

Are you teaching me a lesson based on my answer?

I’m not sure.
Most people seem to think toughness only means Colton Orr face punching.
I’m not sure which one you are.

 

[notbias]

This is precisely why a new coach is needed.

Babcock maybe?

Then we can bring in Lucic at about 5 million.

Trade for Gudbranson.

Maybe trade for Ritchie at the deadline.

Calgary is probably begging to get out of that Kadri contract, we can take that too.

 

[40BayStreet]

That is the primary problem. Who cares about tough guys playing 4 minutes a game, especially when they're net negative impact.
When you have 4 star forwards that run your locker room, and a Dman who is the longest tenured but is as weak as the others, combined with the fact that your captain is perhaps the biggest pansy of them all, you will never win anything.

As for the OP question, I've seen little to nothing from Treliving's press to suggest he sees team toughness/grit as an issue. He claimed we're the second best checking team in the league... does that include fly-bys where a Leaf stick may make contact with the opposition as their turning off the forecheck?

Exactly, it doesn’t matter bringing Colton Orr type players if they’re not good enough to be effective on the ice and play meaningful minutes or be on the ice to stick up for the big players. The issue is the star players on this team have soft games and don’t play with any intensity and don’t make it hard on opponents. No difference playing the leafs in October or May. You won’t win anything with this kind of core.

 

[MagicalRazor]

Honestly Wouldn’t mind 1 .

Sign Tyler bertuzzi

trade Nylander to make up for the contract I’d be happy

 

[therealkoho]

I’m not sure.
Most people seem to think toughness only means Colton Orr face punching.

How many times does it need explaining? Most of us who want to see the team be more robust, aren't talking about having 5 face punches in the lineup, he'll not even one really.

We're talking about a team who won't just turn the other cheek, who'll initiate and not solely respond, but will respond when required, who'll come to the aid of a teammate when needed and not just stand there when a teammate is getting double teamed

A team with players who'll choose to make plays when they're tough plays to make, not just duck/cover, bail and give up possession.

A team that will make it their business when a young rookie gets bulldogged and slammed into the ice, and send a very clear message as many times as it takes.

When a team is willing to respond, the Sam Bennetts will still take their shot because that's who they are. You just can't let them walk away scott free, someone on the opposition has to pay double and possibly more.

 

[ShaneFalco]

How many times does it need explaining? Most of us who want to see the team be more robust, aren't talking about having 5 face punches in the lineup, he'll not even one really.

We're talking about a team who won't just turn the other cheek, who'll initiate and not solely respond, but will respond when required, who'll come to the aid of a teammate when needed and not just stand there when a teammate is getting double teamed

A team with players who'll choose to make plays when they're tough plays to make, not just duck/cover, bail and give up possession.

A team that will make it their business when a young rookie gets bulldogged and slammed into the ice, and send a very clear message as many times as it takes.

When a team is willing to respond, the Sam Bennetts will still take their shot because that's who they are. You just can't let them walk away scott free, someone on the opposition has to pay double and possibly more.

And you also need someone who wears a letter not to laugh when getting rag-dolled

 

[3blizzard4]

Can we bring in Lucic from ten years ago? Or a Wilson from ten years ago?

Now they are on a retirement tour and want to play for an original six team and their home town team for a nice feather in their cap before saying goodbye to the NHL.

 

[rumman]

How many times does it need explaining? Most of us who want to see the team be more robust, aren't talking about having 5 face punches in the lineup, he'll not even one really.

We're talking about a team who won't just turn the other cheek, who'll initiate and not solely respond, but will respond when required, who'll come to the aid of a teammate when needed and not just stand there when a teammate is getting double teamed

A team with players who'll choose to make plays when they're tough plays to make, not just duck/cover, bail and give up possession.

A team that will make it their business when a young rookie gets bulldogged and slammed into the ice, and send a very clear message as many times as it takes.

When a team is willing to respond, the Sam Bennetts will still take their shot because that's who they are. You just can't let them walk away scott free, someone on the opposition has to pay double and possibly more.

They don’t understand what toughness means because they stop watching the playoffs after the Leafs are eliminated hence having no idea what you mean when you say toughness………

And you also need someone who wears a letter not to laugh when getting rag-dolled

Those moments are extremely embarrassing for player, team, organization, fan base etc………

 

[Nineteen67]

He needs to add young tough players and let them grow over the next two years and then go for it after Tavares contract ends. They need every position but I’d start at D. That’s assuming they dont mess up the cap structure again.

 

[Dreakmur]

Can we bring in Lucic from ten years ago? Or a Wilson from ten years ago?

Now they are on a retirement tour and want to play for an original six team and their home town team for a nice feather in their cap before saying goodbye to the NHL.

This is why drafting a wide variety of skills and styles is important. We have no young toughness in the system.

 

[Leafblooded]

This board has lost its f***ing marbles. Milan Lucic? You guys are smoking salvia.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Trent Frederic would be a great option. The Bruins who are in cap hell, didn't even qualify him, making him an UFA.

 

[Da Cool Rula]

I certainly hope that toughness is a new requirement in everyone we bring in.
I don’t mean just a Gudas or Simmonds.
Players with skill that play aggressive, north/south and with pace. That should be everyone. I don’t need 1 tough guy like a Reeves per se. Total team.

Well you do need and will get just skilled players on the team. But you are right with type you want to compliment it. Their will be no fear and guys like Marner etc will feel 2-3in taller.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

If by toughness you mean an excellent #1 goalie who can steal a series and more scoring depth, sure.

Buntings are not what are needed.

Really? Because Bunting taking out Cernak probably got the Leafs through round one.

I'm not sure what people have been watching in the playoffs to think toughness was the problem. Carolina is a "tough" team to play against with a tenacious forecheck and gritty players (not really face punchers per se) and they got owned just as badly by Florida. The Panthers aren't exactly tough so much as more willing to play dirty. That's maybe 20% of what got them this far - Bennett taking out Knies and Slavin - with 50% being Bobrovsky and another 30% clutch goals from Tkachuk & co. But a Bennett isn't going to turn the tide on his own if your goalie sucks or your stars can't score.

 

[IPS]

Trent Frederic would be a great option. The Bruins who are in cap hell, didn't even qualify him, making him an UFA.

He'd be great, hopefully find a couple more like him too.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Best way to get tough id to tradeMarner, nylander, gavares

 

[rumman]

He'd be great, hopefully find a couple more like him too.

yup, their tenacity and work ethic might be catching..........

 

[ULF_55]

If by toughness you mean an excellent #1 goalie who can steal a series and more scoring depth, sure.



Really? Because Bunting take out Cernak probably got the Leafs through round one.

I'm not sure what people have been watching in the playoffs to think toughness was the problem. Carolina is a "tough" team to play against with a tenacious forecheck and gritty players (not really face punchers per se) and they got owned just as badly by Florida. The Panthers aren't exactly tough so much as more willing to play dirty. That's maybe 20% of what got them this far - Bennett taking out Knies and Slavin - with 50% being Bobrovsky and another 30% clutch goals from Tkachuk & co. But a Bennett isn't going to turn the tide on his own if your goalie sucks or your stars can't score.

He is poison in Toronto.

Elsewhere he can play his game without the spotlight being on him.

 

[rumman]

He is poison in Toronto.

Elsewhere he can play his game without the spotlight being on him.

I don’t buy this conspiracy that “they’re“ out to get Toronto, how could anyone watch this game if that were true?

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Da rule/code used to be you could have 1 p*ssy in ur lineup assumed he was a goal scorer on demand .. but we had FAR FAR TOO many with Dubie

exit Mitch .. likely exit Willy if you keep Matty .. JT issue is he needs to play LW and he needs to be at 4-5M AAV for it to work for team .. right now it is a freakin mess of an AAV between da 4 forwards

2023/24 we are gonna spend AAV on D and load up .. Tree/Shanny think old core 4 can do all da offence .. in regular season it will work again .. come playoffs we gotta win 1-0 games

 

[BallardEra]

 

[TMLAM34]

Trent Frederic would be a great option. The Bruins who are in cap hell, didn't even qualify him, making him an UFA.

Should definitely be a target. Fourth line of Frederic - Holmberg - Acciari would be fantastic.