we are so SOFT. We will never win like this

[Arzak]

Decent article.

This team doesn’t need Reaves to be its Goliath. It needs a group of players with slingshots who are committed to each other’s welfare. These are players who will go to battle against any opponent who treats a teammate dangerously. A few little guys with grit will do just fine for me.

They don’t even have to win; they just have to show up. If they do, they will inspire each other to join the fray in ways that an enforcer like Reaves can never do.

Reaves is a band-aid solution for a bigger problem. That’s why he’ll never be the answer for what ails this Maple Leafs team.

Link is here -

MSN

Friedman saying there was a team meeting yesterday. Topic - team is too soft. And apparently Keefe hated the lack of response.

The first step to fixing a problem is acknowledging that there is a problem. Ok we're there now, does that mean there's hope?

I need a straw to grasp as I'm completely devoid of hope at the moment.

No one had that meeting with them after the draft?
I don't get it, let's do some hockey 101 halfway into your NHL career.

 

[Gary Nylund]

No one had that meeting with them after the draft?
I don't get it, let's do some hockey 101 halfway into your NHL career.

I know right? It's like people talking about how Marner is in the process of "figuring it out". Played all his life, into his 8th season, already made tens of millions of dollars, if he hasn't figured it out by now, I'm afraid that that ship has sailed.

Go Leafs Go! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

 

[BallardEra]

Can you imagine the conversation after the last game between Max and Tie?

Most likely about Drake’s next concert.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Percentage change in average individual shot distance over a small sample is the very definition of a microstat.
The microstat hasn't been sourced anywhere, and the fact that his average individual expected goals per shot didn't change questions the validity of it (and suggests that outside of the widely publicized set play they ran against Vasilevsky, Marner was actually shooting from more dangerous areas than usual), and the microstat is very misleading in how it was presented, but even if we assume that it is "technically" correct, the conclusion you drew from the microstat and the claimed reasons for it were just flat out wrong, and that has been proven to you. In part by using your own suggestion to look at the shot charts.
And we shouldn't forget that, again, 3 of those 7 long range shots went in the net.
You're literally criticizing somebody for something that was successful and helped us win the series.

As I said MM needs to play behind the d, watch his goal in period 1. To have him coming in late, or the pp nonsense they do, or behind the play like TT goal is crazy. He is a gunner, let him gun.

 

[LeafGrief]

Love when young guys show such hubris that although they have never experienced a certain situation or have any knowledge on a situation, they still have an opinion on a certain situation. The people who dismiss experience, dont have experience. Hey we all get that since you were born your mom has told you you are amazing and you are the best. News Flash - your Mom is a liar. Your generation are notoriously slow learners, Pro Tip... Children are better seen not heard. Learn it, love it, live it.

I’m a millennial and I approve this message.

While it is true that I am amazing and indisputably the best, learning from those who came before us is a critical key to success. Knowing when the blend the lessons of old with the nuances and shifts of today is a winning recipe.

Unfortunately for the Leafs, we somehow got Brendan f***ing Shanahan of all people thinking that the future was now and that all of his experience and knowledge of how to be successful at hockey should be replaced by whatever the f*** this is. Shanahan!!

 

[mjd1001]

its apparent we all have different opinions on this. I for one do not think toughness needs to be someone who drops the gloves.

I want 'toughness' in players the other team really REALLY hates playing against, not necessarilly fears. Guys who are 100% all the time. Guys who take their 12-14 minutes per game and expend every ounce of energy they have. Tenacious on the forecheck. Kill themselves to make up that one extra step getting back into the zone even if they think it won't make a difference. Guys who put that effort in whether up by 3 or down by 4...so the other team just wants to get the heck out of the builiding because they can't stand playing against those guys.

I'd LOVE of the big 4 would play like that...but if they don't, I NEED guys on my 3rd and 4th line to be more like that then they are.

 

[weems]

its apparent we all have different opinions on this. I for one do not think toughness needs to be someone who drops the gloves.

I want 'toughness' in players the other team really REALLY hates playing against, not necessarilly fears. Guys who are 100% all the time. Guys who take their 12-14 minutes per game and expend every ounce of energy they have. Tenacious on the forecheck. Kill themselves to make up that one extra step getting back into the zone even if they think it won't make a difference. Guys who put that effort in whether up by 3 or down by 4...so the other team just wants to get the heck out of the builiding because they can't stand playing against those guys.

I'd LOVE of the big 4 would play like that...but if they don't, I NEED guys on my 3rd and 4th line to be more like that then they are.

Great post.
There is a big difference in having a goon squad and attempting to intimidate teams versus being a extremely tough team to play against due to the various elements you listed.

Just take Pastrnak the other night.

He starts the game off early with a solid check against Rielly behind the net.

Fast forward to the Bruins first goal and that puck was dumped around the boards by Carlo and it went into Klingberg's corner.
You can actually see Klingberg peak over his shoulder as he's going back for the retrieval and right when he gets to the spot to go full into the puck battle, he stops up seeing he's about to get crunched by Pastrnak and Pastrnak just absolutely wrecks him.

Our top players don't play with that I will run you over if I have too mentality.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Free agents that come to TO or are traded at the deadline don't resign the next year, why?
Simple it's the culture! The lesser players are expected to take the bullets for the elite at a minimum wage. Why would anybody agree to go to the battle for these players making bags of money when they will in no way reciprocate the gesture. I sure wouldn't and most don't. This core is the #1 problem here. I liked the lesser talented lunch pale teams 100% more than these undesirables.

This team is so unlikeable it's infuriating. They probably don't like themselves either by your description of the way they treat each other. I am almost at the point that watching these guys and their failures is gratifying because they deserve it for being such greedy pricks.

 

[All Mod Cons]

This team is so unlikeable it's infuriating. They probably don't like themselves either by your description of the way they treat each other. I am almost at the point that watching these guys and their failures is gratifying because they deserve it for being such greedy pricks.

I sincerely admire your patience. I've been that way for 5 years now. Losing Hyman and Mikheyev in particular because of the stupid cap structure we implemented did it for me. As well as moving Engvall. As up and down (or down in some cases) as they were offensively, they were good defensive players that injected a lot of speed and north/south hockey. Kept the opposition on the back foot.

Kyle thought better though.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

I’m a millennial and I approve this message.

While it is true that I am amazing and indisputably the best, learning from those who came before us is a critical key to success. Knowing when the blend the lessons of old with the nuances and shifts of today is a winning recipe.

Unfortunately for the Leafs, we somehow got Brendan f***ing Shanahan of all people thinking that the future was now and that all of his experience and knowledge of how to be successful at hockey should be replaced by whatever the f*** this is. Shanahan!!

If you want to make yourself sick...just look at the rosters we had against BOS in those 2 series compared to now. We had Conner Brown, Hyman, Kadri and on and on. We literally spent all our draft capital and talent to get where we are ...1 series win. It's like a rich kid getting his parents fortune and pissing it all away in a 5yrs.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Put KFC in the next time ya'll play the Bruins.

 

[BallardEra]

Put KFC in the next time ya'll play the Bruins.

How is his DJ game and music controlling acumen?

 

[All Mod Cons]

Put KFC in the next time ya'll play the Bruins.

75% of the fanbase hated Clifford. He wouldn't be cheered on by many.

 

[KingsHockey24]

75% of the fanbase hated Clifford. He wouldn't be cheered on by many.

Kyle Clifford put up better numbers in two games last season than Reaves has all year.

Not to mention outplaying him significantly this pre-season. Only reason why Reaves made the team was because of that contract and how bad it would've made the GM look if he didn't even make the opening night roster.

 

[m1ker]

Anyone praising Dubas should check out the tire fire in Pits

 

[All Mod Cons]

Kyle Clifford put up better numbers in two games last season than Reaves has all year.

Not to mention outplaying him significantly this pre-season. Only reason why Reaves made the team was because of that contract and how bad it would've made the GM look if he didn't even make the opening night roster.

Oh I agree. But this fanbase hated Clifford (minus a small sector)

 

[theTTC]

Love when young guys show such hubris that although they have never experienced a certain situation or have any knowledge on a situation, they still have an opinion on a certain situation. The people who dismiss experience, dont have experience. Hey we all get that since you were born your mom has told you you are amazing and you are the best. News Flash - your Mom is a liar. Your generation are notoriously slow learners, Pro Tip... Children are better seen not heard. Learn it, love it, live it.

F***in' A

 

[TheScandal89]

This is the main reason I wasn't too excited this season. The defence is horrible and soft af. We really need 2 solid upgrades, 1 should be Zadorov whos attainable, to turn the team into contenders again.

The 4th line is awful but I think you can work around it by adjusting the bottom 6 to

3rd line
Knies - Domi - Robertson = good balance and Domi, while not your prototypical 3C, is still a better option then Kampf there

4th Line
Gregor - Kampf - Holmberg
Line would be better without Reaves.

So how do you fit all this under the cap? Well you can trade Brodie, Klingberg and Sammy to clear up some space. Ideally you want Niemela ready to replace Klingberg by January, and while he is gonna be soft too, hes gonna be ELC cap hit. We really missed the boat going for McCabe, ROR and Lafferty instead of Chychrun.

 

[theTTC]

This team is so unlikeable it's infuriating. They probably don't like themselves either by your description of the way they treat each other. I am almost at the point that watching these guys and their failures is gratifying because they deserve it for being such greedy pricks.

Studying the latest analyses by ex-NHLers and my own observations the past 8 years, it boils down to this: the Core Four + Reilly all have the same personality - they never get emotional or bond as a family on or off the ice. These are the team leaders and their leadership m.o. is reflected by all other players on the squad whoever they are (this is why tough abrasive guys stop being that when they come to Toronto, and why Ryan O'Reilly wouldn't re-sign here). It will be forever thus with this leadership group. In hockey terms they are too old to change, the die is cast. The Boston event was simply another confirmation of it.

The only solution if ownership truly desires a winning club ala Tampa, Boston, Vegas, Colorado is blow up the Leafs leadership.

How that's done is what Brad, Sheldon, and Brendan get paid for. And let's not be naive - you know these guys know.

 

[mjd1001]

This team is so unlikeable it's infuriating. They probably don't like themselves either by your description of the way they treat each other. I am almost at the point that watching these guys and their failures is gratifying because they deserve it for being such greedy pricks.

It FEELS like they are so separate from the fanbase. For me at least, guys that played when I was a really little kid like Wendel Clark and Gilmour, or later on like Sundin, McCabe or Tucker...even Kessel.....Those guys never won here. I never met them. I don't remember them walking around in the community greeting fans, yet I felt MORE CONNECTED to them.

Maybe others feel the same, or others don't, but a lot of us everyday fans cannot relate to professional athletes at all, but it just SEEMS to me this 'core' is more distant than ever from the fan base and it has nothing to do with winning or losing.

 

[myleafs]

No one had that meeting with them after the draft?
I don't get it, let's do some hockey 101 halfway into your NHL career.

And so they had this meeting and said all the right things then came out and looked the same as ever. Its like a nye resoulution....sounds good when your talking about it and you believe you will follow through but then you dont because it actually takes effort and not just words.

 

[myleafs]

its apparent we all have different opinions on this. I for one do not think toughness needs to be someone who drops the gloves.

I want 'toughness' in players the other team really REALLY hates playing against, not necessarilly fears. Guys who are 100% all the time. Guys who take their 12-14 minutes per game and expend every ounce of energy they have. Tenacious on the forecheck. Kill themselves to make up that one extra step getting back into the zone even if they think it won't make a difference. Guys who put that effort in whether up by 3 or down by 4...so the other team just wants to get the heck out of the builiding because they can't stand playing against those guys.

I'd LOVE of the big 4 would play like that...but if they don't, I NEED guys on my 3rd and 4th line to be more like that then they are.

But thats the issue isnt it...you need your best guys to lead by example. Pasternak and Marchand as an example are star players who lead by example and wont ask or expect anything from a player that they themselves wouldnt do and in fact are often the ones initiating. Crosby, Stamkos, Ov etc are the same. Teams that win have leaders and players like this....we dont. We really do get by on our good looks (skills) and not much else which of course bites us in the ass every spring.

 

[Evilhomer]

It FEELS like they are so separate from the fanbase. For me at least, guys that played when I was a really little kid like Wendel Clark and Gilmour, or later on like Sundin, McCabe or Tucker...even Kessel.....Those guys never won here. I never met them. I don't remember them walking around in the community greeting fans, yet I felt MORE CONNECTED to them.

Maybe others feel the same, or others don't, but a lot of us everyday fans cannot relate to professional athletes at all, but it just SEEMS to me this 'core' is more distant than ever from the fan base and it has nothing to do with winning or losing.

The difference is that you got older. Fandom changes as you age. I was obsessed with hockey players when I was kid, and even when I was a teenager. I'm now 50, and I have no idea how I could feel connected to any professional athlete. I am literally decades older than them. I have a million other things in my life that are immensely more important than the outcome of a hockey game. I don't know anyone my age who treats professional sports as anything more than a hobby to pass time. Happens to everyone.

 

[Aloysius]

This team is so unlikeable it's infuriating. They probably don't like themselves either by your description of the way they treat each other. I am almost at the point that watching these guys and their failures is gratifying because they deserve it for being such greedy pricks.

Although Leaf fans deserve better, this group of players deserve to lose because they are not a team. They are a poor example of what team sports is about. At this time, the TML is a franchise and not a team

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

It FEELS like they are so separate from the fanbase. For me at least, guys that played when I was a really little kid like Wendel Clark and Gilmour, or later on like Sundin, McCabe or Tucker...even Kessel.....Those guys never won here. I never met them. I don't remember them walking around in the community greeting fans, yet I felt MORE CONNECTED to them.

Maybe others feel the same, or others don't, but a lot of us everyday fans cannot relate to professional athletes at all, but it just SEEMS to me this 'core' is more distant than ever from the fan base and it has nothing to do with winning or losing.

Because they don’t have passion or understand the moment. During the biggest games we get nothing from these guys. Even Kessel had a flair for the dramatic. He overcame his issues vs. Boston DURING the playoffs.