we are so SOFT. We will never win like this

[RunItBackAgain]

Over 40 million on 4 players who in over 35 seasons combined have 1 career fight.

Tavares in 2010, and its generous to call that a fight but he did try and throw a punch so I'll give it to him. I am not counting Matthews last playoffs because he didn't even engage in the fight.

That's absolutely pathetic!

 

[GoonieFace]

It's well known the story about how after Tampa got swept by Columbus the team realized they had to change their approach, from the stars down. And they did, became a nasty team that won 2 cups.

The Leafs have had 3 "come to Jesus" series where the stars/leaders needed to come to the same realization. After the Columbus (they played well in one game out of 5), the Montreal humiliation and this past season against the Panthers.

And yet the stars/leaders still refuse to either see it or make the necessary changes to their approach to the game. And that's why I say they all really need to go, because they have proven they simply don't have it in them.

Okay, now I'm done. For today at least.

I think we just need to accept the fact that the Leafs are a brand that makes them money, no need to muddy the waters with antics. Rich, spoiled players don’t care about anything except the size of their paycheck. Hockey culture in general is full of rich entitled people

 

[RunItBackAgain]

I think we just need to accept the fact that the Leafs are a brand that makes them money, no need to muddy the waters with antics. Rich, spoiled players don’t care about anything except the size of their paycheck. Hockey culture in general is full of rich entitled people

I agree with you, except I don't understand it. If these stars win the cup for us they would have so much money flying at them from other sources. And after they retire it would be nutty. They'd never pay for a meal or a drink again in their lives. They'd have statues made of solid gold erected in their honour and a hundred years after they've died people would remember their names.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Except they don't. Successful or not, teams aren't usually responding like people think they are. People pick out twitter highlights of the exceptions where they do respond (which we have also had), and expect it to be the rule every time something happens here, and then when it's not, they blame the team for being soft and it's all random person X's fault, instead of just admitting they were wrong, had skewed expectations, and were chasing something worthless that doesn't exist.

Lol. You're literally the one that referenced a manipulated stat about small sample individual shot distance changes to start this discussion, and then made a massive leap to a conclusion that didn't even match it. You're also literally the one that said to look at the shot chart. So I looked at the shot chart (which is freely available on the NHL website), and broke it all down for you. It not only shows that you're wrong in your conclusion, but it perfectly matches the cause I laid out for the stat you referenced. A cause that was widely publicized during the series.

Looky looky, every chart I saw shows his shots occurring 10 ft farther from the net against Fla. and TB. He gets pushed out. The tough approach affects his game. Coaching must allow him to play behind the d not being pushed by them. He is best as a run and gun player not a guy trying to find space in a zone filled with 10 players in small spaces. His skill is at full speed not being mugged by much slower players. Creativity at speed is Marners big advantage. Turning him into a d first guy is wasting 10.5m. and has not displayed any sign of working. When was the last time he had a breakaway.
We are transitioning him and AM into d guys firdt because this Leaf management is unable to fill in the blanks around him.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

How many times must I repeat the same line at the start of every season:

This is the same team.

That is it. No one they brought in last Summer is going to change that and none will next Summer either, or the one after that. As long as the Leafs stick with this core four, this is the Toronto Maple Leafs. To change that, they all need to go. All of them.

But since that is not in MLSE's plans, outside maybe Tavares walking when his contract is up, just accept it as I have. The same team, every year.

I read this like Bob Dylan

Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, what did you see, my darling young one?
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Whether it’s Keefe or a mandate from MLSE it’s clear that someone is telling the guys on the ice to not engage in any shenanigans. Hell maybe it’s team leadership, Mitch wears an A and seems to absolutely hate getting involved in scrums.

First two games Reaves is running around hitting and fighting, now he’s a ghost. Now maybe that’s because he just sucks, fine. Where is the “snot” from Bertuzzi and Domi? Where’s the Tyler that pissed on all of the Habs on the ice and started swinging like a madman? Where’s the Max who face-washed and took down that Wild player who was harassing our captain? Both of those guys have been neutered now and haven’t done anything similar since.

I always go back to that cursed Amazon series. Right after we traded for Foligno and he was playing that hard nose style the Leafs wanted him for Keefe is on the bench telling him he doesn’t want him fighting.

 

[robertmac43]

Because they see the high priced players, making 10 times or more of the money, only being concerned with themselves and NOT the crest on the front of their jerseys.

If you don't lead and care, then why should I being paid so lowly.

The big 4 were buzzing last night, would you have wanted one of them to drop the gloves with Marchand and be in the box for 5? Surely anyone else on the team could have stepped up.

 

[CincoHolio]

IDK, this team just seems to be full of "nice guys" - but to the title and OP I do agree - this team as it's constructed, will never win anything of importance. Tavares...IMO, is the wrong captain for this squad. The captain is your leader and I'm sorry, he does not inspire anyone other than by eating healthy and having a strict regiment. woopdeedoo

add me to the currently unexcited list.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

The big 4 were buzzing last night, would you have wanted one of them to drop the gloves with Marchand and be in the box for 5? Surely anyone else on the team could have stepped up.

Yes. Star vs. Star. Team building moment, but this isn’t a team.

 

[Stringer Bell]

Look. I never played super high level sports like these guys did and do. But I played a lot of sports. Whether it was organized or unorganized...it was almost impossible to not find yourself heated about something especially if there was physicality. To not "see red" for at least a moment or two. It's absolutely unreal how almost nothing affects these guys at all. Never seen anything like this before.

 

[ihadtochangethename]

I have to agree with you OP

 

[mikeyz]

He saw the writing on the wall when it comes to the Charmin ultra soft culture of this team. And that Marchand Liligren incident last night just solidifies it.

He even alluded to it in an interview this past summer. Where he said he wanted to do something to Bennett after he piled drove Knies into the ice and ended his season and Keefe essentially told him not to do anything.

This is very, VERY concerning IMO and something has to change.

 

[VanW27]

We already did this song and dance. ROR went to Nashville because they gave him the most money, and allow him to live a scrutiny free life.

There's plenty of legitimate reasons to be concerned with this Leafs team. There's no reason to make up some garbage. He could have signed with any number of teams but chose a bottom feeder because that's where the most money was.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I like ROR. He was apparently offered the same money to stay in TOR. Rielly is a good guy and a top dog. He can't be a top dog in TOR. JT and AM are the top dogs in TOR. Does that give a bit of perspective?

 

[Kurtz]

If you've ever visited Nashville I think you'd understand why guys would like living there.

 

[mikeyz]

We already did this song and dance. ROR went to Nashville because they gave him the most money, and allow him to live a scrutiny free life.

There's plenty of legitimate reasons to be concerned with this Leafs team. There's no reason to make up some garbage. He could have signed with any number of teams but chose a bottom feeder because that's where the most money was.

No he didn't. That was his professional diplomatic explanation and his attempt to not throw the Leafs under the bus and shit on them.

Everyone knows the real reason why he left.

 

[CincoHolio]

If you've ever visited Nashville I think you'd understand why guys would like living there.

100% this. It's not always about playing for the most popular team. ROR strikes me as a Small-town/city kind of guy. Toronto, the city, despite what some people are led to believe, does not have "it all".

 

[Gilmour1996]

I believe ROR. He saw first hand what the non-gullibles on this board have been noticing long before he arrived. His comments were accurate and truthful (aside from where he decided to finally play).

 

[thusk]

Oreilly signed in Nashiville because it was 1 of few team he would be able to still on 1st line...

 

[VanW27]

No he didn't. That was his professional diplomatic explanation and his attempt to not throw the Leafs under the bus and shit on them.

Everyone knows the real reason why he left.

If it wasn't about money why did he go to play out his career on a non playoff team then?

The guy is a good player, has playoff pedigree. I'm sure he had plenty of offers from top teams, or at least playoff teams. Why choose not only a bad team, but a bad team on the way to getting worse if it wasn't money?

 

[Budz22]

Every time I log on there’s a new thread about soft this soft that. We get it.

 

[capfit9]

 

[Niagara Bill]

He saw the writing on the wall when it comes to the Charmin ultra soft culture of this team. And that Marchand Liligren incident last night just solidifies it.

He even alluded to it in an interview this past summer. Where he said he wanted to do something to Bennett after he piled drove Knies into the ice and ended his season and Keefe essentially told him not to do anything.

This is very, VERY concerning IMO and something has to change.

Reaves yapped, no one else said a word, they couldn't even look at Marchand. The next shift no one went near him, not even to say hello.
Keefe should be fired over this no response.
I said a week ago Reaves will not defend those who will not defend themselves. It just happened.
Reaves did not fix the room, the room turned him into a p***y. It is very hard to like this team.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

If it wasn't about money why did he go to play out his career on a non playoff team then?

The guy is a good player, has playoff pedigree. I'm sure he had plenty of offers from top teams, or at least playoff teams. Why choose not only a bad team, but a bad team on the way to getting worse if it wasn't money?

Trotz is a better team builder than Shanahan, and Nashville has better ownership. As evidenced by their moves this summer. It’s wasn’t just money because Leafs offered the same.

 

[thewave]

He saw the writing on the wall when it comes to the Charmin ultra soft culture of this team. And that Marchand Liligren incident last night just solidifies it.

He even alluded to it in an interview this past summer. Where he said he wanted to do something to Bennett after he piled drove Knies into the ice and ended his season and Keefe essentially told him not to do anything.

This is very, VERY concerning IMO and something has to change.

Sounds more like this is all on Shanahan. Mr player safety has gone out and got safety first employees that agree with his vision.

Basically MLSE got dealt some of the best draft picks ever for a rebuild. Then hired people that wanted to gamble it all on a soft hockey experiment.