It’s too late

[Gary Nylund]

Slightly yep. The top 5 teams in hits aren't innthe playoffs ))

https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/team-stats?category=MISCELLANEOUS&group=1&time=0

LOL, another cool stat. I still think it's good to hit but still, cool stats. I'm glad to see our penalty differential is about even, not sure why I thought we were worse off than that. I think I read some posts here where people were complaining about it, looks like there's nothing to complain about.

I LOVE the fact that our special teams are so good. So important in the playoffs!

 

[Gary Nylund]

This year is different.
The NHL has changed.

Yeah the whole idea that the refs decide the outcome of games is absurd anyway. As long as they stay consistent, that's all you can ask for. And if an infraction is committed then generally speaking, a penalty should be called.

 

[Pookie]

This year is different.
The NHL has changed.

?? In 12 months?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

?? In 12 months?

yes? this is the highest scoring season in a while, and it's not a coincidence

 

[Pookie]

yes? this is the highest scoring season in a while, and it's not a coincidence

You mean GMs and owners have changed their views and would like games to be decided by Refs?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

You mean GMs and owners have changed their views and would like games to be decided by Refs?

No the players dont want concussions.
They dont want their fingers broken from slashing (remember last year ?)
The NHL isn't interested in future concussions.
Not to mention the players use baby sticks that dont take slashes.

Not "decided by refs"
It's "Players too dumb to slash, interfere, grab".

 

[Wafflewhipper]

LOL, another cool stat. I still think it's good to hit but still, cool stats. I'm glad to see our penalty differential is about even, not sure why I thought we were worse off than that. I think I read some posts here where people were complaining about it, looks like there's nothing to complain about.

I LOVE the fact that our special teams are so good. So important in the playoffs!

I think it kind of debunks The O Dog a little. )

I ranked our ratings yesterday for our conference playoffs teams on four categories: powerplay, penalty kill, goals for and goals against. We rank second to only Boston. Lowest score being the best obviously.

Adding disciplined team also to that we rank better than Boston. Boston has the 7th worst discipline problem in the league

 

[Pookie]

No the players dont want concussions.
They dont want their fingers broken from slashing (remember last year ?)
The NHL isn't interested in future concussions.
Not to mention the players use baby sticks that dont take slashes.

Not "decided by refs"
It's "Players too dumb to slash, interfere, grab".

We all know that everything is not called 100%.

Even this league that doesn’t want concussion lawsuits knows that they can’t have 60 mins of special teams.

We also know that an action in the first period is not likely to be called in OT.

We know that fans revolt at controversial decisions.

In an ideal world, a Penalty is a Penalty. We live in a world where they can’t even figure out what goalie interference is consistently.

I would be shocked and amazed if they apply the preseason/early season standard to the playoffs. And even in that standard, calls were missed.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Calls like slashing and interference that were not called before have been called all year.

That will continue into the playoffs.
I'll bet penalties increase TV eyeballs to top it off.
Hockey is more intense with special teams.

The NHL is changing ... for the better.

 

[Pookie]

Calls like slashing and interference that were not called before have been called all year.

That will continue into the playoffs.
I'll bet penalties increase TV eyeballs to top it off.
Hockey is more intense with special teams.

The NHL is changing ... for the better.

I generally agree with you. But not here. I don’t find PPs exciting. And I very much doubt that the Refs have been given a directive to clamp down on infractions in the post season.

In the end, we’ll see what happens.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The diffetential in hits per game involving the Leafs, Bruins and T-Bay is

Boston 23.5 hits per game
T-Bay 21.1 hits per game
Leafs 20 hits per game

L-A has the most of all playoff teams at 26 per game followed by Anahiem.

The Jets are just slightly higher than us and sobis Nashville.

Defensive body position is more important in the game anyways from my perspective.

 

[Stephen]

They need to double down on Kapanen and Johnsson because Komarov himself is not that physical or useful. Better to go all in on speed and see what you get.

 

[theaub]

Every year the Blackhawks were good (rip) some team came out and said they'd outhit the Hawks and wear them down etc. And every single year those teams lost. The only ones that beat the Blackhawks were teams that were better or Phoenix.

What hurts fast, skilled teams in the playoffs is when refs stop calling obstruction and let a ton of holding go in the neutral zone, not physicality.

 

[Trapper]

Playoffs often become tighter checking and with that "dump and chase" tactics are required to win puck battles when teams break up the rush and slow up the attack of skating and skilled teams.

Babcock tried unsuccessfully this year to try and get the Leafs ready for the playoffs with this strategy of teaching them to adapt, during the regular season, but Leafs lack of size, strength and physicality to win puck battles and puck retrieval is something that will be tested again this years playoffs..

This is what O'Neill is hinting at here that physical play and strength by the opposition might be the kryptonite that brings down the Leafs team this year.

It's not just that.
When you say toughness, people immediately think you need a couple of Colton Orr's in the lineup.
Maybe O'Neill thinks that too. Not sure.
Replace toughness with are you willing to do what's necessary? Will you take a hit to get the puck out? Will you drive to the net or be content from the outside? Would you block a shot to save the game? Will you keep going even if your foot, hand, whatever hurts pretty bad? Will you be the first one in to break up a play or hope your teammate does it? What exactly are you prepared to do? The same things you've always done even if its not working?
None of the above requires being 6'4 and fighting.

 

[Coatsy79]

I seem to remember is doing pretty well last season against a Washington team that was supposed to beat us up

I'm not overly worried

 

[HamiltonNHL]

the Refs have been given a directive to clamp down on infractions in the post season.

It's been like that ALL Year.
And will be like that forever.

 

[OVO16]

So Chicago and Pittsburgh combine for 6 cups in the last 9 seasons and this is still a concern?

Pittsburgh was a physical team

 

[stuart5035]

Every year the Blackhawks were good (rip) some team came out and said they'd outhit the Hawks and wear them down etc. And every single year those teams lost. The only ones that beat the Blackhawks were teams that were better or Phoenix.

What hurts fast, skilled teams in the playoffs is when refs stop calling obstruction and let a ton of holding go in the neutral zone, not physicality.

Well said

 

[Egghead1999]

Did he say that at the 1st intermission of the Sabres game? Who wants to get hurt before the playoffs

 

[diceman934]

We're going deep we will need 13 (maybe even 14 forwards).

The sports science department has prepared the team for a gruelling playoffs. The youth and health of the team will tip the scales. Injuries will likely occur but there is depth at all positions.

I see Johnsson playing more vs. Tampa Bay and Uncle Leo playing more vs. the Bruins. They'll both get games because we're playing both!

I can also see Kappy sitting as well as there is 3 forwards for 2 spots.

 

[diceman934]

They need to double down on Kapanen and Johnsson because Komarov himself is not that physical or useful. Better to go all in on speed and see what you get.

Leo is not physical?
Leo is in the top 20 in hits. He is a very physical player.

 

[diceman934]

People saying Pittsburg or the Hawks were not physical are lying to themselves they both were physical teams...not goons looking to run players through the boards.

This issue is: are the Leaf players going to show a willingness to take a hit to make a player? If not we will be gone from the playoffs fast. If we pull the chute going back for the puck or anywhere on the ice all the time we will be in trouble. That is the issue.

 

[Morbo]

When we try to play "tougher" guys we're a worse team.

 

[Marshy]

I can also see Kappy sitting as well as there is 3 forwards for 2 spots.

Yes for sure. Should make fore a fresher 4th line who can play high-tempo and physical when you can insert a Kappy or a Komorov or Johnnson to spell a guy who is either struggling/banged up or ineffective against a certain opponent.

 

[diceman934]

Weren't the Detroit red wings a soft team when they were winning cups and making a tremendous playoff streak?

Hell no!