Adding bulk to a small frame is not always a good thing, people get this misguided focus on size, size, size .. gotta be over 6 foot, gotta be over 200lbs .. I'd rather a 185 lbs Rasmus that has improved his first step and decision making vs a bulky Rasmus with the same poor first step. It's not his size that was his problem last year, it was him pinching when he should have fallen back, it was his getting beaten in a foot race. He needs to improve his hockey IQ not the number on the scale. Don't take that as me saying Rasmus is a bad hockey player, he's not but he does have a few youthful inexperience warts to his game that he needs to focus on before he focuses on bulking up.
There is also the increased risk of injury if you bulk up the wrong way. I'm sure the sports science department was watching him closely but when people say they bulk up quickly, it always raises concerns in my mind.
With all that said, it looks like the Leafs have focused on their base, Marner gained bulk, Rasmus gained bulk, Robertson gained significant lower body bulk, other players look like tree trunks from the waist down. Leafs are really committing to the "get the puck and never give it up" mentality. (The stronger your base is the more you improve your chances to come out of a 50/50 standing up and with the puck.)
