Why did we build such a tough team to play this way?

[Tedd]

The key is to DRAFT players who are big, fast, tough, and skilled. Seek them out as an organizational philosophy like Boston, Florida, and Vegas do. Trade for them. Size is the prerequisite. Dubas set this franchise back 10 years because of his philosophy of SKILL over everything. He ended up with a bunch of tiny or SOFT skilled prospects who are useless in the playoffs.
The next GM/president needs to emphasize GOALTENDING AND DEFENSEMEN too. Great goaltending is the great equalizer.

 

[Gallagbi]

Were in a spot where we can't score and can't kill a penalty. So you'll naturally see less risks being taken by the players.

All the little scrums, physical play, engagement have just ended up embarassing guys like Bert and Domi so far.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Anyone know some good players that are PROVEN playoff performers ?

slightly unfair, as some players have only played 3 games.

 

[Evilhomer]

Anyone know some good players that are PROVEN playoff performers ?

View attachment 861059



slightly unfair, as some players have only played 3 games.

Brandon Hagel is turning into a hell of a player. That was a great trade by Tampa.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

It is clear that there is no defensive structure on this team anymore. Bring in a hard nosed coach and get rid of Tavares, Nylander, and Marner.

Would be nice if we had Hyman, Andersen, Kadri, Joshua, and Verhaeghe right about now. Seems like he we love to give away character in exchange for Tik Tok skills.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

All I know is that I'm tired of saying "next year".

This team just doesn't work.

Tavares is in a massive decline, Marner can't create any space out there for himself come playoff time, he's just a giveaway machine, Matthews puts effort in but he's not even close to a 70 goal pace in the playoffs, our goaltending is atrocious, Swiss cheese comes to mind, our defense is just slapped together spare parts and our coach has no baring on reality.

I remember when all these stars were drafted and the promise of a bright future. Well closer to decade than not, we have nothing to show for it. Not even a 2nd round win, let alone a conference or Stanley cup final.

I'm tired of talking about it. It doesn't work, has not worked, will NOT work. It's blow up time, even if it hurts for a year or two. We have a couple good pieces, but the identity of the Toronto Maple Leafs must change.

 

[notbias]

For the first time in years we entered the season/playoffs with a well rounded tough team. Reaves is the top heavyweight in the league, Edmundson, Benoit, and McCabe provide a lot of snarl on the back end. Bertuzzi/Domi finally gives us some top 6 grit. But what are they doing with it come playoffs??? Reaves lays maybe 1 big hit a game and Domis been taking some dumb penalties but where are the scrums, intimidation, fight challenges?

You see other teams do it all the time. Down 2-0 looking to change momentum so start a big scrum around the goalie and let the tougher guys try to pick fights… why did we build this team just to play the same lame perimeter skilled game we’ve been trying the last 5 years??

We built a D core that is good at defending but transition and offensive play is their kryptonite, and our issue for the last few years has been scoring, not defensive play.

It makes no sense, but here we are.

All the people who wanted a physical team are just yelling about the coaching now because they got what they want and they don't like it.

Anyone know some good players that are PROVEN playoff performers ?

View attachment 861059



slightly unfair, as some players have only played 3 games.

Here are Hyman's great stats with the Leafs.

 

[Gallagbi]

We built a D core that is good at defending but transition and offensive play is their kryptonite, and our issue for the last few years has been scoring, not defensive play.

It makes no sense, but here we are.

All the people who wanted a physical team are just yelling about the coaching now because they got what they want and they don't like it.

I'm not even sure they're good at defending. They're big, kinda.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

 

[HamiltonNHL]

We built a D core that is good at defending but transition and offensive play is their kryptonite, and our issue for the last few years has been scoring, not defensive play.

It makes no sense, but here we are.

All the people who wanted a physical team are just yelling about the coaching now because they got what they want and they don't like it.


View attachment 861107

Here are Hyman's great stats with the Leafs.

So Matthews should make 1/2 of what McDavid makes.

Couldn’t agree more

 

[notbias]

I'm not even sure they're good at defending. They're big, kinda.

I was trying to give them something... they are the big, mean, tough D that people wanted.

We enter the offensive zone and we are playing 3 on 5 and people wonder why our team isn't scoring much.

 

[Ports]

The key is to DRAFT players who are big, fast, tough, and skilled. Seek them out as an organizational philosophy like Boston, Florida, and Vegas do. Trade for them. Size is the prerequisite. Dubas set this franchise back 10 years because of his philosophy of SKILL over everything. He ended up with a bunch of tiny or SOFT skilled prospects who are useless in the playoffs.
The next GM/president needs to emphasize GOALTENDING AND DEFENSEMEN too. Great goaltending is the great equalizer.

Totally agree.

All I know is that I'm tired of saying "next year".

This team just doesn't work.

Tavares is in a massive decline, Marner can't create any space out there for himself come playoff time, he's just a giveaway machine, Matthews puts effort in but he's not even close to a 70 goal pace in the playoffs, our goaltending is atrocious, Swiss cheese comes to mind, our defense is just slapped together spare parts and our coach has no baring on reality.

I remember when all these stars were drafted and the promise of a bright future. Well closer to decade than not, we have nothing to show for it. Not even a 2nd round win, let alone a conference or Stanley cup final.

I'm tired of talking about it. It doesn't work, has not worked, will NOT work. It's blow up time, even if it hurts for a year or two. We have a couple good pieces, but the identity of the Toronto Maple Leafs must change.

Right on.

 

[Ports]

We built a D core that is good at defending but transition and offensive play is their kryptonite, and our issue for the last few years has been scoring, not defensive play.

It makes no sense, but here we are.

All the people who wanted a physical team are just yelling about the coaching now because they got what they want and they don't like it.


View attachment 861107

Here are Hyman's great stats with the Leafs.

Coaching is a problem. Just look at their special teams stats in this series. Historically bad. Keefe can’t adjust and good teams have shut down their offense when the series is on the line. count.

 

[notbias]

Coaching is a problem. Just look at their special teams stats in this series. Historically bad. Keefe can’t adjust and good teams have shut down their offense when the series is on the line. count.

I agree, new special teams coaches, but that is not Keefe.

Keefe can go too, I don't care, but he doesn't run special teams.

 

[Ports]

I agree, new special teams coaches, but that is not Keefe.

Keefe can go too, I don't care, but he doesn't run special teams.

Probably so. But at the end of the day he’s the coach and can make any changes he wants. If it was my neck on the line I would have gotten pretty involved in making decisions on those special teams. That’s pretty much the difference in the series.

 

[TheShape]

My thoughts heading into this series was that at the very least we were going to go down fighting and beat the piss out of the Bruins. I had Domi and Reaves pegged to grab a Boston player at some point and start unloading. It was really odd a message wasn't sent at the end of game 3. Everyone just looks dejected and afraid to make a mistake, we've seen this before.

 

[LeafEgo]

Physicality and toughness has been the only bright spot this year. Only difference is the core have faceplanted much harder than usual. We've only had all three of them in the lineup for two periods and I guess they're all sick and injured.

Doesn't matter so much with Keefe and Sammy anyways, it was always a punchers chance this year and next.

A very dark 5-7 years wasted in Leafland.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Takes like the OP are what frustrate me the most with losing and dealing with fans. Did you only watch one game? Or is your memory only the last thing you saw?

Leafs bullied the Bruins first 3 games.

 

[egd27]

Who cares what he says. He isn’t the coach who can take a team all the way and that’s been obvious for a long time now.

Take them all the way? He can't get them to the car.

 

[Boxscore]

I've said it countless times before in the Tavares / Matthews / Marner / Nylander contract threads. It is 100% impossible to build a deep, well-rounded team when none of your core players are willing to leave decent money on the table to spend on better depth pieces. If Matthews, Tavares, Marner, each took 1.5 to 2 million less, there's money that could be spent on another contributor. These kids can't have it both ways.

As for "well-rounded" that ship sailed the moment the Leafs paid another soft, skilled forward $11 mil on the open market in Tavares.

Right now there's a massive hurricane and the Leafs need a GMC to navigate the terrain but only have 4 Porche two-seaters. Spending that money on Tavares when we have Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Kadri was pure cartoonery.

 

[Sypher04]

Down 1-0 in the 1st Marchand low bridges Bertuzzi, again all the right guys on the ice and no one cares at all. Not even a scrum.

I have to wonder is the fact our toughness is all mercenaries a factor? All guys we brought in recently and they haven’t had any time to build a brotherhood as a team? It makes no sense to me.

It’s a fair question but I think a huge component of it is our inability to kill a penalty. Nobody wants to be the one guy pulled from a scrum because we cant afford to go a man down

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

It was physical early. Lotta battles and big hits. Then Samsonov let in a stinker while Bertuzzi and Marchand were battling and it’s been downhill since. Hard to stay engaged when you keep losing, can’t score, and your opponent is always coming out on top. Team is demoralized right now.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Takes like the OP are what frustrate me the most with losing and dealing with fans. Did you only watch one game? Or is your memory only the last thing you saw?

Leafs bullied the Bruins first 3 games.

?

 

[HockeyVirus]

?

Which part was unclear? If you are trying to say we haven't been the clear winner of the physicality battle this playoff, your opinion can be thrown in the bin where it belongs.

 

[hfman]

O'Reilly got out as fast as he could


That's the one clue everyone ignores