Are the Leafs Tough Enough for Playoffs

[Belzebob]

Canucks, for sure. I think they were the most skilled team in the league that year and by some margin. Got the snot beat out of them.

Rangers go crushed by Kings. That Kings team didn't pride itself on being the most skilled.

Tampa was maybe the most skilled team in the league last year. Got smoked by Washington and toughness/physical play was a huge part of it.

It happens all the time.

last year the jets had 1 day off between the Nashville and vegas series.

it was a hard hitting 7 game affair.

I hate when others make excuses......but I think a Washington jets series would of been great

vegas had a week to prepare and heal

 

[ChurchOfMatthews]

Tough enough to beat up the big bad Bruins tonight it seems.

 

[Belzebob]

Tough enough to beat up the big bad Bruins tonight it seems.

u were only supposed to take 1 of the pills

 

[OVO16]

u were only supposed to take 1 of the pills

lol I mean he's right...

Leafs matched every single hit the Bruins threw. The hit stat backs it up too and anyone with two eyes could see that both teams were engaged physically and had their fair share of hits/fights/cross checks.

Physical play wasnt the reason they lost tonight

 

[Steeze]

They'd do well to add a player like Simmonds or trade Brown for Maroon or someone like that, anyone who can still play a regular shift.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

What? No they didn't

Inconsistent goaltending, the big line for the Bruins and them shutting down our first line, and our PK sucking ass all sunk the Leafs, literally had nothing to do with toughness.

The Leafs definitely could use a big SKILLED physical player -- but I would put a top 4 RH defenseman way above that on our list of needs. As much as some of you don't want to admit it, the Leafs are probably one of the most skilled teams in the league, and while a Reaves or Wilson would be useful, a player like that isn't going to be the difference of us making it past the first round.

We could've had Tie Domi and Matt Martin on the ice, and I doubt it would've stopped Kronwall from boarding Matthews - that's going to happen regardless. Only thing that may have changed is us also getting a penalty when they try to kick the **** outta him.

Babcock said it best, our toughness is our red hot PP -- take a penalty, we'll make you pay. This isn't the 1980s anymore gentleman

as you were saying...?

pretty sure you were proven wrong the same day you posted this. Leafs got manhandled tonight

 

[OVO16]

Not sure why people automatically assume the Leafs were outclassed physically today in boston lol. Toronto matched Boston Physicality with a pretty solid W in a fight as well.

You can honestly make this same thread about the Bruins because they've been bullied all season long, more so than the leafs this season.

You dont believe me? Just go to their board. They've had a "fight or not fight" thread since the beginning of the season. Most Bruins fans want more physical players

 

[OVO16]

as you were saying...?

pretty sure you were proven wrong the same day you posted this. Leafs got manhandled tonight

No they didnt lmao. Wtf.

Hits were even. Fights were even, with Hyman clowning Grezlick. Both teams had their share of dirty plays. Leafs got manhandles on the scoreboard tonight, if thats what you meant but that wasnt due to lack of physical play.

But before you quote me, please account for the fact that I already said that I still think the leafs could use some more toughness. But this notion that the Bruins were "big bad bruins" esque tonight is laughing worthy.

Honestly, this is softest bruins team I've seen in a while too (compared to years past). Obviously, they didnt have Chara I get that, but it's still pretty bad.

 

[Machinehead]

Canucks, for sure. I think they were the most skilled team in the league that year and by some margin. Got the snot beat out of them.

Rangers go crushed by Kings. That Kings team didn't pride itself on being the most skilled.

Tampa was maybe the most skilled team in the league last year. Got smoked by Washington and toughness/physical play was a huge part of it.

It happens all the time.

I'm sure the Boston series had nothing to do with Tim Thomas...

The Rangers and Lightning were severely outshot in their series. The better team won.

 

[Sheppy]

david semenko comes to mind for me.

limited ability really.....but nobody screwed with gretzky.

think that may of been the last.

not too many people wanted to fight john scott. but hockey had changed

Honestly, the scariest dude I have ever talked to was Brian McGrattan, he told me a story one time of him being a string bean back in junior. He said he was so small (6’3’’ 205) and just got his ass handed to him night in and night out. He got the call from the Sens and he beat the brakes off Domi, and he had a contract the next day. It was pretty cool to listen to him describe his journey. Seeing how far he has come is unreal.

 

[Namikaze Minato]

as you were saying...?

pretty sure you were proven wrong the same day you posted this. Leafs got manhandled tonight

Well this is a classic tale of "I didnt watch the game"

 

[smack66]

No they didnt lmao. Wtf.

Hits were even. Fights were even, with Hyman clowning Grezlick. Both teams had their share of dirty plays. Leafs got manhandles on the scoreboard tonight, if thats what you meant but that wasnt due to lack of physical play.

But before you quote me, please account for the fact that I already said that I still think the leafs could use some more toughness. But this notion that the Bruins were "big bad bruins" esque tonight is laughing worthy.

Honestly, this is softest bruins team I've seen in a while too (compared to years past). Obviously, they didnt have Chara I get that, but it's still pretty bad.

I love the leafs fans quoting Hyman clowning a 5'8 non fighter. which leafs player stood up to kronwall after his "vicious" hit on Mathews. Grizz standing up to a much larger player is showing toughness, something the baby poop soft leafs don't have.

 

[Flyers1928]

apparently u can piss them off and they'll just run around and throw some cheap shot hits. great fights in that game as well

 

[Braunbaer]

Do people still believe that toughness and fighting wins you hockey games?

 

[CCM19]

The Leafs are built to be tough in other ways. Relentless forechecking, goal scorers, playmakers. The problem is when they try to play early 2000’s tough. That’s not their style.

 

[Critical13]

The Leafs need to capitalize on their 5v5 chances and they need their goalie to be at least average.

With our style of play, we will lose most games where our goalie is that bad unless the offence can score 5 or 6. Just the way it goes when you play exciting but defensively weak hockey.

The Bruins "toughness" wrecked us tonight but we're still 7 points ahead with only 1 more gp. Most nights that get that chippy you don't look to play down to their level, you lean on your stars to make them pay for it. Our stars just didn't deliver.

Move on.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

lol I mean he's right...

Leafs matched every single hit the Bruins threw. The hit stat backs it up too and anyone with two eyes could see that both teams were engaged physically and had their fair share of hits/fights/cross checks.

Physical play wasnt the reason they lost tonight

The Leafs don't play well when they are hit, they aren't the only team. My Bruins got pummeled physically by TB last year in the playoffs and it was a big part of why they lost that series. Both these teams are vulnerable to physical type teams come playoff time.

 

[Critical13]

The Leafs don't play well when they are hit, they aren't the only team. My Bruins got pummeled physically by TB last year in the playoffs and it was a big part of why they lost that series. Both these teams are vulnerable to physical type teams come playoff time.

I am wondering if this is a psychological thing that fans think but doesn't really add up in my opinion. Hitting is great but capitalizing on your chances is even better and Tampa is the best team in the league at generating goals.

There's probably some factor to getting physical but I still think a team like Toronto can win without overreacting and grabbing a bunch of "goons" and trading away talent for Backes/Reaves types. They just need their stars to step up and earn their contract.

The real mental block is Freddy, IMO. He plays his worst against Boston.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

I am wondering if this is a psychological thing that fans think but doesn't really add up in my opinion. Hitting is great but capitalizing on your chances is even better and Tampa is the best team in the league at generating goals.

There's probably some factor to getting physical but I still think a team like Toronto can win without overreacting and grabbing a bunch of "goons" and trading away talent for Backes/Reaves types. They just need their stars to step up and earn their contract.

The real mental block is Freddy, IMO. He plays his worst against Boston.

I really believe that physicality is not that important in regular season hockey, but in the playoffs it is. The key is to do it without taking penalties. Not many of Toronto's skilled forwards seem to like the rough going and the D seems to really struggle when things get amped up. At least a lot of your forwards have size. The Bruins problem is they have a lot of small forwards who get pushed around. Our D when healthy has a lot of size and snarl.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Is Tampa? Was Pittsburgh?

10 years ago I say no. Today, I’d say they are fine.

The caps just won a cup with a goon on their first line

If a hard fought series goes 7 games you better hope that you’re the bigger team

 

[Critical13]

The caps just won a cup with a goon on their first line

If a hard fought series goes 7 games you better hope that you’re the bigger team

Congrats to them. I'm a believer in this Leaf team, though.

 

[Dirk316]

No they didnt lmao. Wtf.

Hits were even. Fights were even, with Hyman clowning Grezlick. Both teams had their share of dirty plays. Leafs got manhandles on the scoreboard tonight, if thats what you meant but that wasnt due to lack of physical play.

But before you quote me, please account for the fact that I already said that I still think the leafs could use some more toughness. But this notion that the Bruins were "big bad bruins" esque tonight is laughing worthy.

Honestly, this is softest bruins team I've seen in a while too (compared to years past). Obviously, they didnt have Chara I get that, but it's still pretty bad.

Do you realize the toughest leaf players fought some of the softest Bruins players? Players like Chara and Miller would destroy any 2 leafs
Boston dominated the game physically Toronto had no choice but to start hitting but it was already over by then. The media is making the team aware of how pathetic Toronto is for that answer to the Matthews hit and Babcocks our power play is our enforcer mentality. For the sake of tougher hockey let's hope this continues as Toronto has no answers with their lineup

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Congrats to them. I'm a believer in this Leaf team, though.

There’s a reason why the bruins won those series

 

[koyvoo]

There’s a reason why the bruins won those series

Boston is to Toronto currently what Toronto was to Ottawa in the late 90’s early 2000s. And the reason is the same. As things stand now, I don’t see Toronto beating Boston in a playoff series.

 

[Critical13]

There’s a reason why the bruins won those series

I am sure the Leafs being at 10% powerplay, 3% Oish and Andersen having a .700 sv% for the first few games played a role...