Are the Leafs Tough Enough for Playoffs

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Optimist

Wendel and I
Feb 16, 2015
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The Leafs have a guy that ripped half of the beard outta Joe Thornton's face before the game opening faceoff. Even Chuck Norris wouldn't do that. If that's not tough, I don't know what is..
 

tntkid

Fire Maurice & Chevy
Nov 27, 2011
9,504
9,856
Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Leafs have a guy that ripped half of the beard outta Joe Thornton's face before the game opening faceoff. Even Chuck Norris wouldn't do that. If that's not tough, I don't know what is..

The Leafs just let Matthews get slammed into the boards by the Detroit Redwings and they did absolutely nothing.

Not many teams would let their star player get squashed without consequences.
 

libertarian

Registered User
Jul 27, 2017
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Middle Earth
Are the Leafs tough enough?

No.

Have to protect the Matthews, Marner and Rielly to have success in the PO's. If they play TB of Buf in the first round they should be ok because the can compete skill for skill but if they play Boston they are in trouble. The Bruins can compete with them on skill and beat them up if they choose to so which they probably will. In the PO's you need skill and toughness which the Leaf's have one part of the equation. As a Jet fan this is where the Jets have the Leaf's beat for PO success. The Jets can match any team on skill, speed, depth, size and toughness. They can hurt your best players and defend their own best players and still match your team's skill. The Caps did this last year. they could match any team as the biggest/toughest skill team in the PO's which gave them the edge to win it all. They had the skill, size, depth, toughness, and experience to be the best.

Toronto needs at lease one player that is skilled enough to be a contributor to the teams success and still be tough enough and big enough to protect their top players. They get that and maybe a upgrade on D they may be favorites to win it all.
 
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Canadian Finn

Oskee Wee Wee
Feb 21, 2014
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The Hammer
The Leafs just let Matthews get slammed into the boards by the Detroit Redwings and they did absolutely nothing.

Not many teams would let their star player get squashed without consequences.

well, we have so many stars, it's tough to protect them all...

Tavares, Matthews, Marner, Rielly...

We have our own constellation system .... freaking milky way on our hands.
 
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traparatus

Registered User
Oct 19, 2012
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I don't think it's important to have a lot of hitters to win the Cup.

I think it's crucial that players on your team are able to absorb a lot of physical contact and maintain their effectiveness. You can hit Crosby, Kane or Ovechkin until you are blue in the face. It won't make a spec of difference. I'm not sure the same can be said about a number of Maple Leaf players.

Also, it's a REALLY BAD idea to count on refs calling plays by the rule book come playoff time. Chances of it happening are slim.
 

Oddbob

Registered User
Jan 21, 2016
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No, they would probably not even be able to suit up, maybe the would even melt!
 

sabremike

Friend To All Giraffes
Aug 30, 2010
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Clearly the Leafs need to get rid of all those real good players who do meaningless things like score lots of goals and replace them with unskilled plugs who can win line brawls.
 
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Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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Playoff success is really dictated by your ability to play the game the way you want, and the Leafs want to play a clean, fast, skilled game. That said, they do need to be tough enough to still be able to execute at a high level when faced with a ton of physical abuse, and they also need to learn to play a chippier game when required to deter the other team from taking liberties. Is a guy like Kronwall throwing your skill guys around? Make sure your skill guys are getting their sticks up so you're giving some of the abuse back.
 

Cleetus

Brick Woll
Jan 2, 2012
19,264
22,054
North!
might as well trade all the skill and speed the leafs have so they can miss the playoffs, but play rough and tough hockey of years past, sounds good lol, no thanks
 
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tntkid

Fire Maurice & Chevy
Nov 27, 2011
9,504
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hopefully the Jets play the Preds and get bounced in the first round!

14pDVr1.gif
 

snag

Registered User
Feb 22, 2014
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Seeing threads like this....am I the only one who misses the annual Don Cherry Rock'em Sock'em Hockey releases? ;)
Edit: apparently they are still making them....with what content I dunno. But this is the last year.
 

Marshy71

Registered User
Nov 10, 2015
321
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I think this leafs team will break the cup drought for Toronto - and it will be a hell of a party then - but i don't think this is the year. This team will be better in the next few seasons as the young players get more experience behind them. Can see them coming close, but not getting all the way this year.
 

Bertuzzzi44

Registered User
Jun 26, 2018
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Toughness is important in the playoffs, as a Canucks fan I’ve witnessed this first hand as the Sedin led Canucks were often the more skilled team, but would get out muscled more and more each round. The game changes in the playoffs and the refs have a tendency to put the whistles away, the further you go the nastier it gets, without toughness you’re going to get pummeled. Smith-Pelly, Wilson, Orpik and company brought it for the Caps. You need Toughness along side Skill when the intensity really ramps up.
 

HOPE

Goal Caufield!
Jun 30, 2011
7,336
5,229
Montreal
Is Tampa? Was Pittsburgh?

10 years ago I say no. Today, I’d say they are fine.
10 years ago, the way teams we're built, they wouldn't be able to follow the game and the pace of the current youngters. the size wouldn't matter.
 

tomi2

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
534
218
Nah, they probably are first round exit again. Nothing resembling of toughness in that team. Gone are the days of Horton, Mahovlich, Roberts, Clark etc.
 
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