Can we do a poll? Do the Leafs have the right balance?

[darrylsittler27]

I hear a debate a brewing. Old school versus new school. The last 2 Stanley Cup champs had size,grit and character. Are the Leafs going to follow the path of Washington ,were it took 20 years of failure before they recognized their need for grit to protect their stars and go in the corners etc? We have lost twice to Boston. Do we need to make some changes to beat them? We have a lot of expensive, flash offense but do we have the right balance to win?

I'm very curious to see where Leaf fans stand on this. Why? Because if we lose again first round, I think we need to fire more than just Babcock and certain things may not even be his fault. Thoughts....

I'm hearing a lot of teams really enjoy playing in Toronto. Is that the rep we want?

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[Rogue]

They enjoy playing here, because they are Toronto born (and also secretly dream to play here, but don't have the guts).
I know what you meant, but I don't see it that way and haven't heard /read a player saying he likes to play here, because we are weak.
I personally don't see us winning against Tampa or Boston in the playoffs.
I don't think minor changes will help us. I don't think the problem is toughness - according to me is lack of confidence, team spirit and will to win. It truly seems that our players so far haven't really cared about winning. They seem to be very happy getting a big paycheck and an early vacation.
Why do I say this? Because I thought Marner was the perfect representation of what a modern Maple Leaf should be - excellent skills + playing with his heart and giving everything - every shift. Well it turned out all false ... a mask before a greedy contract.

 

[Blowfish]

No and No.

 

[Bomber0104]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

 

[rumman]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

pretty much, I see the Leafs looking good regular season and being physically overwhelmed in the playoffs. Defense wills cups, and I'd argue the D might be worse this year than last? If Ceci and Barrie don't improve the defensive aspect of their games.

 

[Stephen]

I vehemently disagree with Dubas' strategy to overtly push the skill and speed agenda when rounding out the roster with a bit of size and defensive acumen is actually the lower hanging fruit and easier to accomplish.

Low end skill guys like Petan can't and don't offer the right support for the high end skill guys. And you can't transition the puck up to the high end skill guys if you have ten cent defensemen asked to play at a higher rate than they can handle.

 

[thewave]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

We are all aboard Dubas' talent Titanic.

 

[shortfuze]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

It’s hard to build a balanced team. Not many teams have them and only one team can win the cup. Most teams lack something.

 

[ULF_55]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

I like Dubas.

This isn't a balanced team.

But I'll give them time to figure it out, and let the new coaching staff implement their systems.

However, the clock is ticking on the off ice personnel.

I'd be interested to see how Marchment, Korshkov and Engvall are going to fare in the NHL, especially if the transition of Engvall to center is successful.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I would like to see what a different coach could do with this roster, assuming our current lacklustre play keeps up.

As far as the tired “we aren’t tough enough” criticism, I’ll still say baloney. Leafs didn’t lose back to back years to Boston because of a lack of grit. They lost because they couldn’t hold a f***ing lead to save their lives and Andersen played like a sieve in back to back game sevens. Babcock’s stubbornness was also a factor.

It really shouldn’t be all that difficult to build a passable defensive structure but here we are. Still just as bad defensively as we were a decade ago. Names have changed but the results are the same.

 

[OVO16]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

I would like this 100 times but I cant because they took away my liking privileges

 

[OVO16]

The funniest thing is when people bring up the Burke era to counter this argument...as if that's what we actually want.

First of all,

-Burke led teams didnt have nowhere near the Skill and star power we do now.
-Burke led teams had unplayable goons like Orr and MClaren. We dont want goons

Now that we clearly have the skill part sorted out...we need to mix it out with the Grit. We need Guys that can Skate, play tough alng the boards, clear the net, drive hard to the net and do the grimy stuff.

We dont have enough of those players

 

[Duffman955]

This team is a top heavy roster that cant go head-to-head with other teams top lines.

After the top 5 guys, the rest of the roster offers nothing. No defense, no PK, no grit, no energy. Just a whole lot of nothing

 

[Menzinger]

Have goaltending capable of putting up an average sv% and the Leafs win every game this season.

That simple.

 

[Menzinger]

It’s hard to build a balanced team. Not many teams have them and only one team can win the cup. Most teams lack something.

The idea that most teams in the league are properly balanced is farcical.

Every team have some roster strength over the others- the Leafs strength happens to be star players, though apparently now that's a bad thing?

 

[A1LeafNation]

Coaches probably love coaching against a predictably coached Babcock team.

 

[Bomber0104]

I would like this 100 times but I cant because they took away my liking privileges

Fight the power brother.

 

[OVO16]

The idea that most teams in the league are properly balanced is farcical.

Every team have some roster strength over the others- the Leafs strength happens to be star players, though apparently now that's a bad thing?

The teams we lost to in the 1st rd the last 3 years....they're as balanced as it gets.

 

[Leafsman]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

There are Dubas fans who believe the team may not be balanced but it can be.

If Sandin and Dermott develop and advance, that will go a long way to solidifying the defence.

If Barrie's offensive prowess can be developed into the overall strategy. I'd like to see what happens if instead of Badcock cramming the system into Barrie's game, Barrie's game is used in developing a new overall system.

Mikheyev (Sp???? I never remember) and Moore continue on their current trajectory.

I give Dubas a little more leeway than Badcock because at least he is trying to create something, instead of Babcock who insists on trying to recreate something that refuses to work

 

[7even]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

There are two types of people in this world: those who agree with me, and idiots.

It is possible to make a point without constantly calling people stupid or fanboys man.

 

[Mess]

I personally wish the Leafs were bigger, stronger and more physical so that they would be better prepared for all sorts of opposition.

Simply being fast and skilled has its limitations and already knowing that you will run from a fight when the going gets tough doesn't give one a feeling of success is imminent.

Just not sure how many times the Leafs will need to be tossed from the playoff show before management gets on board that you need more backbone to succeed.

 

[egd27]

The only people that can't admit that the Leafs aren't a balanced team are the diehard Dubas fans that roam this board.

Meanwhile the rest of the hockey world and Leafs fans (who don't lap up everything Dubas does) see it quite differently.

It's the coach's fault not the GM's. He has been unable to get the team to show it has the character needed to win.

 

[FreeBird]

Korshov and Engvall should be on the Leafs roster they add size and speed plus some grit, along with the return of Hyman, also in the future Harpur added to the D after Keefe and his staff refine his game with the Marlies. Waive Petan, Spezza,

 

[Peiskos]

Leafs are lacking a real heart and soul player, who is our Darcy Tucker right now?? that's what it comes down to for me. In an ideal world our talented players such as Marner, Nylander and Matthews would also have a rough and tumble side to them, but they don't. The sense with this team is that if there is a dirty hit, nobody will take exception, they'll all just keep skating along. I hate to sound like John Tortarella but that's gutless, and gutless teams don't win the cup.

I do agree with previous comments, more physical guys from the Marlies can and should be on the roster, also fire Babcock and bring up Keefe.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Leafs are lacking a real heart and soul player, who is our Darcy Tucker right now?? that's what it comes down to for me. In an ideal world our talented players such as Marner, Nylander and Matthews would also have a rough and tumble side to them, but they don't. The sense with this team is that if there is a dirty hit, nobody will take exception, they'll all just keep skating along. I hate to sound like John Tortarella but that's gutless, and gutless teams don't win the cup.

I do agree with previous comments, more physical guys from the Marlies can and should be on the roster, also fire Babcock and bring up Keefe.

Closest equivalent is Hyman. Aside from him no one else on the roster really fits the “warrior” role that we had in the past. Kadri was the last one but he wrote his own ticket out of town with back to back suspensions.