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

[Leafs87]

Do we really need a poll? It’s been proven over and over. We need some grit, character and toughness. Not some enforcers but some good players willing to get into the dirty areas and work. And a old school type d man who can you know.... play fuxking D. Like Muzzin was before Babcock changes him

is it a surprise Hyman, Mikheyev, even Moore are thriving? That’s what we really need. They aren’t even huge or old school players but they compete hard. Give Babcock some more of that and we’ll see this team thrive. Stay the course it’ll be first round exits with maybe a lucky series win the odd year regardless you have as the coach. It’s great that we have talent the hard part is taken care of now insulate then.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Yeah I'm reading the other board. They either Fire Babcock or make a trade. Dubas may even be fired by the end of the season too. This aint looking good right now. They cant beat the good teams.

Colorado doesn't seem to being missing Barrie either. This team is softer than Dubas on contracts and now everyone knows.

 

[johnnybbadd]

Leafs do need to toughen up but it has to come from the current players or an addition in the top 6 which can only happen if Nylander is traded. I’m not however advocating for Willy to be traded but Washington yesterday came out and laid some hits early to set the tone because they believe that it will make the Leafs uncomfortable. Being physical doesn’t have to happen every game but a team should always pick its spots and be ready to bring it when the playoffs roll around.

 

[ORRFForever]

Not even close to the right mix.

Wait until everyone is healthy, then, if things are not better, trade one of the big 4 (minus JT - no trade clause) for something special and heavy.

 

[Snip Genos]

Yes More Toughness is Needed. I’m a big fan of all these young stars we have here and still have faith in these guys but the salary cap thing kinda gives this team a weird window here...

I haven’t seen a guy just bleed blue like the good old Pat Quin days and to me that’s the only leadership this team is lacking. I might sound crazy but to me Babcock would look like a genius here if he had Matthews as battle ready as Sundin was.

The guy we missed out on imo, was Gudas. Could’ve been the perfect partner for Sandin to start the year and then soon with Dermott, would be an awesome pairing.

Hockey was always meant to be played tough, and unfortunately this team just doesn’t have that toughness needed to go all the way. Still, a better part of our team comes from guys that are really young and I’m hoping they will find some intensity before they’re up for new contracts. They all got paid now it’s time to see who wants to bleed blue and white to win the cup at all cost.

 

[Tak7]

That has come up short in the playoffs three straight years.

It is the right call if it wins, it is the wrong way to go if it loses.

Its not that simple.

The Leafs still lose all 3 series if they have a bunch of bruisers and grinders.

 

[namttebih]

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'm somewhere in the middle here.

I obviously think that we're lacking a certain element in character and toughness.

I also think that Dubas--and the management team around him are intelligent enough to recognize it and if a retool is required, it's much easier to acquire that element than it is pure skill.

I realize that the AAVs are high but we have our top end skill locked down and have time to tinker if the chemistry isn't right.

 

[deletethis]

Dubas mucked up this team's salary structure. No one else in the NHL is remotely close to what Dubas has done handing $11M AAV to 3 separate players. I know it will be pointed out that players like Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin were given bigger/similar cap hit percentages. Yes but none of our big 3 are in their league as players.

One of the 3 is going to have to go. And return isn't going to be spectacular because of the cap hit. Right now the 2020-21 team has 12 roster spots including 6 defense to fill with about $16M in cap space.

And this team's hardness has to be increased. Not just for playoff performance but for regular season survival.

 

[Cobra777]

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

Orr, McClaren, Mark Frazer, Uncle Leo because of them Boston never pushed us around all series and had game 7 sewn up with a 4-1 lead with 7 or 8 minutes to go and not one of the ones I mentioned above caused the collapse because they were all on the bench for that debaucle at the end. I would take Ryan Reaves and Tom Wilson to add to this line up if possible in a New York minute and I guarantee everyone of our skill guys would play with 100% bigger more confidence with players like these having their backs laying out bone crushing hits, able to play hockey and drop mitts when needed.

 

[seanlinden]

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.

This... and event Hyman, I wouldn't call "gritty".

He grinds, he works hard, but he's not a nuisance to play against. He's not going to get under the other team's skin.

Personally, I think the Leafs do have enough grinders -- guys who can go retrieve the puck for their stars (Hyman, Moore, Johnsson, Kapanen, Timashov)... where the real missing piece is another Jake Muzzin at forward... somebody who brings some physicality, and is skilled enough to play big minutes.

 

[v4karuna]

Leafs have the size and weight, the coach has to yell at the players to get physical out there even if it means missing a few games a year due to injury.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Get lost, The leafs are of in danger of not making the playoffs. Dubad...

 

[darrylsittler27]

Here is what I know, this team is garbage and in of danger of not making the playoffs. 1967

 

[Carltons Cup]

We have too much ultra soft tissue paper on the team..

We need tissue paper that will give you hemorrhoids when you wipe your azz with it.