I find skating to be the most overrated aspect of the game. You can either play or you can’t. Maroon can play. Lauko will be out of the NHL in a year or two.
Maroon has been far from a problem and Lauko has been far from useful.
I disagree. We saw the Bruins forecheck singlehandedly dominate early in the series. Need speed for that.
Maroon is a problem because he never is in position to make a play, always 3 seconds behind the puck and essentially the 4th line is Boqvist trying his best Samsonov act, alone.
Then when Toronto defenseman blindly turn the puck back to the neutral zone, Maroon is still puffing his way out of the defensive zone.
Maroon was a 13th-15th forward when he came to Boston. The media is far overhyped anything he does out of desperation for the size.
Far too much credit for his "board battles" where he simply pins the puck until another player, either team, retrieves it.
Toronto defensemen handle the puck like a grenade, much like the Bruins defense this series. Issue is, Toronto pressures and skates. Boston does not.