There's a lot of teams/players that get rated a lot worst or better for their defense based on the situation they're in. Players should be adjusting their style as the game goes along. Face it, there's been many bad Leaf teams that weren't that good, were behind in the game and started playing more desperate hockey. And often it just made it look worst, but it can be your only hope. Seeing Phil Kessel being a 'minus' player year after year was a sign of desperate hockey from his line. (2014-2015, Kessel basically pouts and quits and doesn't do an ounce of defense.) A lot of players have been ripped apart for being bad defensively, but they were adjusting their game accordingly. I don't think the Leaf's defense is necessarily as bad as it sometimes isn't appropriate in it's timing. Nylander standing in the open instead of covering the point might be worth the risk if you're down two goals late in the game, but you don't start the first period playing that way. The Leafs shouldn't be 'forcing' offense unless it's really needed.
