It’s too late

[stuart5035]

Jeff O’Neill, the TV commentator/analyst, opined that the Leafs has “no pyhsicality’ and that this needed to change or they would be physically crushed in the playoffs. This on the Toronto-Winnipeg telecast last Saturday.

But it’s too late-there is no fix. And please, coach, don’t insert Leo Komarov in again, because he has a “wide body” (his quote) and because he is a defensive presence. The Leafs are a run and gun team and that is our identity. That fourth line with Kapanen and Johnsson on the wings maintains that purity, that blinding speed, the four lines rolled out. How different a dynamic with Komarov in there, I can feel the whole team sag, slow down.

Jeff O’Neill articulates the Leafs looming playoff crisis, can they with-stand the physical pounding as opponents focus on their frailty. A slow ‘wide body’ will do nothing to change that. Nor will Matt Martins presence-the only remedy isthe continued willingness of Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Dermott etc., to take the pounding, or to personify the saying “you can’t hit what you can’t catch”.

I know I don’t have the insider knowledge, I know there is much I am not aware of, and maybe I’m delusional, but is it possible to succeed in the heavy hitting ‘refs let it all go’ cauldron that is the NHL playoffs with the offensive dynamo that the Leafs of late have evolved into?

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[54thecup]

wow, interesting question..... it may be possible but highly unlikely!

 

[IamruKusleaf]

O m g
Oh my
O no
O bla di obla da
O sol a Mia
O dog is o so right !
Let’s always be who we are , an extremely fast offensively gifted charismatic explosive free wheeling cocky team with swagger and play to our strengths

O my word

O ruKus o pined O Canada

Oooooo LEAFS ooooooo

 

[Marshy]

We're going deep we will need 13 (maybe even 14 forwards).

The sports science department has prepared the team for a gruelling playoffs. The youth and health of the team will tip the scales. Injuries will likely occur but there is depth at all positions.

I see Johnsson playing more vs. Tampa Bay and Uncle Leo playing more vs. the Bruins. They'll both get games because we're playing both!

 

[Moonman]

I agree. the looming roster decisions are going to make or break our chances in the playoffs.

we should without question start johnsson over komatose, and kapanen over martin. I don't have much faith in babcock to deploy his best roster. I don't follow his brand of Saskatchewan Science.

 

[djdev]

I agree. the looming roster decisions are going to make or break our chances in the playoffs.

we should without question start johnsson over komatose, and kapanen over martin. I don't have much faith in babcock to deploy his best roster. I don't follow his brand of Saskatchewan Science.

ye damn him and his stupid decisions that led our team to have over 100 points..what a meathead

 

[nobody]

Do you know what Crosby, Guentzel, Kessel, Kane, Hossa, Letang, Hornqvist, Sharp, Brad Richards, Mike Richards, Versteeg, Williams, Doughty, Brown, Toffoli, and Gaborik all have in common?

They have all won the cup, some of them have won it 2,3,4 times!

Majority of these guys are 5'11-6'0 and all of them paid the price and did what ever it took to win the cup. You don't win cups with physicality. You win cups with hard work, skill, a ton of grit, character and the willingness to do whatever it takes. Oh and a little luck also does you some good. If the boys want it, they gotta earn it.

 

[1specter]

So Chicago and Pittsburgh combine for 6 cups in the last 9 seasons and this is still a concern?

 

[Tak7]

Speed and skill wins out over anything in this league right now.

However, given the Leafs troubles with moving the puck out of the zone, I totally concur with Jeff's concerns - on any given night, at least half of the Leafs D-core is, frankly, terrible at moving the puck out of their own end, and that just invites you for a pounding; very similar to the way the Capitals just eventually grinded the Leafs down towards the end of last year's series.

 

[frizzer1]

Well if Boston/Tampa come out hitting and end up taking penalties, it may be up to the leafs' power play .
If it is as potent as it is now, it could force the b's or Tampa to be less aggressive..
Who knows? We shall see..

 

[frizzer1]

Speed and skill wins out over anything in this league right now.

However, given the Leafs troubles with moving the puck out of the zone, I totally concur with Jeff's concerns - on any given night, at least half of the Leafs D-core is, frankly, terrible at moving the puck out of their own end, and that just invites you for a pounding; very similar to the way the Capitals just eventually grinded the Leafs down towards the end of last year's series.

And this is more likely..

 

[ponder]

Of the last 10 cups, 3 have been won by the Pens, 3 by the Hawks, and 1 by the Wings. These teams have been defined by their high end skill, speed, hustle and 2-way play more than their size, toughness and physicality. You can’t be soft, you have to battle hard for the puck, but the Leafs fit that description. We have good hustle/compete, we just don’t lay a tonne of big hits or fight a lot.

I think the Leafs are quite a long shot for the cup this year, but not because of toughness, there’s just teams who are more experienced and polished than we are. If we replaced Kapanen/Johnsson with Komarov/Martin, our physicality goes way up, but our chances in any given series go down significantly.

 

[BM14]

Do you know what Crosby, Guentzel, Kessel, Kane, Hossa, Letang, Hornqvist, Sharp, Brad Richards, Mike Richards, Versteeg, Williams, Doughty, Brown, Toffoli, and Gaborik all have in common?

They have all won the cup, some of them have won it 2,3,4 times!

Majority of these guys are 5'11-6'0 and all of them paid the price and did what ever it took to win the cup. You don't win cups with physicality. You win cups with hard work, skill, a ton of grit, character and the willingness to do whatever it takes. Oh and a little luck also does you some good. If the boys want it, they gotta earn it.

Three Rivers Thugs, don't cha know?

 

[Polaris1010]

Of the last 10 cups, 3 have been won by the Pens, 3 by the Hawks, and 1 by the Wings. These teams have been defined by their high end skill, speed, hustle and 2-way play more than their size, toughness and physicality.

Cannot really agree.

That first Chicago team, that was a real big and kind of mean team. Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Dave Bolland, they were tough. That second Chicago team that won, I checked the lineup, it is a big fast and tough lineup.

Then the Boston Burins won a cup. The LA Kings under Daryl Sutter won 2 cups. That is 5 cup champs right there who where big and mean. If we include the two teams before that (after the strike and new NHL), Carolina and Anaheim, two big teams.

Only Pittsburgh with Sidney Crosby was able to win more than once, with a smaller forward group.

The Pittsburgh defensive group last season, they probably are 4 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than the current Leafs defense. Pittsburgh may have been small up front, but not in the back last season.

All this means, that with Babcock the old school type, Komarov is in, Polak is in. Maybe even Martin gets significant playing time. They might put Levio in there as well. A big body with good hands. What anyone did in the regular season on this Leafs team, does not matter now.

 

[MR4]

wow, interesting question..... it may be possible but highly unlikely!

Highly unlikely? Did you watch the Penguins at all in the last 2 playoffs?

 

[MR4]

Of the last 10 cups, 3 have been won by the Pens, 3 by the Hawks, and 1 by the Wings. These teams have been defined by their high end skill, speed, hustle and 2-way play more than their size, toughness and physicality. You can’t be soft, you have to battle hard for the puck, but the Leafs fit that description. We have good hustle/compete, we just don’t lay a tonne of big hits or fight a lot.

I think the Leafs are quite a long shot for the cup this year, but not because of toughness, there’s just teams who are more experienced and polished than we are. If we replaced Kapanen/Johnsson with Komarov/Martin, our physicality goes way up, but our chances in any given series go down significantly.

Hell even LA wasnt super physical, they focused on having the puck at all times

 

[Menzinger]

The last few cup winners have far from physically gritty teams (ie neither team in the finals last season fits that description at all)

This idea that you have to play that way in the playoffs seems more myth than reality

 

[Menzinger]

Cannot really agree.

That first Chicago team, that was a real big and kind of mean team. Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Dave Bolland, they were tough. That second Chicago team that won, I checked the lineup, it is a big fast and tough lineup.

Then the Boston Burins won a cup. The LA Kings under Daryl Sutter won 2 cups. That is 5 cup champs right there who where big and mean. If we include the two teams before that (after the strike and new NHL), Carolina and Anaheim, two big teams.

Only Pittsburgh with Sidney Crosby was able to win more than once, with a smaller forward group.

The Pittsburgh defensive group last season, they probably are 4 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than the current Leafs defense. Pittsburgh may have been small up front, but not in the back last season.

All this means, that with Babcock the old school type, Komarov is in, Polak is in. Maybe even Martin gets significant playing time. They might put Levio in there as well. A big body with good hands. What anyone did in the regular season on this Leafs team, does not matter now.

Buff aside, those Hawks teams weren’t exactly built on physicality (systems wise too they were built on puck movement and possession not grinding dump and chase)their best players were fast and skilled - especially on their last cup win.

Martin won’t see a minute of icetime in the playoffs

 

[crump]

We have a good PP. Besides you gave to catch us to hit us. Winnipeg got away with a lot last Sat. Pundits shouldn't base playoff predictions on how refs called one game, and how Leafs Played 3rd game in 4 nights. Not worried.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Physicality has its purposes but if you people seriously think that's whats important in the playoffs, you're mistaken. The three S's: Skill (obviously), speed (transition), smarts (proper possession system) win today's game. All the teams that have won recently: Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston, LA, etc have those 3 in common.

Don't change your game to match the other team, make the other team try to match your game.

 

[Leafidelity]

Don't change your game to match the other team, make the other team try to match your game.

This needs more emphasis. Let Boston and Tampa worry about matching our skill.

 

[bluumax]

Don't change your game to match the other team, make the other team try to match your game.

Ahhh beat me too it, 100% agree.

Our high volume of speed and skill is incredible- the last thing we should be trying to do is slow our play style down in order to conform with a perception of what playoff hockey is- no team that has ever done that and won.

 

[BayStreetBully]

There are many ways to win the cup. It’s best to play to your strengths. Win, and everyone will want to copy YOU.

 

[MyBudJT]

It seems like people here don't remember last year's playoffs too well. We did a pretty good job of stepping up and playing more physical than we did in the regular season.

Guys like Hyman, Kadri, Bozak, Kapanen, Matthews really stepped up and played more physical. Now does this mean they'll match Boston's Physicallity? No, probably not... but I do think we'll handle ourselves fine.

The playoffs is a whole other game... Everything will be stepped up a knotch or two, including our physicallity.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Not this again.

Pittsburgh wasn't tough either.