Leafs need more truculence!!!

[zeke]

Was it elite skill?
Heavier skill?
Harder working skill?

it was similar skill, that received more icetime.

 

[Nineteen67]

Was it elite skill?
Heavier skill?
Harder working skill?

They won puck battles, especially the Bergeron line. And the Leafs let McAvoy and that other runt Dman run scot-free.

 

[Trapper]

They won puck battles, especially the Bergeron line. And the Leafs let McAvoy and that other runt Dman run scot-free.

If you don’t pressure the D, most NHL players can look top 2 all night. And play 20+ minutes/game without wearing down.

 

[egd27]

you guys realize that the coyotes beat us with speed, speed, and more speed, right?

You realize this guy had the Stanley Cup handed to him at the end of last season?

 

[BlueForever75]

Tell players to play their size and we wont have a problem. We have way to many stick checkers that are afraid of contact. It really doesn't matter the size you are, if you choose to play a heavier game size doesn't matter.

 

[IPS]

You realize this guy had the Stanley Cup handed to him at the end of last season?

And hogdog boy Phil Kessel came off back-to-back cups, one of which he could have easily taken home the Smythe.

What's your point?

 

[BlueForever75]

And hogdog boy Phil Kessel came off back-to-back cups, one of which he could have easily taken home the Smythe.

What's your point?

Sad to say, but Kessel actually hit more then Nylander and Matthews. Just saying.

 

[Menzinger]

I don't know what magic fix people are looking for personnel-wise. We already have a pair of elite #1C's, elite #1RW's, a Norris contender, a solid #2 now with Muzzin and a world-class goalie.

This lackadaisical and underwhelming play the team brings on some nights has so little to do with grit/toughness. We've whoooped Winnipeg, Nashville, Vegas, Washington etc... when our team comes ready for battle, grit/toughness be damned.

What needs to happen is for us to make better use out of the players we already have. I have no idea why people expect the team dynamic to magically change if Simmonds and Gudas get brought in. All it would be is a monumental waste of assets.

Imo it’s fairly crazy how important some folks think adding a random gritty top 9 winger is. Apparently it’s on the same level of impact as Matthews or Rielly...

 

[Menzinger]

You realize this guy had the Stanley Cup handed to him at the end of last season?

And you have 12ish other seasons he didn’t win the cup....

 

[AreBe]

Imo it’s fairly crazy how important some folks think adding a random gritty top 9 winger is. Apparently it’s on the same level of impact as Matthews or Rielly...

Good Canadian kids, sitting there in the penalty box
"Watch the other team score" I say dryly
Watching those high skilled Europeans with their passing, skating and their scoring, and all that spatial awareness and dedication to fundamentals, fans of Canadian hockey on them wish a pox
Enough with this grit and win now, but more simply having more talent then any other team seems to be the praiseworthy thinking of Dubas, who is thinking rather slyly,

 

[egd27]

And you have 12ish other seasons he didn’t win the cup....

So your argument is that playing with a bit of an edge and not being afraid to throw a hit kept him from winning a cup for 12ish seasons ?

 

[zeke]

You realize this guy had the Stanley Cup handed to him at the end of last season?

only took him 15yrs to overcome the "biggest choker ever" label.

 

[GoonieFace]

only took him 15yrs to overcome the "biggest choker ever" label.

117pts in 121 playoff games..seems pretty good to me. Did Dan Marino suck cause he never won a superbowl?

 

[egd27]

only took him 15yrs to overcome the "biggest choker ever" label.

Really? As a Leaf fan you're going to throw that stone?

Too funny Zeke.

 

[Trapper]

Good Canadian kids, sitting there in the penalty box
"Watch the other team score" I say dryly
Watching those high skilled Europeans with their passing, skating and their scoring, and all that spatial awareness and dedication to fundamentals, fans of Canadian hockey on them wish a pox
Enough with this grit and win now, but more simply having more talent then any other team seems to be the praiseworthy thinking of Dubas, who is thinking rather slyly,

And we will find out if it’s the right talent.
Cause talent that doesn’t want to be touched, talent that doesn’t want to get in hard and win those there puck battles, will soon be watching those good ol’ other teams movin on.

 

[Nineteen67]

Really? As a Leaf fan you're going to throw that stone?

Too funny Zeke.

He’s actually pointing out what we’ve all been saying; winning the Cup takes a combination of Skill, Determination, Toughness, and a little luck along the way. Always has, and hopefully, always will.

 

[Menzinger]

So your argument is that playing with a bit of an edge and not being afraid to throw a hit kept him from winning a cup for 12ish seasons ?

No.

Just pointing out that supposed “edge” to his game was hardly a decisive factor in most of his team’s cup attempts.

 

[egd27]

No.

Just pointing out that supposed “edge” to his game was hardly a decisive factor in most of his team’s cup attempts.

Never said it was the decisive factor.

Merely pointing out that playing with some "edge" doesn't mean you lack skill as many here seem to believe.

Maybe you can win a Cup without any "snarl", just haven't seen it done before. Guess we shall see.

 

[zacholistic]

Disclaimer: Im danish and a big Andersen supporter, so bias probably inc

I've noticed that teams are starting to get in Andersen's face more and more - standing in his face, touching him, slashing his hands etc - with little to no answers from the leafs team.

Imo this teams needs to show their golie (mvp so far) some respect and stick up for him. In Anaheim he got disrespected by the management because they did anything for their little goldenboy Gibson, but at least the team defended him much better (including starplayers like getz and perry). I used to think the ducks were soft, but this is really getting concerning to me. You can say a lot about Polak but at least he got the concept of "protecting your golie". Look what happens in Boston when players get in their golies face.

In Denmark we were always told to make it hurt when players got in our golies face - cross check, punch em, slash em... just do something... because thats what the big boys in Canada always did. I see that more in our local games now (average players built like marner ffs) than in leafs games.

This is just going to get worse come playoffs - and it will not do anything good for Andersens game. It needs to be addressed fast

 

[Nineteen67]

Disclaimer: Im danish and a big Andersen supporter, so bias probably inc

I've noticed that teams are starting to get in Andersen's face more and more - standing in his face, touching him, slashing his hands etc - with little to no answers from the leafs team.

Imo this teams needs to show their golie (mvp so far) some respect and stick up for him. In Anaheim he got disrespected by the management because they did anything for their little goldenboy Gibson, but at least the team defended him much better (including starplayers like getz and perry). I used to think the ducks were soft, but this is really getting concerning to me. You can say a lot about Polak but at least he got the concept of "protecting your golie". Look what happens in Boston when players get in their golies face.

In Denmark we were always told to make it hurt when players got in our golies face - cross check, punch em, slash em... just do something... because thats what the big boys in Canada always did. I see that more in our local games now (average players built like marner ffs) than in leafs games.

This is just going to get worse come playoffs - and it will not do anything good for Andersens game. It needs to be addressed fast

You are spot on. Every other team in the NHL sticks up for their goalie and each other.
Conn Smythe would roll in his grave if he watched this group.

 

[Mugzy97]

He's a big boy, I'm sure he can handle it.

 

[zacholistic]

He's a big boy, I'm sure he can handle it.

Its not the issue... its about respect and trust in your team. Going the extra mile for your teammates. It's about leadership and the will to win. Have you ever played high level team sports?

 

[ToneDog]

He's a big boy, I'm sure he can handle it.

He can and he has. He speared one player and chopped another in back to back home games recently but he could use some help. After all it is a team game.

 

[Mugzy97]

Its not the issue... its about respect and trust in your team. Going the extra mile for your teammates. It's about leadership and the will to win. Have you ever played high level team sports?

Yeah I have actually. If the other team does something illegal they will get a penalty for it which helps the team. If our guys start slashing and whacking players who aren't committing an infraction, we're going to get penalties. Seems stupid to me.

 

[zacholistic]

Yeah I have actually. If the other team does something illegal they will get a penalty for it which helps the team. If our guys start slashing and whacking players who aren't committing an infraction, we're going to get penalties. Seems stupid to me.

It's an honorable attitude - but you will just not win anything with it