Leafs struggle in playoffs similar to Red Wings struggles prior to 1995?

[salamicartier]

The Red Wings were among the most successful teams in hockey from 1997-2008 winning 4 Stanley Cups in that time and being a finalist twice. However, the team bottomed out in the mid-1980's and drafted Steve Yzerman. It took them a decade to finally reach their goal, which included a loss to a hard working Leafs team.

Recognizing that the Red Wings didn't necessarily lose 4 straight 1st round (or play-in series) I ask the following: Were the flaws that people identified in those Wings' teams similar to the flaws identified with the current Leafs core?

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[The Shadow]

I don’t see it

there is no Lidstrom on defence and Tavares, Mathews, Marner are certainly NOT Yzerman, Fedorov, Shanahan

 

[FMichael]

I don’t see it

there is no Lidstrom on defence and Tavares, Mathews, Marner are certainly NOT Yzerman, Fedorov, Shanahan

Having a stubborn - yet successful hardass in Bowman didn't hurt either.

 

[biotk]

Not at all similar. The Wings could spend unlimited amounts of money at that time. And they had Lidstrom.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

What worries me is that Shanny thinks the Leafs are like that Wings team of the early 1990's. If he does...we are in trouble because he will push for keeping the core intact until it's obvious that we can't win with them and its too late. As much as people shit on Duby...Shanny is the one who pushes the skill over everything mantra because he is enamored with the "Russian 5" idea that helped the Wings.

He doesn't realize that back then having them play a puck possession game was totally different to the other teams style. We are not that much different than the rest of the league...we just score a bit more often and not when it counts...the playoffs.

How many times do you have to watch your players lose puck battles in the corner before the light comes on? Having these fancy passes works in the regular season but when things tighten up and the whistles go away for the most part....its a detriment to your team to only be able to play 1 way. I hated Babs...like really hated him...but he was right in trying to get them to learn different styles of play for the playoffs. Keefe just doubled down on the skill aspect of our offense and here we are today.

 

[Gallagbi]

What worries me is that Shanny thinks the Leafs are like that Wings team of the early 1990's. If he does...we are in trouble because he will push for keeping the core intact until it's obvious that we can't win with them and its too late. As much as people shit on Duby...Shanny is the one who pushes the skill over everything mantra because he is enamored with the "Russian 5" idea that helped the Wings.

Shanny joined the Wings as part of a trade where they lost 2 core players. Coffey was incredible and Primeau was what everyone felt they needed in the playoffs

 

[ACC1224]

The Red Wings were among the most successful teams in hockey from 1997-2008 winning 4 Stanley Cups in that time and being a finalist twice. However, the team bottomed out in the mid-1980's and drafted Steve Yzerman. It took them a decade to finally reach their goal, which included a loss to a hard working Leafs team.

Recognizing that the Red Wings didn't necessarily lose 4 straight 1st round (or play-in series) I ask the following: Were the flaws that people identified in those Wings' teams similar to the flaws identified with the current Leafs core?

No cap back then.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Pfft comparing this team to the early ‘90s Wings. The hubris. The audacity.

 

[Egghead1999]

haha, I will not put to much thought on Botton's idea.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Not at all similar. The Wings could spend unlimited amounts of money at that time. And they had Lidstrom.

Here here ... not even remotely comparable ... when you have 2nd best defenseman of all time who produced EVERY game

 

[Trapper]

Shanny joined the Wings as part of a trade where they lost 2 core players. Coffey was incredible and Primeau was what everyone felt they needed in the playoffs

Not to mention they also traded 50 goal scorer Ray Shepard and moved out passive guys like Yzebaert/Johnson/etc to give bigger roles to Lapointe/McCarty/Maltby.

 

[Stephen]

The 1995 Red Wings actually made the finals, so I think they’re closer to the 1993 Red Wings or the 1994 Quebec Nordiques.

The Nordiques climbed out of the basement to finish 2nd in 1993 with the Lindros trade returns but melted down vs the eventual cup champion Canadiens. They had some injuries the next year but had a total meltdown and ended up missing the playoffs. Then it was another first round exit before being moved to Denver. But between 1994 and 1996 when they won the cup they had to move on from Sundin, Nolan, acquired Roy, grit and defense and promoter Forsberg. Basically drastically altering their makeup.

 

[PromisedLand]

The Red Wings were among the most successful teams in hockey from 1997-2008 winning 4 Stanley Cups in that time and being a finalist twice. However, the team bottomed out in the mid-1980's and drafted Steve Yzerman. It took them a decade to finally reach their goal, which included a loss to a hard working Leafs team.

Recognizing that the Red Wings didn't necessarily lose 4 straight 1st round (or play-in series) I ask the following: Were the flaws that people identified in those Wings' teams similar to the flaws identified with the current Leafs core?

If I remember the story correctly; Scotty B told Yzerman to change the way he plays or he would have been traded.

Stevie-Y, to his credit, did change his game from offense only to a 200 foot player. Taking care of the puck is important not only when you have the puck but also when you don't have the puck. Playing without the puck as hard as when you have the puck is very important!

 

[Plat87]

This is quite a reach.

 

[HarryLime]

We can't even win a series and the worst part is that the young players have a stranglehold over management here. Smurf Marner bent Dubas over and got 10.9 million. Nylander sat out basically a year to get what he wants. Meanwhile we ship out hard and soul players like Kadri that sacrificed for the team to bring in a soft offensive d-man like Barrie. I hate the moves we make and that we reward softness and heartlessness but punish the opposite. I would take our late 90s/early 00s teams that gutted their way through the playoffs with mediocre talent over this prissy, soft, entitled bunch any day of the year.

 

[tmlms13]

Most championship teams take tough playoff loses before breaking through and winning. The key is to keep the core together for more than 5 years. I think the Chicago Bulls are the best example in all of the 4 sports.

85: lose first round
86: lose first round
87: lose first round
88: lose 2nd round - Where we are, boo hoo we lost in the "first" round an extra year
89: lose 3rd round
90: lose 3rd round
91 - 98: Basically a 6-peat - I'd be cool with this

 

[odin1981]

It's different era's one without a salary cap but 3 of our 4 top 4d where Lidstrom, Chelios, and Konstantinov. Who are yours?

 

[Mickey Marner]

We're more like the Quebec Nordiques before they traded away Sundin and acquired Roy. Soft, skilled team that can't play D and needs a shakeup.

 

[GreytWun]

Wings had a few top end two way players something the leafs seriously lack, as well as the defense isn’t as good as Detroits. Not even close to comparing imo. the wings had a more complete team.