TSN: Matthews on TSN: "We really don't care what other people think".

[pcruz]

It feels like teams in the NHL play one of two ways, either aggressive fore check or stretch pass. CBJ likes the aggressive forecheck, usually 2 players pressuring the puck carrier, Toronto under Babcock loved the stretch pass.

What concerns me is it feel like whatever team we face over the last 4 years in the playoffs/qualifying round is the worst team for us to face. Which to me suggest if every team you face in the playoffs is a bad match up for you, either you have a coach/system (Babcock) that you are unwilling or unable to adapt to beat the other team or you have a team of players that is simply unable, unwilling or does not have the skillset to counter act the other team.

I look at the most recent version of the Leafs and I can see 4 players, JT, MM, AM and WN that have an identity, they push the play, they are high octane, high possession, offence type players. I look at our defence and I see Rielly, great skater, very good 2 way guy. Muzzin shutdown , big d-man The rest of the team, I see nothing, absolutely no identity. I think about the rest of the team and I don't know what they bring to this team. I don't see any shut down Selke type forwards, I don't see any PP specialists. I don't see any elite fore checkers, I don't see any shift disturbers. I see no secondary scoring, I see no leadership (save for Spez). I see 6 forwards and 4 dmen that just skate and eat ice time, with no effect on the game. I see no one that is willing to do the thankless but necessary jobs that you need people to do to win...everyone on this team wants to be a goal scorer, everyone wants to be the hero, everyone wants to be a setup man, you can't have that mindset and be successful. Someone has to wash the dishes, take out the garbage, serve the customers... not everyone can be the chef.

Well, Keefe and Babcock don’t have anywhere near the same coaching and playing philosophy.

So if the team is handled the same way by opponents despite having different philosophies, then it’s very clearly the make up of the team that is the issue, not the style of game.

For example, your car engine starts making a slight knocking sound and you think, “ahh, I’m supposed to use premium gas and I put regular, when I change fuel type it’ll go away.”
But after putting super premium gas, it’s not changed. Now you know the issue wasn’t the gas, but something else within the engine that is damaged or not functioning properly.

That’s this team. They don’t function properly in the playoffs and too many have made the poor diagnosis of it being a coaching issue.

Not to say Babcock was a good person or a positive in the room. I am just unconvinced his coaching was the downfall of the team.

 

[ACC1224]

Pretty sure everyone hates Cox but he makes some good points here.
Maple Leafs need to challenge their young stars, not coddle them

Stop coddling the golden boys. Time to toughen them up, starting with letting them stand up on their own two feet in the world’s toughest hockey market.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Maple Leafs need to challenge their young stars, not coddle them

What a horribly written article.

 

[justashadowof]

Damien Cox largely hit the mark there. The only snaky move in the article was glossing over why Kadri is no longer a Leaf to make a larger point about tough love for the young stars. And I'm not sure how you can do "tough love" on players who have already had their big payday. What leverage does management have over those players?

 

[Iapyi]

the year 1967 says hi....................

Thanks for proving my point.

 

[rumman]

Pretty sure everyone hates Cox but he makes some good points here.
Maple Leafs need to challenge their young stars, not coddle them

Cox nails it in this article, however no one imo from MLSE will do anything close to holding these players accountable, the kids will continue to be coddled and most likely will continue to lose..............

 

[Bluelines]

Well, Keefe and Babcock don’t have anywhere near the same coaching and playing philosophy.

So if the team is handled the same way by opponents despite having different philosophies, then it’s very clearly the make up of the team that is the issue, not the style of game.

That’s this team. They don’t function properly in the playoffs and too many have made the poor diagnosis of it being a coaching issue.

Not to say Babcock was a good person or a positive in the room. I am just unconvinced his coaching was the downfall of the team.

There were similarities in the way Keefe and Babcock teams were predictable in their playoff series. You could see CBJ players cheating towards where the play was going to go, it was not occasional and it was not just a few players. CBJ clearly had an understanding of what the Leafs were going to do in most situations.

 

[Bluelines]

Pretty sure everyone hates Cox but he makes some good points here.
Maple Leafs need to challenge their young stars, not coddle them

Stop coddling them would suggest Dubas does what take them out behind the ACC and kick that crap out of them. throw them under the bus in the media scrums? Yelling or taking the tough a$$ approach never works long term with people who report to you and only puts a quicker clock on you. If you have players that are not willing to do what you think it takes to win, trade them, if you have players that are willing to do what it takes to win, continue to be patient and develop them.

The newer generation is as soft as melted butter, if you take the hardass approach us Gen X'ers are use to, the new generation will just curl up in a ball and regress into a whimpering child. the new generation needs exactly what the headline says not to do, they do indeed need to be coddled.

 

[SlpLessInMuskoka18]

There were similarities in the way Keefe and Babcock teams were predictable in their playoff series. You could see CBJ players cheating towards where the play was going to go, it was not occasional and it was not just a few players. CBJ clearly had an understanding of what the Leafs were going to do in most situations.

Doesn't help.. that the entire team refuses to lay the body. So many drive by plays. Taking a guy down or out of the play changes the course of whats going on. The leafs literally never cause chaos.