Marner is too predictable
Probably a better way of looking at it, but it can extend to the entire team. Very easy to beat a team, even a talented one, when you know what they are going to do. Just ask the Astros
For Marner, it's cover his passing lanes. He'll try to deke you and more often than not, he will lose the puck. If he tries to shoot, his shot sucks so you should be able to stop it. But really it applies to everyone on our team, including Matthews. Some of the turnovers Matthews committed were not his fault alone. He was having to go up against two checkers with no real options to make a play, which is what happens when Eakins' swarm system is working. The thing is, it is very easy to beat the swarm if you have your guys positioned in the right spot. Marner was blowing the zone, the defense was just standing around, and Hyman was there but covered by one of the swarmers. End result, Matthews eventually loses the puck, everyone is out of position and they score a goal.
I watched the highlights between Tampa and Boston last game against each other. 2/3 of the best teams in the league.
Things you notice when things are going well for either team:
- Guys off the puck are always moving their feet to open up options for the guy with the puck, no matter where they are on the ice. Very little standing still.
- Using multiple approaches to break down the defensive scheme, especially on the PP.
- Making quick plays to catch guys off guard and prevent other team from shutting down the options your teammates made for you.
- Crisp execution. Players are not bobbling the puck, or missing passes, or whiffing on shots (although it probably happened plenty of times outside of the highlights).
- Adapted when the other team adapted, but never threw out the original playbook.
Things you notice when things are not going well for either team:
- Puck watching or abandoning their man to chase the puck.
- Slow or lethargic skating.
- Lack of effort in tight areas.
- Predictable passes and lack of options for the player with the puck.
- Overpassing.
- Sloppy execution.
Which one sounds more like the Leafs? That may be too easy of a question, so I will follow it up with how are you going to have more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff?
However you also notice that these teams make the same mistakes we do. They are unavoidable. The point is to make sure you limit them, especially the ones you can control, so that it takes a really good effort on the other team's part to beat you. We beat ourselves far too often for a team this good.