CLB just re-signed Jenner. This would never happen.
While the fit would be perfect, you gotta do a bit of research.
Gudas on the 2nd I could get behind.
News Article: [Paywall] The NHL is shifting to more of a skill-first league, have the Maple Leafs over-corrected?
- Thread starter Kamiccolo
- Start date
While the fit would be perfect, you gotta do a bit of research.
Gudas on the 2nd I could get behind.
SHANNYPLAN
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- Nov 24, 2016
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diceman934
Help is on the way.
Agree 100%. How anyone could have watched the series and think we matched them physically is wrong. We had players running away from being hit. That is pure intimidation.
Leafsman
I guess $11M doesn't buy you what it use to
- May 22, 2008
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One could argue that had Matthews and Nylander played a little better, they may have come out on top also (without an increase in physical play).
But it's not like Tampa barely battled their way through a war. All they had to do was crank it up and they dominated winning 4-1.
I'm not saying that increasing the grit factor won't help the Leafs, but I don't think it's all that necessary. And I'm also not sure how we would bring it in..
Our fourth line is barely going to play at this point, and if that's what we want we could have kept Martin. A guy who can bash and be better than Johnsson, Kapanen and Brown so he can play in our top 9 is a pretty big ask. The defense could sure use some help in this regard though. Polak was terrible in too many areas, but at least he sucked to play against.
I don't buy that. I don't usually play the blame game and I'm not here to bury either guy, but Gardiner and Andersen having terrible game 7's was a vast majority of why we lost. The Leafs had it, even with Bergeron and Chara shutting down Matthews.
And our team didn't have success with Matt Martin, Leo Komarov, Nazem Kadri and Roman Polak.
Toughness adds nothing to today's game, the guys you named are not just tough like 3/4 of plugs I named, but they also have skill. Orpik is a fine bottom pairing, Wilson is a decent 2nd/3rd liner with excellent speed and Smith Pelly is solid all around, their toughness isn't their primary feature.
Besides, in what series did they "out tough" the other team so much so that it had a big game impact?
I guess we disagree...to me Tampa simply outskilled the Bruins. we would have too if we didn't have half a defence...still took them to 7 even with that handicap.
weems
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- Jul 3, 2008
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We took them to 7 games, having a lead heading to the 3rd period with our goalie playing like dung half the series and our best player being a non factor. If Andersen just makes a few timely saves in that 3rd period we most likely move on.
We need to up the intensity level and commitment to detail not necessarily get "tougher".
Removing both Bozak and JVR should help alot in this regard.
hector morrison
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There have only been a few true power forwards throughout the last few decades. Shanny was rare...Scoring,physical ,and being able to protect yourself and your team mates ...very rare! The ones who could play that game were usually a fan favorite...where are they now?
Stephen
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I might earmark Connor Brown as a guy you could upgrade on with more athleticism.
hector morrison
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Don't hold your breath...Tucker had some talent and was a decent scrapper and top notch agitator ,Hyman is none of that!
Stephen
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You have to re-watch those games, the Lightning literally watched our series and decided to punch Boston in the nose before they got a chance to grind them down. Tampa obviously executed their skill game but a lot of it was by the willingness to run through a wall to make plays as well as to intentionally put the body on Bruins players throughout the series. Guys like Krug and McAvoy were particular targets, which is pretty typical of the Quinn days when our forecheck would key on opposition puck carrying defensemen. The game hasn't been reinvented.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper credits physical play, intensity for Tampa’s victory over Boston Bruins
hector morrison
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I also saw it this way! No...the Leafs were no match for the likes of Chara and company.That said there are many instances fans will point to after looking up from the microscope that is collectively used.
But the time will come this season, when it will be blatantly obvious how soft this team is! If the roster remains as is!
I'm pretty happy with the diection of the team and wish the season could start today.
Bye Martin. Bye Leo. Bye Polak. Loved having you guys here, but it's time for all of you to move on.
Same for Bozak and JVR.
Welcome to Tavares and all the internal promotions the Leafs can make.
I'm hoping that guys like Ennis are just extras to keep the rookies on their toes, man the press box and provide injury insurance without compromising the development of a younger player.
Bye Martin. Bye Leo. Bye Polak. Loved having you guys here, but it's time for all of you to move on.
Same for Bozak and JVR.
Welcome to Tavares and all the internal promotions the Leafs can make.
I'm hoping that guys like Ennis are just extras to keep the rookies on their toes, man the press box and provide injury insurance without compromising the development of a younger player.
hector morrison
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Agreed, I was the first to crap on both players and Babcock as well...but could you see that roster finessing their way past Vegas or Winnipeg for example...I think the lads can take it well enough to get through some dirty play,but would've been nice to of had someone to keep the other team honest! A tall order these days though. Power forwards are not easy to get!
Liminality
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- Oct 22, 2008
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Agreed, the reason why Washington did so well?
Kuznetsov 32p 24gp
Ovechkin 27p 24gp
Backstrom 23p 20gp
Oshie 21p 24gp
Carlson 20p 24gp
They won because they scored a lot more goals than their opponent. They didn't win because they punched the other team into submission. They had a hot powerplay and their top skilled players were their best players.
With all due respect, Washington downright bullied Tampa throughout the series. Looked almost identical to the '16 Bolts/Pens series where it went to 7 but it was obvious who the better team was. Washington cycled them into submission game in and game out.
Stephen
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Washington brought a heavy, old man game to the series that Tampa couldn't match after their physical series against Boston. The overall point is you just have to have enough variety in the lineup to handle all/most situations that arise in a playoff round. Then multiply that by four rounds.
The optics of trading a recently signed player would be terrible.
CBJ has a hard enough time attracting free agents.
Jimmy Firecracker
Fire Sheldon.
I wouldn’t say it was a lack of physicality or toughness in the traditional sense that lost us the Bruins series. We lost because of inexperience, lack of pushback, and poor defence/goaltending.
Our best players were 21 and under. Matthews and Nylander were up against arguably the best line in the league and one of the premier shutdown centremen of this era. Matthews may have also still been battling injury. Against Washington Marner was the one who struggled while Matthews shined, this year it was the other way around. Nylander has been okay points wise, but I think he has another gear he needs to turn on to really show what he can do in the playoffs. Rielly was still only 23 and Dermott was a rookie. And even though Zaitsev was older he was still a sophomore and battled injuries and off ice issues all year.
Leafs were also easy to play against. Not due to lack of physicality (I mean Marner was our best player and he’s what many people would believe as “soft”). Matthews and Nylander faced adversity and they wilted unfortunately. JVR and Bozak were their usual soft selves as well. With Kadri gone for 3 games we lost a lot of heart and physicality that may have otherwise helped turn the tide in games 2 or 4. I see no reason why Hyman can’t be our Tom Wilson. The guy was flying out there and made many enemies on the Bruins. And as our players get older and develop more man-strength they won’t be so easy to intimidate.
Andersen had a bad playoffs, no ifs ands or buts. He did good work in the middle of the season, but it would’ve been nice to get a few more key saves from him this series. Granted, the Leafs defensively didn’t help, but two of our weakest forwards defensively are gone, and are getting replaced by Marlies who can skate and have had defensive play drilled into them down in the minors. Tavares is also solid defensively himself, certainly not near as bad as our outgoing players. Rielly and Dermott will get better, and hopefully Zaitsev returns to form.
Leafs do have a little help physically coming up. Grundstrom could win a spot on the fourth line or as the 13th forward and he’s a real grit grinding lunch pail guy. Ozhiganov has been known to lay the body in the KHL, so hopefully that can transfer over here and help make up for Polak’s departure (while being better in other more important aspects of the game). Plus, getting rid of two of our softest players should increase the physicality of this team via addition by subtraction.
It’d be great to get a prime Clark, Lucic, or Simmonds on this team, but those players are rare and difficult to acquire. You either risk drafting them early (and miss out on a better players), draft then late and hope you struck gold, pay a heavy price for them in a trade, or get them as UFAs and by then their prime is done and they’re not nearly as effective as years prior.
Regardless, I don’t think we’ve overcompensated. The Leafs are building a team that's highly skilled, fast, can dominate the puck possession wise and can (or at least should be able to given the talent on defence) transition the puck affectively. There’s no need to try and correct a flaw in the team for something that’s not all that relevant in today’s game anymore. We already saw this story when Nonis tried to correct the Leafs physicality by dropping Grabovski and MacArthur for Clarkson and Bolland. Or the Canucks when they tried to become more physical after losing the finals in 2011.
Our best players were 21 and under. Matthews and Nylander were up against arguably the best line in the league and one of the premier shutdown centremen of this era. Matthews may have also still been battling injury. Against Washington Marner was the one who struggled while Matthews shined, this year it was the other way around. Nylander has been okay points wise, but I think he has another gear he needs to turn on to really show what he can do in the playoffs. Rielly was still only 23 and Dermott was a rookie. And even though Zaitsev was older he was still a sophomore and battled injuries and off ice issues all year.
Leafs were also easy to play against. Not due to lack of physicality (I mean Marner was our best player and he’s what many people would believe as “soft”). Matthews and Nylander faced adversity and they wilted unfortunately. JVR and Bozak were their usual soft selves as well. With Kadri gone for 3 games we lost a lot of heart and physicality that may have otherwise helped turn the tide in games 2 or 4. I see no reason why Hyman can’t be our Tom Wilson. The guy was flying out there and made many enemies on the Bruins. And as our players get older and develop more man-strength they won’t be so easy to intimidate.
Andersen had a bad playoffs, no ifs ands or buts. He did good work in the middle of the season, but it would’ve been nice to get a few more key saves from him this series. Granted, the Leafs defensively didn’t help, but two of our weakest forwards defensively are gone, and are getting replaced by Marlies who can skate and have had defensive play drilled into them down in the minors. Tavares is also solid defensively himself, certainly not near as bad as our outgoing players. Rielly and Dermott will get better, and hopefully Zaitsev returns to form.
Leafs do have a little help physically coming up. Grundstrom could win a spot on the fourth line or as the 13th forward and he’s a real grit grinding lunch pail guy. Ozhiganov has been known to lay the body in the KHL, so hopefully that can transfer over here and help make up for Polak’s departure (while being better in other more important aspects of the game). Plus, getting rid of two of our softest players should increase the physicality of this team via addition by subtraction.
It’d be great to get a prime Clark, Lucic, or Simmonds on this team, but those players are rare and difficult to acquire. You either risk drafting them early (and miss out on a better players), draft then late and hope you struck gold, pay a heavy price for them in a trade, or get them as UFAs and by then their prime is done and they’re not nearly as effective as years prior.
Regardless, I don’t think we’ve overcompensated. The Leafs are building a team that's highly skilled, fast, can dominate the puck possession wise and can (or at least should be able to given the talent on defence) transition the puck affectively. There’s no need to try and correct a flaw in the team for something that’s not all that relevant in today’s game anymore. We already saw this story when Nonis tried to correct the Leafs physicality by dropping Grabovski and MacArthur for Clarkson and Bolland. Or the Canucks when they tried to become more physical after losing the finals in 2011.
Darcy Tucker
My Name is Bob
Hyman? Lol. Let's not forget you would take a beating hanging around the crease back in those days. Hyman has never thrown any hits as devastating as Tucks and he never will. Hyman hustles and digs but he's not at the level of grinder with offense that Tucker was. Never will be. Maybe I'm a bit biased tho ...
