Sorry , we are the softest team in the NHL

[OVO16]

Who? Muzzin is literally the only one that can throw a bodycheck, but something tells me dubas didnt get him for his physical play. We have gauthier, spezza, shore I mean even petan for **** sakes. Why are they all the same boring, small players with average flashes of skill? Dubas couldnt have plucked a few bigger or meaner players for his 4th line. Just to add some diversity. Its bizarre un-creative and repetive he has been creating his bottom-6...

Gauthier pisses me off man. Dude is clearly a solid hockey player and a perfect 4th C in today's game.

But how the hell are you that Big and Tall....but play so damn soft?? Like dude drop the gloves once in a while.

If Gauthier actually had any sort of a Mean Streak/attitude...I feel like most of this "toughness" issue would've been fixed.

But yet here we are

 

[thewave]

Gauthier pisses me off man. Dude is clearly a solid hockey player and a perfect 4th C in today's game.

But how the hell are you that Big and Tall....but play so damn soft?? Like dude drop the gloves once in a while.

If Gauthier actually had any sort of a Mean Streak/attitude...I feel like most of this "toughness" issue would've been fixed.

But yet here we are

These dudes are mandated to play so soft. It must be the case. Has to be.

 

[Daisy Jane]

One of

Washington
Boston
NY Islanders
Tampa (Even though they're not playing like it right now, im sure they'll turn it around)

...Is gonna represent the east in the Playoffs.

Guess what they all got in common to go along with their Skill?

good playoff goaltending, good playoff penalty killing, good playoff powerplay, I'd wager.

 

[Teeder Keon]

Gauthier pisses me off man. Dude is clearly a solid hockey player and a perfect 4th C in today's game.

But how the hell are you that Big and Tall....but play so damn soft?? Like dude drop the gloves once in a while.

If Gauthier actually had any sort of a Mean Streak/attitude...I feel like most of this "toughness" issue would've been fixed.

But yet here we are

One man does not make a team tough , it doesn’t hurt , but it won’t turn it around .
We require more team toughness and a willingness to overcome and stick together and stand in unison when it comes to one of our players being taken advantage of .
And allow our smoothies with talent to show case their talent without fear .
It’s great to have our top end players , we are fortunate to have such a plethora or these skilled athletes , but we need to protect them and eachother

 

[67Leafs67]

That's such a conclusive statement to make about a relatively intangible attribute. Whether soft in character, a judgement somebody watching from the stands cannot make, or soft in physical strength, which, on a team level, is really quite hard to measure, even with quantifiable data...this is a pretty ridiculous claim to make. These kind of judgements are ticking a lot of boxes of cognitive biases.

What concerns me more about this team is that we cannot seem to figure out how to play as a five man unit in the defensive zone, and especially against top competition, can easily be picked and pulled apart to concede top quality chances. Poise, patience, hockey sense, and a commitment to a system, and certain players being in shutdown roles is going to play a bigger part in that than our subjective perception of who is trying hard enough.

 

[Zybalto]

Should I find it odd that threads like this pop up when 3 of our best board players are out with injury?

Nah....

 

[Teeder Keon]

That's such a conclusive statement to make about a relatively intangible attribute. Whether soft in character, a judgement somebody watching from the stands cannot make, or soft in physical strength, which, on a team level, is really quite hard to measure, even with quantifiable data...this is a pretty ridiculous claim to make. These kind of judgements are ticking a lot of boxes of cognitive biases.

What concerns me more about this team is that we cannot seem to figure out how to play as a five man unit in the defensive zone, and especially against top competition, can easily be picked and pulled apart to concede top quality chances. Poise, patience, hockey sense, and a commitment to a system, and certain players being in shutdown roles is going to play a bigger part in that than our subjective perception of who is trying hard enough.

Good solid points as well

 

[kb]

55 years of getting things wrong?

Re-watch last night's game and tell me toughness was the issue.

I hope I don't age that poorly through the rest of my 50's and beyond.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

We lack hustle and a coordinated, efficient game plan. I don’t think it is grit and toughness that is impeding our team from looking like they have any sense of structure.
What sort of grit did they have a few years back when they broke their single season record for points? Was that because of stonehands Komorov and scratched every other game Matt Martin?
Even Naz, I love the guy, but his gritty games were few and far between and he was an agitator rather than an enforcer.
Need a coach who gets his players to f***ing skate and know what they are supposed to do. Or call up Harpur and trade for Wayne Simmonds and see all of our problems magically disappear.

 

[thewave]

We lack hustle and a coordinated, efficient game plan. I don’t think it is grit and toughness that is impeding our team from looking like they have any sense of structure.
What sort of grit did they have a few years back when they broke their single season record for points? Was that because of stonehands Komorov and scratched every other game Matt Martin?
Even Naz, I love the guy, but his gritty games were few and far between and he was an agitator rather than an enforcer.
Need a coach who gets his players to ****ing skate and know what they are supposed to do. Or call up Harpur and trade for Wayne Simmonds and see all of our problems magically disappear.

If he isn't fired by g20 and I have to watch this bs, id sooner not watch. Wake me up before thw PO. If we even make it. Raptors are pretty fun to watch.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

If he isn't fired by g20 and I have to watch this bs, id sooner not watch. Wake me up before thw PO. If we even make it. Raptors are pretty fun to watch.

Yeah it’s been UGLY hockey. It looks disorganized and frustratingly dull.

 

[thewave]

Yeah it’s been UGLY hockey. It looks disorganized and frustratingly dull.

Honestly I would rather read or learn how to grammar and spell and stuff good to.

 

[Teeder Keon]

55 years of getting things wrong?

Re-watch last night's game and tell me toughness was the issue.

I hope I don't age that poorly through the rest of my 50's and beyond.

Awesome man , terrific understanding
I bet you are incredible at video gaming sports .

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Honestly I would rather read or learn how to grammar and spell and stuff good to.

I’m not your gramma but I think you spell and stuff just fine. Don’t sell yourself short.

 

[cupcrazyman]

-No Toughness
-No Character
-Upgrade needed on 3rd & 4th dman pairings

 

[ruaware41]

Having the pathetic joke of a coaster called Patrick Marleau on the team for 2 years certainly didn't help, especially if he was brought in as an influencer. Well he seemed to have a lasting impact on Matthews and Marner. Reap what you sow.

Why do people on here have a hard time admitting that Marleau was arguably the most gutless player to wear the Maple Leaf

 

[Legendary]

I hope Dubas keeps going with his status quo so Boston can keep making us their bitches on a yearly basis. They can keep showing us what a real team looks like.

 

[Notsince67]

Sorry , we are the softest team in the NHL and without a doubt in the history of the league .....

remember , 55 plus years following sports , hockey and our beloved Leafs

we are without a doubt and unfortunately the most timid , softest , wimpiest , passive , non aggressive pro hockey team I’ve ever witnessed , been part of , rooted for and observed ..
I’ve tried to run from it , and make excuses for it and apologized for it , made up reasons why for it , denied it ,
But in the end , I can’t defend them any longer .
This aspect of our team has to change in order for our young extremely talented team to excel
I’ve played , coached and managed many years in all kinds of sports and for the most part I’ve been involved with tough skilled teams , and our successes were due to our skill , no question about it , but also hand in hand with team toughness and togetherness and fortitude .

I would also know that the other teams were affected by our team toughness and we exploited those more timid teams and talked about it all the time and could see it in there eyes and body language and the way they reacted to it .
Our players are timid and afraid sorry to say to all of Leaf Nation ..
If this doesn’t change , it will get worse
I’m tired of not having a real comeback to everyone who says we are “soft and timid “
They are right !
And every other team knows it and exploits us .
Just watch the highlights and see how every other team comes to each others defence
We have lost our identity as we actually don’t have one
Sorry all

We traded one of the few players with grit for an offensive dman who doesn't seem to be able to play defense or score goals.

 

[m1ker]

That's such a conclusive statement to make about a relatively intangible attribute. Whether soft in character, a judgement somebody watching from the stands cannot make, or soft in physical strength, which, on a team level, is really quite hard to measure, even with quantifiable data...this is a pretty ridiculous claim to make. These kind of judgements are ticking a lot of boxes of cognitive biases.

What concerns me more about this team is that we cannot seem to figure out how to play as a five man unit in the defensive zone, and especially against top competition, can easily be picked and pulled apart to concede top quality chances. Poise, patience, hockey sense, and a commitment to a system, and certain players being in shutdown roles is going to play a bigger part in that than our subjective perception of who is trying hard enough.

Enough nerd talk. It don’t take a rocket scientist to see that this team is soft as ****

 

[Notsince67]

These dudes are mandated to play so soft. It must be the case. Has to be.

You play with grit and you get traded. That is the object lesson.

 

[Nineteen67]

One of

Washington
Boston
NY Islanders
Tampa (Even though they're not playing like it right now, im sure they'll turn it around)

...Is gonna represent the east in the Playoffs.

Guess what they all got in common to go along with their Skill?

Carolina has a pretty good team as well. Well coached.

 

[Suntouchable13]

You play with grit and you get traded. That is the object lesson.

Or benched if you're Matt Martin by your esteemed head coach. Babcock's teams have always been soft.

 

[Duffman955]

Don't we already have a mega-thread on toughness already? We get it. We lack toughness. Unfortunately, nothing we can do about it until the players themselves change.

When was the last time a player went from butter soft to gritty, heart&Soul player?

 

[thewave]

You play with grit and you get traded. That is the object lesson.

So you think Dubas wants to change the way hockey is played?

 

[thewave]

Or benched if you're Matt Martin by your esteemed head coach. Babcock's teams have always been soft.

But Roman Polak... I am so confused