The Bruins "Physicality" is Overblown. Let me explain why

[Ports]

every game.

including their sad weak performances against NJ and Carolina.

I agree that their game 7 performance in NJ was pathetic. Six shots or something. They had Carolina on the ropes until Sundin came back when they seemed to have a let down. I don’t consider them chokers. They just weren’t good enough to win it all with the players they had. Given the poor performance of this team over the last fifty years. That wasn’t the version that let me down.

 

[zeke]

They just weren’t good enough to win it all with the players they had.

so you're saying that in the end what actually matters isn't grittensity, but good plain old hockey SKILL.

I agree.

 

[zeke]

Re: Tampa Bay, this is a good example of a skill guy who was tough enough to execute a skill play by splitting the D between Chara and McAvoy. This is Brayden Point, who is smaller than Mitch Marner. This is the kind of toughness that would be a bare minimum requirement for a skill player in a seven game series. Don't be afraid to go to high danger areas, be willing to make the play under physical duress.



We didn't have enough of this and that's why we lost to Boston. Not sure why we are trying to deny the existence of a flaw when we can go out and improve on it.

er....that's not toughness.

 

[zeke]

Re: Tampa Bay, this is a good example of a skill guy who was tough enough to execute a skill play by splitting the D between Chara and McAvoy. This is Brayden Point, who is smaller than Mitch Marner. This is the kind of toughness that would be a bare minimum requirement for a skill player in a seven game series. Don't be afraid to go to high danger areas, be willing to make the play under physical duress.



We didn't have enough of this and that's why we lost to Boston. Not sure why we are trying to deny the existence of a flaw when we can go out and improve on it.

looks like both Willy and Auston are tough too.

 

[zeke]

good old Auston toughness

 

[Ports]

so you're saying that in the end what actually matters isn't grittensity, but good plain old hockey SKILL.

I agree.

Unfortunately you need some of both to win it all.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

What did he say? The Bruins seemed to be collectively in awe of Marner last playoffs.

Marchand said that Marner should get $12m on his next contract.

https://www.tsn.ca/leafs-dismiss-marchand-s-12m-aav-tweet-about-marner-1.1268499

 

[Sweet Leaf]

looks like both Willy and Auston are tough too.

Also looks like Babs caught the Bruins without Chara on the ice against his top line.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

good old Auston toughness

Did you watch that until the end?

Lol the entire sequence starts with bone racking hits from Kadri and Komarov.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Marchand said that Marner should get $12m on his next contract.

https://www.tsn.ca/leafs-dismiss-marchand-s-12m-aav-tweet-about-marner-1.1268499

He is a douchebag on the ice and a troll off the ice.

Doesn't he have anything better to do in his spare time, like get a nose job?

 

[Sweet Leaf]

Marchand's cap hit is 6plus million. Might be the most team friendly deal in the league.

He likes winning I guess.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

THe Leafs tend to finish their checks when the playoffs start. If we're looking at hit totals from last seasons's playoff series...it was almsot even.

Also, Backes isnt an enforcer. This dude is one punch to the face away from being concussed for life. But yes, he plays a really physical game but his fighting skills are wack.

Kadri could handle Backes easily

Seabrook says "Wakey, wakey Backes"...

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Seabrook says "Wakey, wakey Backes"...

Is he out for good after last night? He got KO'ed really bad by Ferland. Agree Backes is not a fighter. The way he walked into that 1 punch knock out last night it was clear he does not fight often or if he does he is a bad fighter.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Marchand's cap hit is 6plus million. Might be the most team friendly deal in the league.

He likes winning I guess.

The whole line is on a deal.

Share the cap with your teammates.

 

[notDatsyuk]

As soon as I saw "Brad Marchand (Not intimidating at all...)", I knew it was a joke thread.

 

[ORRFForever]

I am most curious to see how Matthews plays once the hitting starts.

You KNOW the Bruins will run that shoulder every chance they get. I know I would.

 

[Stephen]

so you're saying that in the end what actually matters isn't grittensity, but good plain old hockey SKILL.

I agree.

You don't even know what you're arguing at this point. Skills challenge skills don't help if you're not going be able to show those abilities because you don't have the wherewithal to play your game in difficult situations.

The zero "grittensity" skill game you are imagining has never won the cup before.

 

[Stephen]

I am most curious to see how Matthews plays once the hitting starts.

You KNOW the Bruins will run that shoulder every chance they get. I know I would.

See, what Matthews needs to do is to get his stick up high in the face of the first Bruin to try and hurt him. This is something Malkin does well. He's primarily a skill guy but has a really nasty psychotic streak that rears its ugly head too.

 

[zeke]

You don't even know what you're arguing at this point. Skills challenge skills don't help if you're not going be able to show those abilities because you don't have the wherewithal to play your game in difficult situations.

The zero "grittensity" skill game you are imagining has never won the cup before.

I know exactly what I'm arguing about.

It's no coincidence that that poster ended up saying that ultimately those Quinn teams just weren't good enough, despite their super grittensity.

Because skill wins.

 

[Stephen]

I know exactly what I'm arguing about.

It's no coincidence that that poster ended up saying that ultimately those Quinn teams just weren't good enough, despite their super grittensity.

Because skill wins.

You're really not showing the ability to be able to see things with any kind of nuance in this situation.

Teams win by playing the game to their strengths but require a balance of skill and grit, offense and defense to succeed in as many situations as possible.

We are primarily a skill team but relatively exposed in other aspects. So we need to improve on some characteristics to experience growth.

 

[zeke]

You're really not showing the ability to be able to see things with any kind of nuance in this situation.

funny, from where I sit, I'm arguing against an evidence-less cliche that has no nuance to it whatsoever.

 

[Stephen]

funny, from where I sit, I'm arguing against an evidence-less cliche that has no nuance to it whatsoever.

Again, there's never been a gentlemanly all skill team with zero physical ability that has won the cup before. That's in your imagination only.

The fact that the Leafs traded for Jake Muzzin should give you a sense of what they think about physical play and intensity and all the things that you can't count in your xlsx file.

You don't even know who Steve Thomas is. I mean seriously.

 

[zeke]

Again, there's never been a gentlemanly all skill team with zero physical ability that has won the cup before. That's in your imagination only.

The fact that the Leafs traded for Jake Muzzin should give you a sense of what they think about physical play and intensity and all the things that you can't count in your xlsx file.

You don't even know who Steve Thomas is. I mean seriously.

heh.

you don't need to tell me who stumpy is. I knew him his first go around with the leafs. you showing him dropping the gloves at a time where every player had to do it doesn't turn him into a tough guy.

and yes, the cup is always, always won by the elite, elite skilled teams.

 

[Stephen]

heh.

you don't need to tell me who stumpy is. I knew him his first go around with the leafs. you showing him dropping the gloves at a time where every player had to do it doesn't turn him into a tough guy.

and yes, the cup is always, always won by the elite, elite skilled teams.

Funny that, a tough player doing tough things isn’t tough because Zeke said so. Because everyone fought in 80s and 90s. Right.

Still waiting for that one example of gentlemanly good boys who won the Stanley Cup.

 

[ORRFForever]

See, what Matthews needs to do is to get his stick up high in the face of the first Bruin to try and hurt him. This is something Malkin does well. He's primarily a skill guy but has a really nasty psychotic streak that rears its ugly head too.

All true.