Why are we so easy to play against?

[barilko05]

I'm not going to make any excuses for the debacle against Carolina. It was the worst game I've seen this team ever play...and I lived through the Ballard era. But how is it that teams continually come into our barn and check us into the ground? Ok here comes the conspiracy theory:

Its well known we don't draw penalties..at all. I have no idea why. But we don't. I believe that's why we don't check and why teams grind us. They scout us...they see all our games. If you know going in that you can get away with things against this team that you can't if you play say a Boston or Pittsburgh, you do it. You check harder, you slash, you crash the goalie, you hold, you obstruct. You do it because you can and you know that the officiating crew, whomever they are, is not going to call anything when the score is close.
Conversely if you are the Leafs, a skilled, softer team who seem to draw an ordinate amount of ticky tack fouls almost every game, your tendency is to not engage as much because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

In short , the league and its "game management" style of officiating has put this team in a no win scenario. We don't help ourselves, of course, when we fold like a cheap suit at the first sign of adversity, and mail it in the rest of the game. But how do you beat the your opponent when you have to overcome them and the league office?

And if you don't believe our games are officiated differently, I watched Boston vs Edmonton on Wednesday. 11 penalties between the two teams. And almost all of them legit calls. When was the last time you saw that many penalties in a Leaf game?

I will now put away my tinfoil hat and resume my fervent hope that this was indeed rock bottom. I mean, it can't get any worse...can it?

Click to read more...

 

[supsens]

Boston and Edmonton went hard at each other and penalties are the result, if you avoid battles and contact the penalties will also be avoided.

It’s not an insult any team that is hard to play against will take and give a lot of PIM

 

[Nithoniniel]

In short , the league and its "game management" style of officiating has put this team in a no win scenario.

I'm with you on this one. It's been one of the issues with how officiating is done lately, it really favors certain teams and certain playstyles.

 

[Tuna99]

As a fan of another team, Leafs can’t handle a forecheck. Great once they are in the neutral zone - Leafs D don’t handle pressure well

 

[GoonieFace]

This team is sickening. I could grab 20 guys off the street and play these guys without equipment on, and not worry. They are a collection of gutless losers. If it weren’t for the crappy division they play in, this team wouldn’t be sniffing the playoffs. Let’s all hope they don’t make it, for all our sakes

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Non-Leafs fan opinion, of course, but I live in Oakville and watch all the games.

• Forwards don’t play defence at all, zero commitment to a breakout or shutting down an opposition cycle. Only thing on the mind is the fast break.
• Can’t get timely saves when you need them, other teams always seem to score goals at key times.
• Defence cannot handle a strong forecheck, turn the puck over like crazy when they are being physically manhandled.
• Complete lack of physicality in the lineup, arguably the softest team in the league. Zero pushback. Opponents don’t have to play with any concern against the Leafs, it’s bullying time.

Just my $0.02 CAD.

 

[go comets]

Leafs have that group of highly skilled forwards, but they are all one dimensional players. No physicality and no grit... So when things go wrong there is absolutely no push back. Good players, but no Ovechkin,Marchand or anything close in the group..... Team is just way too soft.. the one guy they had was Kadri but apparently he played with too much heart......

 

[daveleaf]

Last night was an obvious tell tale sign this team is built wrong. Car clogged the neutral zone and all they tried to do was stick handle around everyone and failed everytime. When the game gets tight you dump and chase but you can't do that with a bunch of figure skaters. Fire Dubas-this is a disgrace of a hockey team.

 

[Nylander88]

No heart. It really is that simple.

 

[The Blueprint]

No heart. It really is that simple.

Pretty much this. Completely fold when facing adversity. They start puck watching, don't skate, don't battle, they all just look like they don't give a shit.

Country club locker room, no accountability, no pride. Same cliche answers after every game about finding the effort, blah blah. Very hard to like this team right now

 

[cannucky]

been saying it for 2 years and keep getting hf punished for trolling for saying it .This team is ten ply baby wipe with lotion soft .

 

[RoadWarrior]

No heart. No grit.

There's a reason why Clifford was added to the Campbell trade.

They need 3 more of those guys.

Unfortunately they traded kadri for a winger masquerading as a defenceman.

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Entitlement.

 

[Hclass47]

Leafs have that group of highly skilled forwards, but they are all one dimensional players. No physicality and no grit... So when things go wrong there is absolutely no push back. Good players, but no Ovechkin,Marchand or anything close in the group..... Team is just way too soft.. the one guy they had was Kadri but apparently he played with too much heart......

kadri didn’t play when it mattered the most. in the off season...

 

[Hclass47]

Bc they are soft like charmin ultra

no commitment to play d

no accountability

as a whole they just don’t play the right way.

It’s suppose to be forecheck back check pay check. It’s more like forecheck pay check

May least babs tried to hold some players accountable. Keefe gives them more ice

 

[ottomaddox]

Players like Bozak, Hainsey, Komarov, etc. we're considered "useless"/"old" by this fanbase. Somehow that fickle mentality reaches analytics - types and then echos to Dubas.

"Intangibles" used to always get laughed at in this forum. Instead you have players trying to use their skill all over the ice and in bad situations. The skill guys have spent their careers not having to work very hard without the puck. Yes their skill is needed, but who's going to do the dirty work if Hyman isn't playing on your line?

 

[Nylander88]

No heart. No grit.

There's a reason why Clifford was added to the Campbell trade.

They need 3 more of those guys.

Unfortunately they traded kadri for a winger masquerading as a defenceman.

Clifford I think has had a positive influence on Kapanen's play. Definitely need another one though I agree. Shake ups hopefully coming in the next 24 hours

 

[Gabriel426]

Clifford I think has had a positive influence on Kapanen's play. Definitely need another one though I agree. Shake ups hopefully coming in the next 24 hours

No doubt about that.
They need more leadership and grit.

 

[Burkeocet]

They have no heart, no grit and no leadership coupled with s lack of role players, a weak blue line and goaltending that can’t make saves when it matters.

This is the softest, most entitled team I’ve ever watched play. It should have been obvious to us all during the Marner contract holdout what this core group cares about and it’s not winning.

 

[Gabriel426]

Players like Bozak, Hainsey, Komarov, etc. we're considered "useless"/"old" by this fanbase. Somehow that fickle mentality reaches analytics - types and then echos to Dubas.

"Intangibles" used to always get laughed at in this forum. Instead you have players trying to use their skill all over the ice and in bad situations. The skill guys have spent their careers not having to work very hard without the puck. Yes their skill is needed, but who's going to do the dirty work if Hyman isn't playing on your line?

Would only agree with Hanisey. Bozak only started playing like he is now when he moved to the Blues. Leo was heart and soul but was overused by Babs and just didn’t have it at the end. Let’s not romanticized players who really didn’t cut it as a Leafs.
Do agree this team lacks a few Hyman.

 

[Burnie97]

No heart. It really is that simple.

Yup

 

[ottomaddox]

Would only agree with Hanisey. Bozak only started playing like he is now when he moved to the Blues. Leo was heart and soul but was overused by Babs and just didn’t have it at the end. Let’s not romanticized players who really didn’t cut it as a Leafs.
Do agree this team lacks a few Hyman.

It's just an example.

I know why each player no longer is a leaf and the reasons why. The problem is that Dubas went on without Bozak, Komarov, and Hainsey -type replacements.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Remember when everyone mocked " gud pros" here?

Hi.

 

[egd27]

kadri didn’t play when it mattered the most. in the off season...

but just maybe.........if there were a couple of other guys with some grit, or toughness, or whatever term you want use, things wouldn't have been allowed to get to the point where Kadri snapped.

Don't mistake this for excusing Kadri, but there were reasons that led to his frustration and actions.

AGAIN........ I'm not excusing Kadri's actions

 

[firstemperor]

They have no heart, no grit and no leadership coupled with s lack of role players, a weak blue line and goaltending that can’t make saves when it matters.

This is the softest, most entitled team I’ve ever watched play. It should have been obvious to us all during the Marner contract holdout what this core group cares about and it’s not winning.

Weak personnel (especially defensively)

One dimensional- skate with speed through the neutral zone and into the blueline. Easily gameplanned against by clogging the neutral zone and lining up on the blue-line. Soft team that doesn't want to engage physically in a dump and chase game (can't adapt to a physical game and opposing teams know this).

No semblance of a system, which is sad, Keefe is in way over his head.

Weak on the puck, habitually avoid contact

But I think you hit the nail on the head what their main and biggest problem is- they have no heart and no guts. They just don't care. The sad thing is, they might play better for a little while because they've shown they sometimes will react when there is a sense of urgency around but I'm not buying that this group cares enough, day in and day out, to be winners.