Why are we so easy to play against?

[Al14]

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 played stupid, when smart was needed.

 

[Hclass47]

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

It was his inability to control himself from delivering 2 headshots resulting in the suspensions in the playoffs. He also has a poor history and reputation when it comes to this type of behaviour again resulting in multiple suspensions over the years.

He’s been surrounded by tough players during his tenure as a leaf up until last season ie Martin, Orr, Fraser

he himself is the root cause

 

[solidmotion]

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.

bolded is the biggest issue for me. we need someone like jaccob slavin or we're going nowhere.

 

[Trapper]

If you have to ask this question then you don’t get it anymore than the Leafs team.
Carolina showed you last night.
They straight up showed you.
20 guys that work hard on a nightly basis that became something even more than they had to be to protect each other and fight to the last.

 

[Trapper]

bolded is the biggest issue for me. we need someone like jaccob slavin or we're going nowhere.

We need the mentality from the top on down to change or we are going nowhere.
If we are waiting for Clifford or Kapanen to make sure the urgency and consistency rises up, it won’t matter.

 

[Strangle]

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?

This is my thought as well. Dubas was naive to buy into the league’s words that they will officiate the game properly. He built a team that should be well at the top of the league in power plays. It’s not a bad strategy.

but the league doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain. I think it’s totally a legit way to look at this team.

And they don’t want to win hockey games

 

[Tuna99]

This is my thought as well. Dubas was naive to buy into the league’s words that they will officiate the game properly. He built a team that should be well at the top of the league in power plays. It’s not a bad strategy.

but the league doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain. I think it’s totally a legit way to look at this team.

And they don’t want to win hockey games

Playoffs they don’t call penalties as much as regular season and that’s why St Louis and Washington and the big teams do well.

last season toronto was saying the playoff formatting was unfair because they shouldn’t have to play Boston in the 1st round. This year toronto may not have top 8 points to make the playoffs but will qualify for their division.

Toronto has competitors, Tavares and Matthews bring it every night. They just don’t have enough competitors or enough in top positions. Trading Kadri and Brown and adding a Ceci and Barrie didn’t help your compete level.

 

[wingman75]

Because the players are not willing to make the hard plays when necessary. And its not about physicality, I don't buy that. It is about being on the right side of the puck even though that means you may not get that fast break chance, it is about that extra push to win a race to the puck, even though it means you may have to take a hit, it is about making decisions that coincide with the game in that moment, even though that means you may not get anymore goals in that game.

Bottom line, these guys know exactly what it takes to give themselves the best chance to win but they are not willing (en masse) to do it. Which is why this group is so dislike-able. Its clearly the wrong mix in the dressing room that likely will not be fixed before next season.

 

[sxvnert]

Because theres only one Hyman on this team. They should have a core group of speedy grinders who have a scoring touch sprinkled throughout the lineup.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

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.

The observation by someone on the radio this week put it best. He said "the Leafs play like 5 independent contractors out there...no 5 man unit...just 5 guys trying to score...no will for defense...just score points."

How many times do you see one of our guys shoot the puck around the boards and nobody is there? Seriously, count how many times per game it looks like the shooter ringing it is surprised there is nobody there and the guy that was SUPPOSED to be there is shocked that the puck was shot around the boards instead of something else. They don't have any kind of plan...that's why they get shut down so easily IMO. You see Tavares trying to deke out the whole team how many times per game? How often has that actually worked? I think once in Montreal it worked...that's all I can remember...yet he does it every single game.

 

[Leafsman]

Because it's a bunch of prissy trust-fund millenials playing shinny.

They all want to score highlight reel goals instead of hard-work goals. How many people do you see in front of the net? They want to pass it around with fancy passes instead of collapsing and driving the net.

They need to do the dirty work and it may involve a little effort, but I'm pretty sure that's why they're getting paid millions.

They need to get to work, and a lot of the times it should be down and dirty! This time of year, you win on effort and grit.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

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

Maybe they can't do the hard things they need to do because they keep being taught that they are skilled and skill trumps everything out there according to Dubas. I know with Babcock they were taught not to hit because that caused the hitter to be out of the play. Ok, so they were taught that a stick check is as good as a hit.."get sticks on pucks" they were told and everything will be ok. It isn't ok...this is a mans league and the other teams hit and forecheck and grind...all the things we are being told are not important in today's game...except they still are.

Keefe I had I hopes for...I really did. But when I hear he is doing skill development days when our Defense is a disaster...I mean WTF is wrong with you? I am starting to hate the word SKILL because of what we do with our 'skill'.

 

[kevsh]

I think Muzzin nailed it (and let's be honest, he should know as well as anybody what the problem is, being in that locker room): They want it easy, and when it isn't they don't like it very much. St. Louis figured that out last season - before they went on their insane run - and thanks to a very blunt post-game interview, the secret was out: Play the tough, esp. in their own end, and they fold.

The Leafs only response was getting Muzzin himself a few months later. A good step but clearly not close to enough.

One thing that skilled players have to learn coming into the NHL is that they can't rely solely on their speed, agility, stickhandling, etc. at this level. That not every defender is going to let you blow by them or deke them out of their jockstrap. The very best players learn how to adapt and overcome, to work on filling out their game so when they go up against elite competition they fight through it. I get the feeling most of this team have figured that out, yet.

 

[Koolboss]

Soft as butter

 

[Gabriel426]

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.

Okay, I get it.

 

[Caffeine]

Soft, small and no heart

 

[Leafs87]

I think it’s a young team who lacks leadership

 

[Leafs87]

Soft, small and no heart

Soft sure. They really aren’t small though

 

[v4karuna]

They have more important things to do like make cool instagram posts, TikTok videos, and play fortnite.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Soft sure. They really aren’t small though

Sandin, Dermott and Barrie are soft, small, short armed, short sticked, low compete defenders who not only panic in their own end, but don't possess the strength to fight off forecheckers... They just get feasted on.

 

[GlitchMarner]

Aside from not being physical and not always competing hard enough, they also have some major structural problems and they shoot themselves in the foot as often as any team in the League.

 

[Eye Test]

The saddest part is that i see this happening next year as well if no changes are made. They’re not going to just instantly mature over the summer.

Drastic changes are needed

 

[frog]

What i see are opposing teams scoring rebounds, and deking close perimeter to the net and most of the goals right in the crease against the leafs. Everyone trashed Polak when we had him but forwards paid a price to stand in front of the leafs net. Dermott couldnt clear the net when the Carolina player was literally almost at the crease line. Barrie? Sandin? Lilligren? Marincin? These are not players that can defend anderson or the front of the net. We need a mean tough defensemen on each defense unit like the rest of the nhl. A small skilled offensive defencemen paired with a big tough defensemen that will clear the net

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

A lot of our guys are weak shills. Matthews and JT will engage physically occasionally but I never see them going in to defend a teammate. Lord knows if Marner will finish a check in a game and Nylander is even worst. These guys have no heart whatsoever. You can't even muster up 10 shots on an emergency goalie? This team never gets angry, they only play sad with self pity.

I've seen enough performances to know this team is gutless. Anyone remember the return to New York game for JT? An I'll prepared team came out with another gutless performance. It happens all the time with this team. Our top guys need to look in the mirror and ask themselves what they are playing for.

 

[Turin]

Who’s going to stand up for the team when things go south?

Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, LA and Washington are the best teams of the last dozen years, and at their heights were skilled but also had gritty/nasty core players. If the team gets pushed around are Tavares, Marner, Matthews, Reilly going to lead emotionally like the other core players on this generations elite teams? Watching last nights game, Crosby or Malkin in their shoes especially at a young age would have done something to signal that what was going on was unacceptable.