Leafs Scuffling, Lack Physical Play

[WordsOfWisdom]

The Leafs have been scuffling lately. Weak defensive play. Poor goaltending. Scoring going through a bit of a dry spell. The result? Back to playing .500 hockey again. 

 

The lack of physical play is so obvious. The Leafs don't hit anyone. They're very easy to play against when they don't have the puck.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by radoran
former topic was "Is It Giroux?" :D

[lynxrattle]

The comments by the commentator were pretty revealing, IMO. Here's what he said after Sens' goals:

 

1. "Poor decision to lob the puck back to the defensive zone"

2. "Nobody is picking up anybody"

3. "Pass through the slot"

4. "Leafs won the draw. They got full possession -- it is a safe play up the wall"

 

Lack of physicality, but also lack of keeping it simple in the d-zone. Not a difficult thing to correct, but you're not going anywhere if it is not fixed.

[WordsOfWisdom]

8 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

The comments by the commentator were pretty revealing, IMO. Here's what he said after Sens' goals:

 

1. "Poor decision to lob the puck back to the defensive zone"

2. "Nobody is picking up anybody"

3. "Pass through the slot"

4. "Leafs won the draw. They got full possession -- it is a safe play up the wall"

 

Lack of physicality, but also lack of keeping it simple in the d-zone. Not a difficult thing to correct, but you're not going anywhere if it is not fixed.

 

I think what has happened is the team has become so focused on offence that they just forgot the other half of the game. It's not one thing, it's everything. It's real easy to get into the Leafs zone, skate around with the puck unmolested, and it's easy to get open. The Leafs follow the puck carrier around like kids do when they play hockey, but they ignore everyone else on the ice. They keep going for stick checks or a friendly shove to recover the puck instead of actually throwing the body into someone and knocking them on their ass. They're not playing the same way they did a month ago. 

[WordsOfWisdom]

Why did the thread title get changed?   It's a spoof of the "Is It Giroux?" Flyers thread!   It's a way of blaming Giroux for the Leafs recent struggles lol.  

 

 

 

[lynxrattle]

4 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

I think what has happened is the team has become so focused on offence that they just forgot the other half of the game. It's not one thing, it's everything. It's real easy to get into the Leafs zone, skate around with the puck unmolested, and it's easy to get open. The Leafs follow the puck carrier around like kids do when they play hockey, but they ignore everyone else on the ice. They keep going for stick checks or a friendly shove to recover the puck instead of actually throwing the body into someone and knocking them on their ass. They're not playing the same way they did a month ago. 

I think this happens when teams have so much offensive power as you do. Now it's just time for any leaders in the locker room to step in and tell that half-assed defense is not tolerated. No problem if there's leadership. A huge problem if there is not.

[flyercanuck]

24 minutes ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

  It's a way of blaming Giroux for the Leafs recent struggles lol.  

 

 

 

 

Which is preposterous...we all know it's Matthews mustache.

[WordsOfWisdom]

1 hour ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Which is preposterous...we all know it's Matthews mustache.

 

I think Matthews got more dangerous with the mustache. He should grow it longer and start twirling the ends of it.   

 

Can we create an "Is it Giroux?" meme?  This has potential to be the forum explanation to every problem that ever affects the NHL going forward lol.