NHL Insider pinpoints what is wrong with the Leafs and why the make-up of the roster needs to change
I'm sure we've all pondered long and hard over how to fix the Leafs over the last week. Yes, it's nice to have a core that consists of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. There's a lot of skill that exists amongst that group. I'm sure a lot of other teams would kill to have a core like that. Maybe not for the financial impact, but speaking purely in terms of the personnel, those 5 players can sway the outcome of a game on any given night. Well, except for in the playoffs, of course.
On Thursday, NHL Insider Chris Johnston joined the boys on the Steve Dangle Podcast to discuss the state of the team and to chat about what, exactly, is wrong with the team's structure and foundation and what needs to change in order for the team to find success. Johnston provided some excellent insights into the team and did his best to identify what the key issues are and how to fix them. Here's some of what he had to say:
"I just think that they've never felt in danger of being traded. They've never felt that like 'the results of this game could change everything'... I think that management now has to proactively go in and drop a little bomb in there and make it a little less comfortable, introduce a new dynamic, trade one of the star, quality players for another star, quality player who everyone's not sure about. You know, you've got to incorporate this person now into the mix and everyone's just a little less comfortable in a good way... Things need to be hard, usually, when you get to your best spot in life, right?.. If it was comfortable, it would be boring and easy. I find that you get the most out of yourself when you're a little bit uncomfortable. I just think it's gotten a little too comfortable there for the players... I think they need to get more guys in the dressing room that just want to chew through leather to win. I'm not saying these guys don't care - they've just gotta change that mix... the whole thing is built on the guys making half of the salary cap." - Johnston on the Leafs
CJ definitely raises a great point about the Leafs seeming to be a little more complacent than maybe they should be. They do have a lot of locker room leaders, but no real jerks who are going to give each other a swift kick in the ass when they're down a goal or after they lose a game in which they failed to show up and start on time.
It's really anyone's guess as to how the Leafs will proceed this summer. Some believe that if this group runs it back enough times, they'll eventually break through the glass ceiling, but after 7 years with much of this same core, I don't think a lot of the fanbase has the stomach for that approach. I think everyone is finally on a similar page, even if not the same page, that a change is needed - and a significant one. Perhaps this is finally the summer where we see that change come to fruition.
| POLL | ||
MAI 19 | 213 ANSWERS NHL Insider pinpoints what is wrong with the Leafs and why the make-up of the roster needs to change Do you agree with Johnston about the Leafs being far too comfortable and complacent? | ||
| Yes, definitely | 152 | 71.4 % |
| No, I think Florida was just the better team | 23 | 10.8 % |
| Not at all. This team got hosed by the refs | 28 | 13.1 % |
| Don't care, just win | 10 | 4.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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