Should the Leafs borrow Darryl Sutter's approach to the playoffs?
Darryl Sutter is one of the few remaining old school coaches in the NHL. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the LA Kings, he's proven he knows how to win when the chips are down. He runs a tight ship in Calgary and since re-joining the Flames organization the team has been on the rise.
As the Flames prepare to tackle final stretch of the regular season, Sutter revealed his mantra for keeping the team engaged and playing their best hockey down the stretch. Sutter's aim is to keep the team high enough in the standings to avoid a first round matchup with Colorado. The Leafs will have a tough opponent no matter what come playoff time, but the strategy Sutter is employing is one the Leafs should look at using.
Sutter has instilled an underdog mentality in the Flames as a team that's only won 1 playoff series since 2004. Sound familiar? The Flames' situation isn't all that different from the one the Leafs are facing. Both teams have a promising group of young, skilled players leading the way, both teams are making the playoffs almost every year, though the Flames missed the cut in 2021, just to be sent packing after 7 games. Both teams desperately need to have some success in this year's playoffs or there will be big changes made to the roster, and in the Leafs case, possibly management.
When we think back, the Leafs' best series in recent years were the first two times they made the playoffs after their collapse against Boston that triggered the rebuild. They shocked a veteran Washington team by taking them to 6 games, and they were oh so close to beating out the Boston Bruins in 7 the next season. Those two seasons had something in common; the Leafs entered the series as underdogs, and played like it. Any series the Leafs have entered as the favourites, they've taken their foot off the gas.
Like the Flames, the Leafs need to come into the playoffs with an underdog mentality. They need it drilled into their heads that in order to win, they will need to out work their opponents. The truth is that their most likely opponents include the 2-time defending Stanley Cup Champions, the conference leading Florida Panthers or the dragon they have not been able to slay (the Boston Bruins). They will be underdogs again come round 1 and it shouldn't be hard for coach Sheldon Keefe to convince them of that.
If the Leafs are able to not only accept, but embrace the fact that they will be underdogs come round 1, they stand a good chance of winning in the playoffs. A "prove them wrong" mentality is just what's needed. The Leafs are a good enough team to go deep if they keep that mentality. They have the best goal scorer and possibly the best player in the league this season, they've added a Norris Trophy winning defenceman to round out their top-6 on the back end, they've got a goalie who is capable of stealing games in Jack Campbell (oh yes, he will return to form) and they have a legitimate shutdown line. All the pieces are there, now its time to put them together with the right mentality to win. We've seen it from them in the regular season - an underdog mentality seems like exactly what they need if they are to be successful in the post season.
| POLL | ||
MARS 30 | 145 ANSWERS Should the Leafs borrow Darryl Sutter's approach to the playoffs? Should the Leafs follow Darryl Sutter's lead in Calgary? | ||
| Yes | 74 | 51 % |
| No | 34 | 23.4 % |
| Don't care | 37 | 25.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
