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What has to happen next. From Andrea in Mississauga. |
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Ek’s Note…Hey everyone, check out Andrea’s latest piece from Mississauga! By the way, the Leafs writers’ job is still up for grabs. Let me know what you think the Leafs should do this summer or maybe even write a report card on a few players and email your story to Eklund at hockeybuzz.com. Put “Leafs” in the Subject. If our editorial team likes it, we’ll post your story and let the community decide who they want to be their next writer.
What has to happen next?
Andrea
We are all disappointed today for many reasons. Most of them are obvious, but I wanted to get into my reasons.
Last night, I was really disappointed with how the key players reacted after the loss to the press. We’ve been through this before, and I thought they would know how to handle it better than what I heard. None of the players talked with any confidence about the season they had. They were one game away from the conference finals, but they lost the team that’s likely to win the Stanley Cup. They even didn’t apologize to the fan base for games five and seven. They all looked immature to me.
I know it was a tough spot for them to discuss the game after such disappointment, but I don’t think that’s an excuse. There have to be leaders out there who actually think and say what happened. Matthews didn’t just have only one goal against the Panthers. Marner didn’t just look lost. We finally saw some emotion from Marner, but why did we have to get to the seventh game to see it?
The Florida Panthers players’ emotional outbursts are seasons long. Whether it’s losing to Utah on a Tuesday in February, or one nothing loss to San Jose in October. The emotion is always there. The sense of responsibility is always there.
We didn’t say this level of emotion from our star players until game seven. In a way, these players seem a bit spoiled, the emotion in game seven didn’t even feel real to me. The Panthers didn’t need to pretend to be emotional in game six when they lost. They’ve been that way throughout the seasons…
Brad Marchand, after the game, emphasized the team’s hard work and dedication. He also acknowledged that the Toronto Maple Leafs team was significantly better than previous Maple Leafs teams in recent years.
Despite the loss, frustration among the fans is understandable. We witnessed a complete meltdown, but it also revealed why Florida has a strong chance of winning the Stanley Cup again. They managed to channel their emotions into their forecheck, a part of their game that sets them apart from other teams.
As a former hockey player, I know that pinching like the Florida Panthers does requires trust that you will have your back. That trust is built from playing the same way in November as you do in May..
Mitch Marner will be gone ….but he will undoubtedly find a new team where he can thrive. However, that’s not enough. I genuinely believe John Tavares should return to Toronto. He was the most emotionally stable star player we had this year, and I think he’ll sign in Toronto again for a lower salary compared to other options.
So, let’s talk about Auston Matthews. To me, he comes across as a friendly guy who doesn’t seem to have a grudge against anyone. The only game I’ve ever seen him play where he really showed his anger was game six. He came out hitting right away, and honestly, I think that surprised the Panthers defense. I’d find out what he is worth this summer. I think the Leafs could get a lot back, including players who can help them right now.
I’ve enjoyed Berube as a coach, but it feels like he’s limited in what he can do. He’s a pure hard work guy. can’t help but think he thinks he’s taking care of some very soft, yet very skilled players. The fact that he had to say he trusts Mitch and Auston to me isn’t a good sign. He sounded like a parent taking care of a rebellious kid who came home after college.
And let’s not forget about the goalies. Why wasn’t Stolarz back in that game after it was 3-0? You could say he wasn’t healthy, but if he’s backing up your goalie in game seven and on the bench, you need to use him. I think the emotional boost the Maple Leafs would have gotten from their number one goalie being back in the third period could have been a game-changer.
What do you think?
Thanks for reading. I hope you guys vote for me to be your next LEAFS BEAT WRITER.
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