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Toronto Maple Leafs: Why This Celebrity’s Opinion Matters

By Nick Barden

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 12: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates through a projected Maple Leafs logo on the ice at the end of warm ups before playing the Boston Bruins at the Scotiabank Arena on January 12, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 12: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates through a projected Maple Leafs logo on the ice at the end of warm ups before playing the Boston Bruins at the Scotiabank Arena on January 12, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The season the Toronto Maple Leafs put forth this year was a disappointment compared to the Toronto Raptors.

To add more, there’s one big-time retired Canadian news anchor who gave his opinion on how the Toronto Maple Leafs should do something similar to what the Toronto Raptors are doing right now.

He also sent a shot at the Leafs Head Coach, Mike Babcock, who was criticized heavily on his decisions in game 7 against the Boston Bruins.

https://twitter.com/hockeynight/status/1137050000981221377

In the video, retired ‘CBC The National’ news anchor, Peter Mansbridge, talks about how Mike Babcock should’ve played Auston Matthews more than 18 minutes a game.

“That’s why they pay them so much money,” says Mansbridge in a CBC Sports interview

“They want to be there.”

Why Does this Matter to Toronto Sports Fans?

The Leafs fanbase is very divided. It goes from people in the younger crowd; who think the Leafs should go faster and bring more skill to the table, to the older group; who think the Leafs need to bring more ‘heaviness’ and physicality to the team.

However, there are also people from both groups who think differently too.

But, this quote from Mansbridge shows that even fans that are used to an older style of hockey can still transition and enjoy the type of game that it is now. And, what he says in this video isn’t wrong either.

The Leafs need Matthews, John Tavares, or even Mitch Marner to play a lot of minutes in key situations. There’s no disagreeing that they could, it’s the deployment that’s the issue.

By now we all know, or at least most of us fans believe that was the issue.

Some people still think ‘the Leafs need more heaviness’, which I’ll agree with a bit. However, we did see players like Matthews using his body more and more as the series went on.

Even though Hockey and Basketball are two different sports with different movements and levels of intensity, I believe playing the big players huge minutes would still pay off.

What Could this Deployment Do for the Leafs?

Well first, it would get them deeper in the playoffs.

I also believe, if they were to ever use ‘load management’, it would bring a blend into sports. There was so much talk around Kawhi Leonard missing a night because of rest. If the Leafs were to do that, they would get just as much attention.

There’s no debate that this Toronto Raptors NBA Finals appearance is the biggest moment in Toronto Sports history. But, if the Leafs were to get this far alongside the Raptors, this city would be a party every night.

Don’t even get me started about the day after they win the championship because that’ll be something else.

If the Leafs want to get there, which they can. Everyone on the team has to be all in and if they’re not, the Raptors will be Toronto’s team (which it looks like they are). However, I think everyone would like as many Toronto teams in a final as possible.

Next. Mitch Marner is Not Different. dark

Even though all of Canada wouldn’t be behind the Leafs, it still would be a big accomplishment to win something they haven’t won in over 50 years.

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