Other Players Should Be Able to Talk About the Toronto Maple Leafs

In the past week, members of the media have asked Alex Ovechkin and Drew Doughty what they think about the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The comments were far from positive, but fans and people around the hockey world believe that other players shouldn’t answer questions about the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Of course — there’s a time and place for opinions and thoughts, but is it okay for the media to ask questions like that?

John Tavares believes the team should worry about themselves (which they should), “People can have opinions on whatever it is, but were the ones in here everyday, says Tavares, “whatever opinions they are, I think we just try to worry the best we can about ourselves.”

That should be the only way to go about it — worry about themselves.

What’s the problem?

Who cares what someone says about the team, seriously? In my opinion, what players say should push the team to be better.

The bottom line is the Toronto Maple Leafs need to be a better hockey team. People within the media wouldn’t be asking these questions if the Leafs were playing well.

The team has to be better, that’s it. If they’re not, these questions will keep coming and that’s okay.

I believe players have the right to talk about other teams and how they’re doing. Personally, I wouldn’t do it because it’s none of my business, but if you’ve won the Stanley Cup (it doesn’t matter how long it took you to win it) you have the right to comment on anything regarding it.

Doughty and Ovechkin have won one, they’ve put in the work and they know what it takes. The only player on the Toronto Maple Leafs who knows what it takes is Jake Muzzin, who won the cup with Doughty in 2014.

There’s lots of work to do, as Mike Babcock says. It’s not going to be easy for this team and it never was.

If anyone doesn’t like the questions being asked — instead of getting mad at the media for asking those questions to the L.A. Kings (who are one of the worst teams in the NHL), tell the players to be better.

But let me ask you this:

Can you give me five questions that you’d ask Drew Doughty regarding hockey, but not the Toronto Maple Leafs?

I can’t. That may be my lack of experience, but I believe it’s because there’s literally no questions to ask those players.

The Leafs needs to be a better team, and once they are, there will be no more questions regarding how they can be a better team and win the Stanley Cup. But for now, don’t get mad at the media for asking the questions, get upset with the way the team is playing.