10 Thoughts on Life and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Thought #7: The Leafs “grit” additions are not going to drastically change their play.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen Kyle Dubas bring in grittier players, mostly in the form of Wayne Simmonds and Zach Bogosian. While I am a massive fan of both signings and believe both will make positive contributions on and off the ice, I want to warn fans to temper their expectations.
This team will ride and die on the backs of their big stars and are not going to suddenly change their playstyle due to two new additions. In terms of “grit”, this Toronto Maple Leafs roster will largely resemble that of last year’s team. Simmonds will be replacing the departed Kyle Clifford and although Bogosian brings a lot to the table that I like, he is unlikely to play every game.
So how much can you count on the Leafs style to change from adding a bottom-six winger and a 6th or 7th defensemen? I argue not a whole lot from their on-ice play, but off-ice is where you will see the Leafs reap the rewards.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe is focused on making the current Leafs harder to play against regardless of any additions in free agency:
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 8, 2020
"The standards are going to be a lot higher in terms of what's required & we're going to demand a lot more of our players ..."
Keefe mentions how he wants to make the current Leafs “harder to play against” regardless of the additions in free agency. This remains the point Leaf fans should be focusing on. Simmonds and Bogosian will surely play their role in transforming this team, but this team will not become harder to play against without the buy-in from the top-down, starting with the “Big Four”.
Another wrinkle not getting enough attention is countless times on the broadcast, on-ice reporter Ray Ferraro would mention how the Leafs bench did not look “lively” and when they were down, no one stepped up to rally the bench. I would bet the complete opposite will happen in 2020-21.
How could you possibly have a quiet bench with the voices of ‘Jumbo’ Joe Thornton, Simmonds, and Bogosian joining this roster? The Toronto Maple Leafs bench will definitely look a lot livelier and louder come 2020-21.
Thought #8: Healthy competition with so much depth.
For as long as I can remember, the Toronto Maple Leafs have never been this deep at all three positions. I believe one thing that has been missing from previous training camps may have been the healthy competition that comes with deep franchises.
Take this Travis Dermott quote for example:
Travis Dermott on battle for jobs on Leafs blue line:
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 24, 2020
"We're just going to be that much better with that much more competition, right. It's going to get guys to push each other & really force guys to be their best version of themselves & be prepared come camp time"
While what the newly resigned defensemen is saying applies to every aspect of this roster, the sentiment remains the same: players are going to challenge themselves and challenge each other to be the best Maple Leaf they can be because they know if they do not perform, there are two or three guys behind them, working their ass off, itching to get into the lineup.
I expect most, if not all, players who do not have a guaranteed spot in Keefe’s lineup to come motivated and determined to camp, looking to take a strangle-hold on their position. Couple this with the fact Dermott signed a one-year, prove-it deal, and he is atop my list of players to watch for in training camp.