Toronto Maple Leafs Muse Aloud About the Need for Killer Instinct

The Owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs have given (at least) one more season to the President and GM to show that their plan can work.

And it should come as no suprise to anyone that Toronto Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan and General Manager Kyle Dubas are fully prepared to go down with this ship.

Absolutely steadfast in their beliefs, they are sticking to their guns, and they’re going to see this thing through.

How Blue and White.

Toronto Maple Leafs Killer Instinct 

Shanahan made it official (Quotes from TSN.ca). :

“There’s a killer instinct that is missing that we need to address. Whether that’s externally or just figuring out a way for our guys to get over that hump, that’s something that we have to address certainly as a team. And we have to really be honest with ourselves, and we have to figure out a way that we can support our players, and help them get over that hump.”

There’s that word again: “killer instinct”:

1. Mused by Patrick Marleau in 2019
2. Echoed by Auston Matthews in 2020
3. Confirmed by Brendan Shanahan in 2021

And then some:

“Those elements I thought that we addressed over the off-season will continue to be important pillars for our team: Defensive play, sticking up for each other, being able to play physically in games where we’re tested that way. But I think that those pillars are important for them to get over that hump. And then again it’s just a mindset to charge at that door and trying to finally bust it down. It’s something that we have to accomplish.”

Thankfully Dubas thrives with creativity, and if history is as good, killer instinct is not purely a skillset but also a mindset; not sure how you get it, but the Leafs need it.

Shanahan’s comments bring me back to the time when former Leafs coach Mike Babcock treaded in this same area of concern. I’m not saying bring back Babcock – his methods clearly didn’t work and obvious discontent remains – but he was pulling the correct levers, just in the the wrong way and at the wrong times.

I recall the work ethic instilled by the late Pat Burns from 1992 to 1996, and I also remember the skilled-but-tough teams coached and managed by the late Pat Quinn from 1998 to 2006.

Win or lose, players had to work hard and put it all on the line to go three rounds to the Conference Finals –  twice for both legendary coaches.

Those were the days of playoff-snuff.

Wind that back. Somehow. Doesn’t matter how, just do it. The Toronto Maple Leafs fans demand a rebirth outside of the puck-possession box.  The Leafs need to get back to true blue hockey.