One Dimensional?
The Toronto Maple Leafs look as if they are running a simulation at times, where every line tries to do the same exact thing and play with little to no energy.
The fourth line should be an energy line, but they play as if they are the top line who should be carrying the puck into the zone, the same goes for the third line as well.
Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds should only be allowed to dump and chase, throwing the body at every LEGAL chance they can while David Kampf mans the blueline. The same goes for the third line where the forecheck has to be more aggressive. No defender is ever scared of turning the puck over because, well, the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t give them any reason to.
Another thing is that the Leafs only seem to have one strategy to score: cycle until there’s a shot, or just shoot whenever possible after the opposition frustrates their plan A. I don’t see any form of adaptation to their game, as if they are trying to force a square peg through a triangular hole at times. It doesn’t seem to work, but they have at it until it really doesn’t work.
The coaches need to have a strategy meeting after this game to cover the bad net-front coverage, the defense as a whole, and how they can help their team fit together and play to their strengths. As of now, it seems as if the Maple Leafs are trying to all play the same style which never works out.