https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2021/06/04/10-postmortem-thoughts-toronto-maple-leafs/
7) On the Mitch Marner power-play report, I think Elliotte Friedman made a good point on the MLHS podcast about there maybe being quite a bit of nuance to the situation (was it more about comfort/preference than an outright refusal, was there an element of tip-toeing around strong-willed and highly-paid/respected players? etc).
But I will say this, and I thought this before this Marner controversy: Either some form of internal politics was playing a role with the stubbornness around the roles (Thornton?s and Marner?s, in particular) that led to the incessant predictability, or someone associated with the power play on the coaching staff genuinely thought there was no issue, it would work itself out in time, and in the process, allowed the man advantage to play a major part in derailing the team?s Cup chances ? in a season that represented the organization?s best shot at a Cup since the Mats Sundin era (given the team?s overall play and path through the playoffs). One of these has to be true, and the latter is a borderline fireable offense.
I think whether you believe the Marner PP pseudo-report hinted at by multiple members of the media who write about the Leafs, there was some equally stubborn reverse-Babcocking up of the way the Leafs were coached these playoffs (and Columbus).
Babcock Leafs:
- Balanced TOI, short shifts, everybody is fresh and can go hard for 40s
- Line match the hell out of the game, rhythm be damned, because I, Mike Babcock, am a better coach than you all
- Stretch the NZ, the puck is a live grenade to defensemen so toss it up to the already out of the zone wingers waiting static at the OZ line, quick quick quick
- Matthews and Marner must never share ice, because there is only one puck
- Feel nothing, play like a machine, ignore the grimey stuff, our PP is the deterrent
This playstyle is embodied by Morgan Rielly: fleet of feet and opportunistic, but what is defense and how do we get the puck back?
Keefe Leafs:
- The top line is going to get soooo much ice time, because they usually win their minutes woohoo, let's gooooooooo 24 min per game all day ev'ryday what is context?
- Our top line is so good, I don't care what you put on the ice against them, they're going to play 24+ min haha try to match thaaaaat
- Play tight support, and the puck is our baby so don't throw it away, hold it for an opening, eh maybe hold it some more, it's nice, ah, I guess Mikheyev will have to shoot it from the blueline, ok
- Matthews is a great shooter and Marner is a great passer so under no circumstance shall they be apart, ever.
- Play with emotion, get pumped, work is fun, woohoo let's fight a bit
This playstyle is embodied by Mitch Marner: work hard and get the puck and then keep the puck as much as possible and then keep it even longer because there will be a magical play.
The way forward, even without personnel changes, is to play adaptably. Barring significant injury, the talent level and work rate on the team is enough to comfortably make the playoffs, so really use that regular season time to work on the mixes and matches, and fluidity of changing gears in playstyles (rush vs control/cycle).
This playstyle is embodied by William Nylander, who keeps his shifts short so he can be relied on for longer shifts pressing for a goal, who can effectively play a puck possession cycle game, or a breakaway contest, shoot from distance, or flip a puck into the shelf from in tight, and whose head is always empty save for the lone thought: hockey is life.
