Where is the intensity?

"Who did this?"

My mechanic asks this question while inspecting a driver’s side mirror that is now dangling precariously. His eyes have narrowed. His voice is strained.

"I have no idea," I reply. "We left the car on the street and someone must have passed too closely and knocked it off."

"People are unbelievable today," he says, shaking his head and taking two steps back. Then pointing at the mirror: "This is unbelievable!"

Frankly, the situation seemed rather believable. Dude, someone hit my car. It's no big deal. Now how much to make it right?

But this is why I like my mechanic. He is intense. He glowers. He gets worked up about things I take for granted. He gets lost in small details. His game face is his only face. He gets so utterly consumed with the task at hand – the problem, the remedy – that he simply leaves no room for ambiguity or error. 

This is unbelievable! Here’s what we do. We put two screws in the bottom and seal the plastic casing with high-grade silicone. The power cables are still fine so this is cheaper than replacing the whole mirror, which is what most places would try to do. Unbelievable.

I spent several hours yesterday re-watching game tapes from this godforsaken skid.

The Leafs have lost seven consecutive games. Over the past 40 years, the team has only dropped seven (or more) games in a row on eight occasions.

Before the season started, so much was made about "culture change" and the war on blue-and-white disease. Complacency and entitlement, this was the enemy. An absolute insistence on winning, this was the new attitude.

So here we are and what gives?

Yes, the Leafs are not scoring. Yes, special teams are dismal. Yes, within the realm of possibility, both of these problems can be remedied. Or as Ron Wilson says, this team can win again.

But you know what struck me while re-watching tapes? The lack of emotion.

It was breathtaking and baffling.

By all accounts, the guys in the room are concerned with winning. What's increasingly troubling, though, is how unconcerned they seem with losing.

Kris Versteeg has a Stanley Cup ring. His teammates gravitate toward him. He really does seem like a terrific guy. But as a fan, honestly, this quote from yesterday’s practice made me cringe: "I've played this game my whole life and if you can't have fun and enjoy the game because you lose a couple of times, then maybe you should look for something else to do."

What? Lose a couple of times? Fun? What?

Then there was this quote from Brett Lebda: "We're not finding ways to find pucks and put them in the net. And that can wear on you. Especially in an eight, nine-game losing streak, whatever we're on right now."

What? Whatever you’re on right now? You don’t even know how many games you've lost? Shouldn't you be acutely aware of this fact? Shouldn't your stomach feel like it's filled with molten lava as you painfully relive every minute of every loss every morning?

People, I don't know. I just don't know.

Like my mechanic, Darryl Sittler used to get worked up about small things. Like my mechanic, Wendel Clark's eyes often narrowed as he patrolled the wing, delivered thundering checks, dropped the gloves and unloaded his howitzer of a wrist shot.

And if there were a way to bottle and sell intensity, make no mistake, Doug Gilmour would now be richer than Bill Gates. They didn't call him "Killer" because he told funny jokes in the room.

This is a young team with lots of new faces. They genuinely seem to like each other. They are bonding and adjusting to life in the biggest hockey market on the planet. They are breezy bordering on carefree.

But here's a radical idea: Instead of having fun, how about getting angry? Instead of seeing the big picture, how about focusing on the small details? Instead of rolling with the punches, how about throwing some, figurative or otherwise.

It's time for everyone to put on their game faces*. It is time for this team to get consumed with the task at hand.

 

*Dear Leafs, for examples of intensity and game face, please refer to this video:

 

 

PHOTO: DANIEL HULSHIZER/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Comments

[We BeLeaf]

Great post Vinay! Yes! Where has the intensity gone? The truculence that we were led to believe would be unleashed as stated by Burke has not surfaced. I think it's time they play every game like it's game 7 of the Stanley Cup. Wilson says he has the players that they can win with, so I ask you Ron, why are they not winning with you?
Cheers to all Leaf Nation!

[Lewis McClain]

Right @X#$% On..........

[Raina]

The good thing is that you can watch and cheer for the Leafs but when you want to see some good hockey with respectful players, great goaltending, brilliant coaching, intensity and speed, you can turn on the Habs.

[Adam]

Admittedly, I do enjoy watching the Leafs lose because the fans are the best losers. It's just pure entertainment. It's kind of like Cubs fans, some team's fans just know how to lose. However, the downside is the reminiscing of the days of Doug Gilmour. There's been no other era since the 60's that this franchise has had any sustained success, and frankly, no one really remembers, or was around for those days anyway. I have nothing against Gilmour, but the remniscing is usually followed up by the consipracy theory of Kerry Fraser, Wayne Gretzky, and the NHL not wanting an all-Canadian final. I'm not sure how much more of that I can take.

[PhelpstonLeafFan]

Great post Vinay!! Where has all the intensity gone? Thanks for the walk down memory lane with Gilmour, there is no spark on this team and no one seems to want to light it up and get them going. Here's another player that did his fair share for intensity on this team:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7XgYSoK1go

[Simon]

Mike Brown is the only player I really like at the moment because he keeps chasing down pucks. Ironically, my league team is winning because we all watched the Leafs at the beginning of the season--chasing pucks, skating hard, short and quick passes--and now the Leafs should be watching some of these beer leagues to see "how to have fun while playing".

The Dougie video was great.

[Ami Angelwings]

Assuming this isn't a post just to get the fanbase riled up... I'm sorry, you're upset cuz our players have actual perspective? o_O;;

[leafland'r]

Then, like the Leafs, your mechanic may be satisfied with mediocrity rather reaching perfection. The Leafs efforts from players and management have beeen 'patchy ' at best. Collectively, they play much like ex-Leaf Ron Wilson's style, that is, without much passion. Actually, the level of committment seems to be no different in his capacity behind the bench.
By the way, no offense meant to such a diligent mechanic.

[Rick Grace]

Dougie Gilmour. Unfortunately in todays kinder gentler can't we get along NHL Dougie would be in the penalty box more than not. Todays NHL is made for divers and actors and guys who want to do pirouettes on the ice without getting hit. Gimme Dougie Gilmour like intensity over this current soft version of European hockey any day of the week.

[leafland'r]

Dougie ! Dougie ! Dougie ! The video should be played Saturday night above the ice surface just before O Canada.

[Pyramid Power]

Outstanding post as always Vinay! Best hockey blog going.
Rick Rypien of the Canucks got into two scraps in the second period last night in Ottawa. Helped spark his team to a thrashing of the Hens.
I want to see Jay Rosehill up with the Leafs on Saturday night with his fists of fury, and genuine passion playing his guts out. I want Lebda and Versteeg in the press box along with all other passengers who are so freakin' cavalier about this.

Let's go down swinging if we're going to go down. Time for truculence all the time, every shift.
I don't care if the penalty box is jammed, just play furiously and with energy and if penalties happen they happen. I want to see some players that care about winning in the lineup.
Bring up every Marlie that has done anything this year, and is playing with fire.
Kadri has scored a point in 13 straight games. Perhaps it is time he made his Leafs debut this year.

Burke must be SEETHING!
I know I am.
This situation must be fixed and fast. Does your mechanic play hockey Vinay?

[Ed]

Your post hits the nail right on the head.

You should send this blog and video straight to the Leafs dressing room and Burke's and Wilson's office!

[Braco]

Gilmour was goon with CAPITAL "G".That was not hockey what he played.
I will take Nicklas Lidstrom any time,any place, anywhere instead of all the goons like Gilmour and others!!
All of you so called tough guys that are promoting toughnes come to UFC and get some real beating!!

[Jeki Chan]

The question is not where the player's intensity is

The question is: "Where is the fans' intensity?"

And the answer is: you cannot find something which does not exist.

When you have the AC full of suits and when "fans" just accept losing year after year, decade after decade, why should anyone expect intensity from the players?

There are no real fans in Toronto: there are just consumers. Real fans go to home games. Real fans go to away games. No exceptions. Oops, too expensive, eh? I guess the favorite team has priced poor schmucks out. Just watch the TV don't be on the TV where more important people are.
Real fans show what they think of players and management and do not tolerate the richest team in a league to keep on losing for decades. Not by blogging or calling talk radio, but by action.

So for anyone wondering where the anger and intensity is -- look at the mirror.

[Mike]

I am supporting the only Toronto Team to make the playoffs in a long time. ARGOOOOOOOS, once they lose to Hamilton on Sunday, I will be back pulling what is left of my hair out watching the Leafs

[Geoff Read]

Hey Vinay,

I see the Leafs are calling up Kadri... so much for the plan to bring him along slowly. To me this smacks of desperation. Turning to a 20-year old to be the franchise's savior when the guy is just starting to find his way in the AHL is either naive or incredibly irresponsible. Burke's credibility, or what was left of it, just went out the window in my books. Your thoughts?

[Nik Culoman]

The problem with the Toronto Maple Leafs is a two folded issues, One the Media…..The media get’s everyone up in arms over every trade, every loss, every thing blue and white. When this team is winning the media is planning parade routes, and raising players to the status of some of the true leaf greats.

The second issue is the fans, our expectations are always high, we don’t use reason to properly understand the issues that affect this team. To put the stanley cup drought on the shoulders of players whose parents in some cases weren’t even born yet is crazy and bodering insane!! Can you imagine if this took place in another company or job??

We need to come down, and let Burke and his team turn this ship around. How many of you truly thought that Burke would right the ship after 2 years?? This desease that most of you speak of took years and years to create, and won’t be turned around that quickly.

The idea of brining Kadri up to play is like feeding this kid to wolves…If he comes out of the gate flat, which may be possible…All ” The fans” will be calling him a failure, saying he was the worst draft pick ever!! and so on….Burke is protecting this kid from the blood hungry fans and media in this city.

All the other plans to fix this team amount to shuffling chairs on the Titanic. Most of us can agree this team has no first line, but yet we blame the coach for the lack of talent he has had to work with….You can’t squeeze blood out of a rock!

I am of the mindset let Burke and his staff do their job, I will leave the stress and ups and downs to them. I will cheer this team no matter what, because when they start to win, which I know they will..I can look back and say my loyalty never dissovled and I will enjoy the wins that much sweeter.

So to Leafs Nation….Stop armchair COACHING AND GENERAL MANAGING….and leave it to the professionals…Look at Vancouver….Burkes ground work is surely paying off?? Somebody told me those Sedin twins were going to be something great…..Oh yeah the guy that traded for the picks to draft them..What was his name????

[Nik Culoman]

Looking at the posts on other sites, Leaf fans are already eating Aulie and Kadri alive….Wow no wonder Rick Nash didn’t want to come to Toronto….We eat our pups until not even the bones are left.

That didn’t take long, if you people just read my last post, I stated that this would happen. This kid isn’t walking on the ice to play hockey, he is walking to the firing line!

We Leaf fans are the problem, and until we learn to be reasonable and thoughtful with our rants, we will never have a great team because we chase talented players out of town…Or they avoid this team all together!!!

We need to stop talking about 1967, because none of those players are still on the team the last time I checked….The average age of the kids on this team is 26…YES, 26!!! Why put all this pressure on this rebuilding team???

So leaf fans, calm down…Keep cheering for this team, because loyalty is shown in bad times and not in the glory times. If you are a bandwagon jumper….Stay off of it..Because we true leaf fans don’t want you!

[Vinay Menon]

@Geoff Read: I’m honestly conflicted about it. In training camp and pre-season, it was obvious he wasn’t ready to play at the NHL-level yet. So he starts with the Marlies. He gets off to a slow start but has definitely improved. His 14 points so far place him in the Top 25 of all AHL scorers. Possibly more important, he’s a +2. Does this mean he’s now ready for the NHL when he wasn’t five weeks ago? No. So what does the call-up tell us? Logically, I think, it tells us this is less about suddenly spiked expectations for Kadri and more about diminished expectations for the players who are already here. Kadri is one of the few (semi) legitimate weapons in the organization’s offensive arsenal. He might help the moribund power play. He might prove valuable in a shootout. And who knows, he just might be hungry enough to stick around and contribute, provided expectations are properly calibrated. But like you, I just hope this isn’t detrimental to his long-term development. In an ideal world, he would have stayed in the AHL this season and put up some huge numbers while working on his two-way game. Alas, the Leafs start this season has torn idealism asunder, yet again.

[Geoff Read]

Vinay - thanks for your thoughtful response. I guess we're all going to find out how this moves works out.

[90s Leafs]

I just watched the Dougie thing. There are no guys on the current team even CLOSE to inciting that kind of fire into me/us/we fans anymore. Not a one. It's just not the same anymore.
And how come none of today's supposedly bigger/stronger/faster players can't make a few dipsy-doodles like Dougie did on here, beat a d-man once in awhile and tuck the puck into the net???

[Pyramid Power]

I agree with a number of fans who have said this is quite possibly a final move by Burke to see if Kadri and Aulie can help, and if they can't, it might be time to can his long-time friend Wilson.
Surprised to wake up to this news over here that is for sure. Hope Aulie is in for Lebda. Hope Kadri is in for Versteeg.
And I am sticking with my outlandish, but fun thought of having Burkie take over behind the bench after either making Wilson an assistant or making him a scout or letting him go altogether. Can't see him being let go altogether.
Please pull a Punch Imlach Brian and get behind the bench if we continue to lose which of course we likely will tomorrow night with the mighty Canucks in town.
Would still love to see Rosehill come up for a few games too and set off fireworks. The guy makes something happen every shift, and is not much of a liability except for a complete inability to score not unlike Sjostrom, Brown, Caputi, Hanson, Zigomanis and others who are here or were here with the Leafs.

[John]

I'd say there are four players on the team who have shown any intensity lately...Colton Orr, Mike Brown, Luke Scheen and Jiggy. Look at these guys before a game and during a game. Its all focus.

On the other end of the spectrum, look at Kessel. The guy looks completely out to lunch on the bench when he's not on the ice, Bozak is often hamming it up, and I haven't seen Versteeg look anything but complacent with his situation all year. Where's the frustration? The fire? You guys have STUNK for three weeks! I don't care if you're having FUN. You're being paid more a year than I can hope to make in my life. This game, and winning it, should mean more to you than just about anything. A loss should be a shot to your soul.

I agree with Vinay whole heatedly. Where can we get a Sittler? Clarke? Gilmour? Roberts? Tucker? These guys played with intensity night in night out. What happened to the Dion I thought we were getting? The guy I thought could bring some intensity to the lineup? To play with some fire?

As far as I'm concerned the only players who seem to give a damn right now are the four I mentioned before. The rest might as well have stayed on the beach in Florida. The Maples Leafs are NOT a country club for overpaid spoiled athletes to toil and 'have fun'. They're a club with a tradition of hard workers and legends of the game. Wearing the sweater is a privilege, and the players who wear it should respect that privilege and play up to the standard that sweater bears with it night in and night out.

I wouldn't care if we lost every game this season if I could see those guys wearing the maple leaf gave it all they had every night. Right now we're getting the complete opposite. Shame on them...

[Pyramid Power]

Two power plays for Vancouver. Two goals for Vancouver. Horrible.
But Sjostrom finally did score a goal, and Toronto did score one on the PP themselves so all is not lost.
3-2 Vancouver. Kadri and Aulie look OK.

Hope the Leafs can come back here, and show Leaf Nation some guts, intensity and courage.
GO LEAFS GO!

[Pyramid Power]

Third power play for Vancouver and we had Kessel, Aulie and Grabovski out there trying to kill. Working so far, but just took another penalty. See if Toronto can weather the fury of the number one PP in the league.

Fun moment of the game was listening to The Don as in Cherry pronounce Vigneault's name as 'Vinoo'. Good laughs. I'm sure nos amis francais don't enjoy that, but I always laugh.

[Vinay Menon]

@Pyramid Power: Grabovski ties it up just as I'm hitting the "publish" button on your comment. By the way, one of the best parts of this job is waiting for your real-time game comments to start rolling in...

[Pyramid Power]

GRABBO! 3-3 tie. Nice snipe.

Brown showed some intensity in that scrap with Glass. Guy can't score or kill penalties so he had better be able to fight. Narrow decision to Brown.
Let's go find a way to win this Toronto.
Giggy needs to shut the door.
GO LEAFS GO!

[Pyramid Power]

That was funny Vinay. Wish we could get a live game thread going as noted before, but obviously that would be very logistically difficult for obvious reasons.

3-3 after two. Toronto is in tough with this high octane offence coming at us in the third. Have not noticed Kadri much in this game, but maybe just me.

What do you think of the kid so far? I'm getting the CBC stream, but have not really seen Kadri do much so far.

[Vinay Menon]

He's playing a regular shift but, you're right, nothing worth noticing yet. But maybe that's not a bad thing for his first two periods of the season.

[Pyramid Power]

Thanks Vinay. Don't think the kid will be our saviour of course, but hopefully he will be able to help stop the bleeding eventually. Not tonight though.
Tough loss but nothing unexpected.
Time to drink.

[Leaf shredder / Kid Delicious]

Desperation has not just set in but it is now getting comfortable in the ACC. The lack of intensity with the Leafs is boggling the mind. What happened? These guys are anything but truculent. All the 'short' jokes about The Habs the last 2 years seem pretty foolish now. Build through the draft. Trade for complimentary players and have a plan. All things Burke is lacking. I really don't think he has a clue what he is doing.