A Question of Style

It wasn't noticed much in the wake of the Canada-U.S. gold medal final at the Winter Olympics, what with all the celebrations and analysis and national relief.

But Ron Wilson, coach of the U.S. team, delivered a pretty good soliloquy after the match praising not only the quality of the contest, but the attitude and philosophy of both countries in playing a pleasing, aggressive style of hockey.

Basically, Wilson told the international media that this was how the game should be played.

Wilson returned to the more challenging task of coaching the Maple Leafs in the wake of the Olympic silver medal winning effort, and essentially brought the same philosophy.

Now, in his third season as Leaf coach, he continues to preach an ambitious, aggressive style of hockey, one in which his team tries to dictate the play, forecheck hard and has its defencemen play an in-your-face game, particularly in the neutral.

I get that this is a preferred style, and I applaud Wilson's ambition.

It's just not clear it's going to work with these Leafs, with these players.

Obviously, a 29th place club has certain talent limitations, ones that Brian Burke and his staff are urgently trying to address. The Burke administration didn't inherit much - Jiri Tlusty was the blue-chip prospect in the system - and has tried to use free agency to enhance the lineup with the addition of experienced pros and useful college kids.

Right now, the Leafs are scouring the league for a centre, knowing that nobody has to be under the salary cap until opening night so bargains may not become available until the middle of next week.

But given what the Leafs have, it's not at all clear that this team has the capability to play the way Wilson wants them to, as laudable as that approach may be.

They put a lineup out against Buffalo on Monday night that looked very close to the group likely to open the regular season, and the result was another spotty effort, albeit a winning one. You can't draw conclusions from exhibition games, but at the same time, while it was crowd-pleasing to see Phil Kessel and Nik Kulemin show some flash and dash, this still looks like a team that's going to have a hard time keeping the puck out of its net.

Burke has loaded up with veteran D-men, and maybe they'll tighten up starting next week. But the group of Dion Phaneuf, Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek and Tomas Kaberle is anything but formidable when it comes to defending and loses a startling number of one-on-one confrontations, while the Leaf crease remains an area that enemy forwards don't mind visiting.

Against a partial Sabre team, the Leafs gave up 39 shots and four goals, and Jonas Gustavsson produced another so-so effort in goal. This is a team that doesn't have a lockdown defensive tandem or anything resembling a checking line, and the necessity of cutting the goals-against by at the very least a half-goal per game looks like a distant dream. it's great that Kessel, Tyler Bozak and Kris Versteeg look like a decent offensive line, but whatever defensive pairing goes with that line better be prepared to face a few odd-man breaks because none of those forwards will win the Selke this season.

As it stands, the Leafs look likely to give up at least three goals most nights, which is going to make it awfully tough to make the post-season.

There are some optimistic signs. The penalty killing looks somewhat improved, although the Sabres scored twice with the man advantage Monday night. Freddie Sjostrom will be back soon, which adds a good checker and PK man. Keith Aulie was a big surprise in camp, precisely the kind of stay-at-home, defence first, keep-it-simple blueliner that could help this team, and he may be back before Christmas.

Still, one is left to wonder that if the Leafs continue to play Wilson's preferred style, and a style of hockey that when played well is most pleasing to the eye, whether short-term success is possible, or whether a more conservative, tight-checking approach might yield better results until the roster talent improves.

 

Comments

[Krakondack]

The Star ran a story recently that had Burke and Wilson both state plainly that they understand they are in the business of entertainment, and that a Trap-style of game is not compatible with this. That may be true, but the trap is a proven defensive style, and by ignoring it, they are cutting off the one tactic that would reduce goals against. Even if they only used it when up 2 goals in the 3rd period, it would be a great addition. As it is, we'll see late-game collapses again, because management won't embrace a defensive style of game.

[rcolton]

The thing that makes it so difficult to guage how good the leafs are is that they are still on their development curve. It's not like the redwings or sharks where you know their team and how good they are. Kulemin might score 15 goals this year or he might push for 30. garbo might be a bonafide 2nd line center an put up 60 pts or he might be so-so again. you can go through the entire team and there are question marks, literally from the pipes out. So, to say this team will give up 3 goals a game and have trouble making the playoffs is just a hollow statement. you could have said they will score 4 goals a game and easily make the playoffs and it would have been equally as likely. the question is not are the leafs any better, it's are the individual players still trending up or have they plateaued on their development curves...

[Statsman1]

By all accounts, this year's team won't be terribly competitive. So if they're going to lose, at least they might be entertaining!

[SOB]

If Plan A doesn't work then I am sure they will invoke Plan B - Try to beat up everyone!! :-P

[Moe Green]

My question: How hard is it to change horses in mid-stream? I agree that this may not be the optimum style, but with all this time invested in it, is it wise to change now? It clearly has taken the team time to buy into it, is it the wrong time to be asking these questions? Where were these questions when Wilson started. I wonder if Wilson is the right man for the job regardless of the strategy. Olympics weren't won by the coach. Is Wilson a respectful enough man to garner the respect of his players. Does he respect the Leafs, the City, the country, the players? Does it matter? By the way, this is what good hockey writing is all about. Please no more stories about the owners or players meetings. More stories like this would be much appreciated.

[Moe Green]

Shouldn't the strategy be determined at least in part by the opponent you are facing. This style may work against some teams and not against others. It always seemed obvious to me that when you faced a team employing a trap the best strategy was to play the trap right back at them. Isn't one style of play a recipe for disaster?

[Scot Loucks]

It's not just Wilson's style of play. It is Burkes as well.

When asked by (can't remember who) a Sun Reporter last week about playing the trap, Burke said "no way".

I asked the same question last year as it became obvious that Burke and Wilson want players and a team that plays this style. If a player is not capable of playing this style of game, he will be gone sooner rather than later.

I don't have a problem with that.

As for their defense. Komisarek hasn't played for 6 months. They have not played much together so far. Let's see where they stand next Sunday.... also, who says Komisarek/Kaberle are 3/4 Dmen? Schenn has had a great camp.

I think you may see Phaneuf/Beauchemin 1/2 and then 3a/3b / 4a/4b. At least until injuries disrupt the pairs.

Cheers

[mark]

Wilson has two key attributes that make him unsuitable for this team at this time: First, he has demonstrated zero ability to adjust his strategy to the talent available to him. As you point out Damien, he only knows one way to play the game and if the personel available to him can't play that style.. then you get lousy results. Second, he consistently throws players under the bus. Like many Leaf fans (and I would venture some players too) when he first arrived on the scene it was refreshing to see him call out some of the more jaded veterans on the squad. But, now he's doing this routinely with guys like Khadri. I mean, really... is that necessary? This is a 19 year old rookie. Ronnie's got a shelf life with that attitude of his and my prediction is that he is about to expire in Toronto.

[shihoko]

As Damien has pointed out, the current version of the Leafs may not have the capacity to play the kind of game that either the Gold-medal winning Canadian Olympic team or Silver-medal winning American Olympic team from earlier this year did in either macrocosmic or microcosmic forms. Show me a team that can though for 82 games plus playoffs in this watered down league! In fact, I would love to see just one more game these days like those gems from February, but let's return to reality and Wilson for a moment.

As coach of the Leafs it is certainly important for fans, and probably the players too, to be aware of what style Wilson is trying to implement with this team. For instance, is Wilson, in his attempt to mold this team, trying to fit square pegs into round holes with the Leafs? Or is he trying to push them to be wannabe versions of the Canadian or American Olympic hockey teams circa 2010?

Or perhaps this Leafs team will discover another route all on their own, despite or in spite of Wilson's best efforts, during the 2010-11 season... . It certainly will be "a question of style."

[Dave]

Damien,
1 Week ago you were telling the Toronto fans to "chill" and that we shouldn't take the pre-season too seriously. Perhaps you should chill.

[Ryan]

Love these 2 quotes:

"You can't draw conclusions from exhibition games,..."

"As it stands, the Leafs look likely to give up at least three goals most nights,..."

Regardless, I don't think, as a coach you want change the style of the game you play just because the talent level isn't there yet. You want an atmosphere of consistancy throughout the organization (AHL and NHL) and keep adding/subtracting players until they fit the system. Constantly overhauling the system to play not to lose and to accomodate new personnel only confuses those who are already learning one system.

Wilson has, I think to his credit, remained steadfast in his teachings and will only help the organization in the long run. Burke believes in the system, as does Wilson and his coaching staff, as do the Marlies. Now when guys like Kadri, Caputi, Irwin, Holzer, Aulie, Etc.. are called up, they aren't left trying to figure out where they need to be and what they have to do, they just need to be ther and to do it faster.

[M.Diver]

its just to bad Ron wasn't a canadian in an American dominated sport or else he could get the free ride from the media that Jay(my name ends in a vowel too Brain) Triano gets.

[Brian Dias]

Wilson is fine, for now. Martinets are perfect for young professional athletes. Veterans tend to tune them out.

It does not matter WHO coaches the team though, as long as that idiot, Burke, is around. We have Kessel when we could have Cammalleri from TORONTO(better player BY FAR and a million bucks cheaper), Seguin, and one of next year's top prospects.. Burke had an opportunity to dump Luke "healthy scratch" Schenn in favour of Tavares from TORONTO, but it's not as if the Leafs need SCORING right?

About Schenn. He may turn out to be a very nice player, but it likely won't be for Toronto. We know one thing already. He's not Doughty. There was no reason at all not to send him down in his rookie year. The team simply did not need him. It's not as if anybody that knows anything about hockey actually thought that the Leafs would make the playoffs. Now Schenn's entry level contract will expire a year earlier than it should. NHL defensemen take longer to develop than forwards. It would be nice to have that extra year to evaluate him. It would be even nicer if the American blowhard who makes these decisions realized that he blew it, and traded Schenn for Johnny T when he had the chance.

Fast forward to this year's draft. We had a shot at Tyler Toffoli from TORONTO. A GOAL SCORER. Whom does Burkie select? Brad Ross, a tough guy, whom everybody erroneously compares to Darcy Tucker. Tucker was an ELITE GOAL SCORER at his entry draft. Ross was a 20-ish goal playing with 2 offensive superstars on the top line of his team. Like I pointed out earlier, it's not as if Toronto needs goal scoring, right? We need more tough guys.

Mike Komisarek, whom Montreal was ecstatic to dump, was supposedly picked up for his toughness. One problem; he's never won a fight in his professional career. Burke get rid of HAL FREAKIN' GILL, whom we were paying JACK, and he picks up this clown. They're BOTH Americans, so Burke's obsession would have been satisfied.

Burke and his sickening TEAM U.S.A. agenda have got to go.

Bryan Murray built that championship Anaheim team, not Burke. That doesn't stop that blowhard(thank you, Kevin Lowe) from taking credit for it every chance that he gets.

[Paul E Duval]

Every team has a system, if the players can't catch a system, then they shouldn't be playing in the NHL. Ron Wilson inherited a stale group of players when he arrived in Toronto. I think this is the year where he will be judged. As for calling the defense out this early in the preseason is totally ridiculous. As for Kadre, it looks like it'll be a three or four year process, as far as the defense is concerned in the preseason so far they really have never played together that much after all Damon it is preseason, to write off Wilson system this early is totally ridiculous.

[Scot Loucks]

Hey Brian Dias .... pay attention here ok ... I will type slowly.

Cammallari chose not to take the offer from Toronto. Not Burkes choice, his. Got it?

Schenn, the decision to keep him in Toronto and not send him back to Junior? Burke was not even here when that decision was made. Got it?

0 for 2 dude. I could go on, but my guess that reading and thinking about the rest would be a tough sledge for you.

[Walter]

I am not sure to be honest but sometimes simple is better esp for a team just trying to make some baby steps in being a competitive team.
For me the last great coach was Pat Burns he had some talent and average but tough D but manage to make the Leafs competitive. In fact if it was not for Kerry Fraser having a brain fart I felt the Leafs could of won the cup that year.
Burns knew how to coach the talent he had and how to get the most out of them, that is the makings of a great coach.

[Bill Parcells]

It's hilarious. I left Toronto in 1994 and it seems nothing has changed for the Leafs and we are back to the late 70's --- still haven't won a Stanley Cup, basement dwellers, poor defence etc. Detroit Red Wings were a joke in the 70's and 80's but turned it around in the 90's and 2000's. We all thought Ballard was the problem in the 70's and that if he is gone, then it would be the glory days again for the Leafs.

Same old Leafs --- it's sad to be a Leafs fan.....

[koho]

@ the Diver

Komisarek was offered the same contract by Montreal minus 250k per season, he chose the Leafs

Cammalleri makes 6m per in Montreal which is 600k more than Kessel makes in Toronto

If Burke was able to land Zach Parise would that be a bd thing too because he too is an American

Keep writing Diver we love the comedy

[Bill Smith]

Damion you were the biggest critic of the clutch and grab so-called trap hockey employed by the Devils and emulated by the Senators and now (of all teams!) the Montreal Canadians.I say teach the offence first game now and carry it through to
the marlies so that everyone is on the same page,It cant be any worse than what we've been seeing this last five years. As for the defence getting beat one on one;
This is mostly a physical in your face defence who mostly have all made the team.They are not going to sacrifice their bodies in meaningless exhibition games.I agree that Gustavsson does not look sharp.Lets hope he picks it up soon.
And by the way everybody sports IS supposed to be entertainment.Or why would you watch?

[DZT]

M. Diver, your comments are totally ridiculous. First, Cammalleri stated several times how he spends the summers in Toronto and didn't want to play there. As for Schenn for the Islanders' first overall pick, don't kid yourself, there was never even a remote possibility for such a deal so I don't know where you came up with that nonsense. Then there's the question of Ross vs. Toffoli, their stats are fairly comparable, so who really cares? And lastly, MTL wanted to keep Komisarek, hardly what I call "ecstatic to dump him". I remember hearing a Gainey interview in which he discussed how Komisarek basically jumped ship during contract negotiations. Oh, and do you remember when Gill played for Toronto, or are you just chronically delusional? You can complain all you want about Burke, but he's certainly brought in more free agents that we would have never had a shot at, the best of which is Bozak. He also played a vanishing act with several under-performing players. If you don't have anything nice to say that's fine, but at least get your god damn facts straight.

[Igor Ellyn]

If Damien Cox is right, why is everyone touting what a strong defence the Leafs have? I would have tought that a strong defence means keeping the puck out of the net. I think the D and G+G in goal will be better than advertised and will allow somewhat less than 3 goals a night on the average.
The improvements made over the winter and having Kessel, Bozak, Versteeg, MacArthur, Armstrong, Phaneuf for the whole season should be good for 10 wins more than they had last season and for turnign some of their losses into OT-SHO points. If they do this and stay healthy, they should be good enough for 6th or 7th place -- and then who knows what might happen.

[Petevh]

An excellent synopsis Damien. The talent-starved Leafs seem destined to continue their Quixotic attempts at providing an "entertaining" brand of hockey. One of the earlier posters pointed out that they are in the business of entertainment but I think that the directive comes from the very top of the Leaf organization. There seems to be a strange mentality at MLSE that hockey itself is not entertaining. You must provide an exciting brand of hockey, therefore the fast-paced, aggressive style of hockey that we've seen here almost constantly since the days when Pat Burns was coach. Those teams knew how to back-check. It's also why the Leafs have consistently been one of the worst teams in the NHL for protecting leads or producing turnovers since then. I think the most entertaining brand of hockey is the one that produces the most wins, period. It's a shame the Leaf organization doesn't share our sentiment.

[mark]

Paul E Duval, yes, every team has a system. But it doesn't mean that every player on that team has to play the same way. That's why you have defensive forwards and offensive minded defense men. The Leafs coach thinks that guys like Hansen and Primeau should play an 'in your face' forecheck game. To what advantage? They can't score anyhow. Would it not make more sense for these types of players to play a more conservative goal prevention style and let the likes of Kessel, Bozak and Versteeg do the offensive gambling? Everyone blames the Leafs dismal goals against on the d-men. Truth be told, it's this aweful forechecking style that is supposed to be universally embraced by all Leaf players (even if they are incapable of playing it) that is killing the team. How many odd man rushes does Wilson need to see before he figures that out?

[Brian Dias]

@ Loucks - Cammalleri and his agent CAME DOWN TO THE A.C.C. to meet with the Leafs' brass. He won't divulge any details of the meeting, but his philosophical "that's the way these things go" attitude would suggest to any thinking person that he was disappointed. He was probably low-balled. Unless the fact that you swab out the toilets at the A.C.C. gives you some INSIDE information that you wish to share with the rest of us, then please spare me the invective.

I've got 2010 salaries for Kessel and Cammalleri at 6 and 5 million, respectively. The most horrifying aspect of the Kessel decision(for any thinking person) is the two draft picks that were wasted to get him. You've glossed over that, I see.

As for Burke not being around to send Schenn down to Junior, you're right and I was wrong. That does not excuse Burke from recognizing the stupidity of this, and refusing to entertain talks with the Islanders because New York wanted Schenn.

You Burke sycophants kill me. Andy Frost's radio job is NOT available. Stop trying out.

Feel free to embarrass yourself by addressing the rest of my points, Loucks. The toilets can wait........

As for the rest of you brain surgeons, who jumped all over M.Diver for my post, I'll deal with you when you grow a pair, and use your real names.

[Dark Phoenix]

"...and refusing to entertain talks with the Islanders because New York wanted Schenn. "

It was Tampa that wanted Schenn, not the Islanders (they never considered trading their pick at all), and they wanted Kaberle and the Leafs 1st that year for their first. So if Burke makes that deal, he's ultimately trading Kaberle, Schenn and Kadri for Victor Hedman. What kind of idiotic deal is that?