Dave Feschuk is a Toronto-based sports columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter:
As the Maple Leafs look ahead to the ninth playoff run of the Shana-plan era, due to commence in less than three weeks, there are at least a few reasons to hold out hope they will avoid the same old disappointing result.
There鈥檚 a different goaltending tandem that, at its best, has looked elite. There鈥檚 a different defensive corps that combines experience with size. And, perhaps less discussed, under first-year coach Craig Berube these Leafs have developed a different identity in their own end, in part by emphasizing a commitment to blocking shots. We鈥檙e talking about players who aren鈥檛 goaltenders wilfully standing in front of speeding pucks. It鈥檚 an internal point of pride.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important. It鈥檚 a big deal. In the playoffs, to win tight games, you鈥檝e got to have the willingness to block shots,鈥 Berube told reporters after Sunday night鈥檚 3-2 win in Anaheim. 鈥淲e鈥檝e stressed it a lot. I still think we can do a better job of it. You鈥檙e going to need to do a better job of it.鈥
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You can make a case shot-blocking has been missing from previous failed playoff runs. During last season鈥檚 first-round playoff loss to the Bruins, for instance, the Leafs averaged 15.2 blocks per 60 minutes. That ranked 15th of 16 playoff teams.
Heading into Monday’s games, the Leafs were sixth in the league with 16.2 blocked shots per 60 minutes. In the previous four seasons with Sheldon Keefe at the helm, the Leafs averaged 13.9 blocks per 60 minutes, 19th in the league.
It helps that Toronto鈥檚 best defensive defenceman, first-year Leaf Chris Tanev, came into Monday fifth in the league in total blocks with 172. Five more and he will pass Carl Gunnarsson for the franchise record in a season.
The term 鈥渇ranchise record,鈥 of course, ought to be put in context. The Leafs have been around for more than a century, and they鈥檝e employed plenty of willing shot-blockers. It鈥檚 a foundational piece of franchise lore that Bobby Baun once scored an overtime winning goal in Game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup final after being stretchered off with a broken leg, the excruciating result of blocking a Gordie Howe slapper. For all that, Baun鈥檚 career shot-blocking totals are unavailable because the NHL only began tracking the stat in 2005-06.
That鈥檚 not to take away from Tanev鈥檚 commitment to the cause. Blocking shots is as much about defensive strategy as it is about a statement of mentality, the willingness to do whatever it takes to win a game. And Tanev is far from the only Leaf who regularly displays it. Heading into Monday, fellow defencemen Brandon Carlo and Jake McCabe were 20th and 29th in the league in blocks while captain Auston Matthews was fifth among forwards.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the kind of stuff that wins championships, just putting the team first,鈥 Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll said this weekend. 鈥淵ou have guys coming off the ice that are bruised, banged up from blocking shots. That鈥檚 what it takes.鈥
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There鈥檚 a double-edged nature to big shot-blocking numbers, of course. If a team spends too much time standing in front of pucks, it might suggest it isn鈥檛 spending enough time shooting pucks into the opponent鈥檚 net. Certainly it says something that the team leading the league in blocked shots this season, the woeful Philadelphia Flyers, fired head coach John Tortorella last week.
That鈥檚 not to say Berube is in any danger. Still, for all the positive talk about the Leafs鈥 willingness to get in the way of speeding rubber, it鈥檚 worth noting Toronto鈥檚 puck-possession game has seen better days. The Leafs are being outshot in the typical game this season. And on a lot of nights they鈥檙e being badly out-attempted. They鈥檝e been on the wrong end of the shot-attempt percentage in 15 of their most recent 16 games. Heading into Monday, they were 23rd in five-on-five expected goals percentage.
But the Leafs are winning, which tells you there’s more to the game than possession numbers, including the importance of excellent goaltending and a lethal power play that has scored 23 goals in its most recent 23 games, the most in the league since Feb. 1 heading into Monday.
And it speaks to the value of lightening the goaltenders鈥 overall workload by dutifully stepping in front of a fair share of shots so they don鈥檛 have to.
鈥淚鈥檝e definitely noticed just a heightened discipline and unselfishness of the defencemen to do that, and the forwards,鈥 Woll said. 鈥淎nd I appreciate that more than words can say. They have a lot less equipment and they鈥檙e putting their body on the line for the team and for me and for (fellow goaltender Anthony Stolarz). So that鈥檚 pretty awesome.鈥
Opinion articles are based on the author鈥檚 interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Dave Feschuk is a Toronto-based sports columnist for the Star.
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