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Steve, I agree the defence is not as good as a lot of fans would have hoped, but to me it is not totally to blame. Often the Leaf forwards are caught too far up ice and slow to get back to stop the counter-attack. Mind you the defence doesn’t help matters if they turnover the puck or get caight pinching in situations they shouldn’t (e.g. Aulie on first goal against Vancouver). They are not adhering to a defensive system, and against good forechecking (or fast skating) teams they can give up a ton of goals. Yes the defence can be better, but it is a team sport. We’re 8th in the league in scoring, but 5th highest in the league in goals against. Have we not learned anything from last year??? Sure we are scoring more often, but the goals against are on pace to equal last year’s total, with supposedly a mucher deeper defence core.

Opposing coaches have said after winning against Toronto that they basically played them as other teams do…. ie. forecheck them hard and pressure them, and do not allow them to come out of their zone with speed. Do that and Toronto will eventually cough up the puck and then you can capitalize on those mistakes.

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In answer to your question, do you remember last season when Reimer went on his tear? Well he wasnt a solid masterpiece each and every period, but if you paid attention, after the period in which is wasnt very sharp or controlled, he would come out settled in, good to go, “all pucks mine” and steal some wins for us. WE DONT HAVE THAT THIS SEASON… Where did that come from? Not Gus… Giggy! Veteran leadership and mentor-ship in the room is what we do not have, Liles is the oldest, yet, he really hasnt been there or done that yet in his career.

I know where we are bad at right now, but dont you get the sense that in some games, some periods, like Vancouver yesterday when they made that push, got the goal, 2-1, powerplay… or was it 3-1, whatever, the team just seemed like they really didnt know what to do, or how important the next 5 minutes were. You need that Mark Rechi of last years Bruins, that Bill Guerin of Pitsburgh, John Madden of Chicago, the veteran guy who has been there and done that, and who knows what to do, but cant lift the team on their back anymore. You need them to be that firm voice who gets them to that next level.

Not saying that is the only thing lacking… But I just feel if we upgrade in that area, veteran depth, then maybe the whole team tightens right up and is all focused and alined together. Instead of unorganized, confused JR team playing a rep team for the first time.

My 2c, but Im selling it for a dollar.