Stanley Cup Champion reveals Maple Leafs Biggest need in 2023
The Maple Leafs have shown just how talented they are over the past few years, but if they're to make a deep run in the playoffs, it's clear that something needs to change.
More grit
When talking about the Leafs recently, former Stanley Cup Champion Chris Pronger praised the team in a big way, but identified one major area that this team needs to improve in order to be a Cup contender.
I think they've upgraded up front. I think they've upgraded certain areas of their back end," said Pronger. "They're extremely mobile, they've got great puck movers... I think they're just missing a little sand paper back there. A little bit of grit to strike a little fear into the opposition and grind on the opposition throughout the course of a playoff series. You start getting into 6/7 game series, you need some bigger bodies back there to lean on the opposition, to wear them down, cause you know they're doing it on the other side.
Must read on Daily Hockey Dose
Unsurprisingly, Pronger has identified the Leafs lack of big, bruising bodies on their blue line as a major weakness, and one the team will need to upgrade for those tough playoff series.
Cup Champions?
If the Leafs can find a Radko Gudas type player, a man they were linked too in free agency, it will change the blue line in a positive way, and if that happens, it's safe to say that they could be the favourite in the Eastern Conference.
Ultimately, in a game that's becoming increasingly more focused on skill and less on toughness, this will fly in the regular season, but when those tough playoff series hit, it makes sense for the Leafs to need that physicality, so it's a move to keep an eye on for the Leafs.
As Read on Maple Leafs Daily -
Stanley Cup winner identifies the one missing element in Toronto that would make the Leafs a legit contender
Stanley Cup winner identifies the one missing element in Toronto that would make the Leafs a legit contender
| POLL | ||
5 OCTOBRE | 113 ANSWERS Stanley Cup Champion reveals Maple Leafs Biggest need in 2023 Will the Leafs win the Cup in 2023-24? | ||
| Yes | 48 | 42.5 % |
| No | 65 | 57.5 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
Latest 10 stories
