Quoting: Lenny7
100%. There will always be a "WE NEED THIS!!!!" from Leafs fans after every loss, but the truth is that they're a team built to win high scoring games. If they were built to win games 2-1 and 3-2, fans would be screaming "What's wrong with Marner/Matthews/Nylander/Tavares/anyone else who isn't scoring?!?!?!".
They're a good team, that's put themselves back into a playoff position. I'm guessing the hope is that Sandin and/or Liljegren can be that d-man that steps up and solidifies the d-core going into the playoffs.
Maybe, but I'm not worried, I also think that they were due for a bit of a stinker and McDavid was long overdue to have a game like this against TO. All in all its all just overblown. The reality of this team is they are good and getting better. They are getting better within their system and I think they will be fine. All the "We need toughness!" or "We need 6 new defenceman!" or "Trade Nylander for any RHD available!" BS will continue all the way up to them winning the cup, if that ever happens.
The problem with the day and age we live in, is that most people form opinions and then spend all their time validating that opinion. Its why you have non Leaf fans who only see negatives with the Leafs, because it reinforces their desire to see them fail. And you have many Leaf fans that are so sick of not winning the cup that they actively only watch for flaws to be angry about. Just look at the **** storm that came from the McDavid goal! Did Rielly get completely embarrassed, or was it just McDavid doing something that really only he can do. He's the best player in the world, its not like Kassian pulled that move on him. Personally I am sick of all the rhetoric and bs thoughts surrounding this team. The media actively reports only to create controversy and both troll nation and leafs nation eat it up and lose their minds every day win or lose. Its utter insanity.
For example, ask almost any person on this site which Canadian team has the worst defence core and almost all of them will say its the Leafs. And that is despite, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Calgary being much worse across almost all categories. Especially if you don't include the Leafs start under Babs. But the media doesn't really talk about that, because A) there are more fans for TO then any other team and B) the people who hate the Leafs is as big of a group and both consume this firestorm constantly. So everything is blown out of proportion all the time. Almost makes me want to stop being a fan.