Everyone could see the Toronto Maple Leafs taking a step back in the regular season this year, but the goal of the off-season was to be a tougher team to play against. With a firm hold on the third and final playoff spot in the Atlantic, it looks like they'll make the playoffs yet again, but the question remains, are they built for playoff hockey? One insider seems to think so. Even going to far as to say they're one of the toughest teams in the league.
According to Paul Bissonnette , a known Leafs lover among many, he claimed on the Spittin' Chiclets Podcast that the Maple Leafs were the toughest team by far in the Eastern Conference; take a look.
Bissonnette said without missing a vest that the Leafs were the toughest team in an East that includes the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers because most of their players are willing to and have gotten in fights this season.
The thing with that is, toughness isn't just based on your willingness to drop the gloves, it's also about making the game harder to play night in and night out against your team. While the Leafs have gotten a lot tougher, they still have a long way to go if they want to catch the Bruins or the Panthers in the toughness department.
POLL | ||
Do you think the Leafs are the toughest team in the East? | ||
Yes | 55 | 9.4 % |
No | 490 | 83.6 % |
Biz is on one | 41 | 7 % |
List of polls |