The Toronto Maple Leafs players not only have the fan and media pressure to deal with, but daily Toronto life - which prevents them from truly becoming one unit.
If there's one thing that the Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot more of than other NHL teams is fan and media pressure. While other franchises have their fair share of passionate and loyal fans - no one seems to have a brighter spotlight than the Leafs.
Carlo says Toronto's size and traffic can make simple team time surprisingly difficult
But they also have a lot more than that to worry about, as being in the heart of a bustling metropolis isn't exactly the easiest to navigate, especially as a pro athlete and celebrity figure.
Former Maple Leaf Brandon Carlo recently commented on the living conditions in the city and while he praised the area - he also admitted that it caused more issues for him and his teammates:
In that city, it's kind of difficult at times because those guys are superstars, and it's hard to get guys together at times because it's a little spread out.
Add in the fact that Carlo believes Toronto traffic is a 'nightmare' and you can see that it's not as easy for the Maple Leafs stars to come together and form a stronger bond by virtue of being around each other outside of the rink.
It's not as simple as saying 'Let's go to a steakhouse for 6 PM' because it may take players much different travel times, not to mention figure out schedules that also involve any activities with their family.
Take Carlo for example. He was situated in the Etobicoke area with his family when he lived in Toronto, and that particular trip while only taking 10 minutes by car - isn't actually 10 minutes. Taking into account the Gardiner Expressway, rush hour traffic, and the continuous flow of transport in and out of the city then you're looking at a much longer commute.
Toronto may need to create more of its team bonding inside the organization
Which takes away certain outings that could be beneficial not only to creating a stronger bond on the ice, but genuinely just give these players time to unwind. As much as they are professional athletes and celebrities, they are at their core; human.
That means they want to relax, they want to have friends, try new food, create new memories - whatever it is. It's harder for them to go out in downtown Toronto than it would be if they were in Columbus or Seattle, especially if you have a group of players who are spread throughout the largest city in Canada.
It may be time for the Maple Leafs to start adding more team-oriented activities during the season in order to gain that added bond and chemistry.
During the summer we often see teammates fishing, golfing, or hanging out elsewhere so bring that into the regular season. We're not saying treat them like kids and take them on a field trip, but there is a psychological benefit to team-building exercises and events.
Toronto offers their players the biggest spotlight in hockey, with the most passionate and loyal fans and a rich history. But it also gives them a headache when it comes to trying to manage day to day life as an NHL player - one of the more overlooked aspects that comes with being a Maple Leaf.
Do you think the Toronto day to day life is tougher for NHL players than in other cities?
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