Sergei Bobrovsky believes the Maple Leafs could learn from their failures and need to be taught an early-season lesson if they want to be prepared for later on.
So far this season, you could chalk up the Maple Leafs' season as pretty average. Sitting 3-3-1 with some pretty tough losses already, if they want to be competitive and push for the playoffs, they felt out need to be better.
They can't be blowing leads like they have, and if the defensive game isn't fixed along with some better lineup management - it's going to be a long season.
Sergei Bobrovsky wants to instil a little 'tough love' within the Maple Leafs
But the early adversity could be a good thing, and for Sergei Bobrovsky he believes that it's exactly what the team needs to prepare for later on. Bobrovsky admitted that the team needs to be better in certain areas, but there is more than enough time for them to figure it out:
You either win or you have a lesson to learn to get better. I think it's a good lesson. I think we gave up a lot of chances 5-on-5 and I think it can be cleaned up. As we learn, those mistakes can be fixed and then we move on. We have a really good team here.
It's a bit of tough love as the veteran is essentially saying that the team needs to fail and face their demons in order to get better. Things have to be fixed, but we are only eight games in, so there's clearly more than enough time.
Bobrovsky for his part though, hasn't exactly been lighting it up. He's been solid at times, but has a 1-2-2 record with a 3.34 GAA and .896 SV%. It's not the worst stat line in the NHL but it's certainly a far cry from what he should be doing; at $7M no less.
Do the Maple Leafs really need to be taught a lesson?
Well, perhaps not the entire team but there are some players who need to start becoming better versions of themselves, with an additional lesson for head coach Jim Hiller.
Morgan Rielly has to work on his defensive game whether it be watching tape, working on it outside of practices with a skills coach - anything. He has already been detrimental to the team early on and they will continue to give up a boatload of goals if he doesn't whip into shape.
The team also has to learn how to find ways to win without their stars. If you look at who has scored the majority of the goals for Toronto, it's the usual suspects. Colton Sissons, Bo Groulx, Brandon Duhaime, Zack McEwen and Teddy Blueger have a combined two points; both from Sissons.
Whether it be a lineup shuffle or adding in someone like Miles Wood or Brendan Brisson internally, something has to change. You do need the bottom-six to play hard defensively but it can't be the only thing they do.
That goes in tandem with Jim Hiller's lesson which is to learn to adjust. Not talking about his lineups either, but he needs to stop being so stubborn. Once he gets a lead, he parks the bus and tries to defend. The Maple Leafs do not have the defensive personnel to accomplish that, so he needs to focus on keeping the pressure on or as he's already learned - he's going to lose games.
Leave it to Bobrovsky to speak up and say Toronto needs to learn a lesson because if there's anyone who knows what it takes to win, it's him.
Do you agree with Sergei Bobrovsky that the Maple Leafs need to be taught a lesson?
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs trade Anthony Stolarz to the Rangers in blockbuster proposal