Scott Buffam

@FAN590 @RealKyper @jtbourne @SamAMcKee Foundational pieces must hold the same weight as every captain who has led and sometimes carried their teams to hoist the cup. It’s been Barkov the last two years - 34 and 88 are not and will never be that leader just don’t inspire the players around them to be better

"I don't care if it's the greatest GM in history or an unknown. They won't come in and set culture up for those guys. It has to be the foundational pieces setting the culture." @RealKyper, @jtbourne and @SamAMcKee react to Keith Pelley’s comments on the Leafs’ direction.

I have C l. Nh9’ Mann N m he Hv n kkTo tv

@J_Swish24 One of the best quotes I ever heard from an evaluator I had was ‘leopards and spots’ they don’t really change. If you’re competing to be #1 in 26 and you don’t bring relentless compete against the very players you are going to be evaluated against … Fill in the blank here.

I don’t really watch or evaluate 17 year olds, I’m not Jerry Seinfeld, but is Gavin McKenna as good as we think he is? There’s no question he needs to up his compete level. I’m not sure I see the eye of the Tiger like a Crosby, Fellabrini, Schaefer on his chin at this time. I’ll let Craig Button decide though. -People’s

@MacLennan28 @StrideEnvy Timely post. A definite area of improvement for team Canada moving forward. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many flips to neutral zone space in a hockey game.

💎 @StrideEnvy

@tsnjamesduthie Or Kicks Rock Cafe…..

Haven't heard Courage this much since Stoney Monday's Patio summer '93. #Ottawaunderstands

@StingUpdates Starts with a DZ man to man system that a lot of these kids probably (don’t know for sure, though ) don’t have a lot of experience with

Gotta say I thought Dale Hunter would have this group playing way better. The lack of chemistry/cohesion jumps off the screen. In almost all facets guys seem unsure of where to be or where to go. Needs to be cleaned up & fast. #WorldJuniors

@J_Swish24 Yep and dump that DZ man to man system it’s not working

So Hockey Canada is mad that Keaton Verhoeff left major junior and elected to attend #NCAA US college and now they are taking it out on him by scratching the 6”4, right shot, best defensive prospect we’ve seen in 20 odd years (potential 1st overall pick) because they are upset? Spare me. He isn’t one of your 7 best available d-men? There’s no other way to sugarcoat such decision. What a bunch of boneheads. Take the beer goggles off #WorldJuniors2026 -People’s

@BlakeCallagha14 @Berger_BYTES Closer to the heart…..

@Berger_BYTES Matthews cannot skate as fast as last year, cannot shoot as hard as last year. Something is wrong with him. Has he been sent to see a doctor. Does he have a leg strength issue.

Another no-show from the captain and Willie in #Nashville. Craig Berube will pay. Soon… bit.ly/4oXIta5 #Leafs #LeafsForever  #Smashville  #Predators

@coreylandsberg I think you’re bang on in one respect he doesn’t elevate his game but when you are captain and you don’t elevate your game, the other guys tend to not do the same around you…. Again look at those 20 captains. They made everybody around them better.

@buffams I don't even care about him as captain. I'm just talking about his ability to elevate his game in the playoffs the way the other players do. Hes never been able to do that and I'd say his best ever playoff game (game 2 vs Boston in 2024) was the last time he looked like himself

Auston Matthews went from Hart Trophy winner/candidate to like the 40th best player in the league. Some of it has to be injuries but if I was going to start a rebuild I would have to see how he looks with a coach he wants to play for before I do anything #LeafsForever

@OHL_Follower @coreylandsberg But to your point as well, bringing JT in to be captain with little to no playoff success, predating his arrival possibly was a questionable move at the time….

@buffams @coreylandsberg In one season as captain, Matthews and the leafs went further in the playoffs than Tavares had in any of his previous 15 seasons in the nhl. Tavares’ playoff numbers also drop more than Matthews playoff number do

@OHL_Follower @coreylandsberg If we were basing this mainly on offensive analytics then those numbers don’t lie. But those captains didn’t always lead in points. It’s more about defending - winning battles - dominating physically and showing passion at the right time on and off the ice

@coreylandsberg Agree where you grow up plays a role in leadership qualities becoming part of your DNA. Don’t have to be CDN there’s great markets in Europe and in usa where Hockey rules ie Minnesota - would have been a different environment for # 34 growing up playing roller hockey in Arizona.

@buffams I’d say MacKinnon, mcdavid, draisaitl, Makar, kucherov, pastrnak, barkov, Hughes, rantanen and Werenski would be my top 10 and none of those guys have the questions around them that Matthews does

@coreylandsberg Good question I guess it depends how we define top players. My definition would be guys who are born leaders who have the talent and passion to match it. Think buds had it in JT.

@buffams Well, ask yourself this. Out of the top 10ish players in the NHL, whoever you think they are, do any of them have any questions around them like Auston Matthews does?

@joshuakloke @PierreVLeBrun last 20 Stanley Cup Champion captains 25Barkov 24Barkov 23Stone 22Landeskog 21Stamkos 20Stamkos 19Pietrangelo 18Ovechkin 17Crosby 16Crosby 15Toews 14Brown 13Toews 12 Brown 11 Chára 10Toews 09Crosby 08Lidström 07Niedermayer 06Brind'Amour

A blown third period lead in Washington. Zero regulation wins in their last 10 games. A team that hasn’t improved from last season. The Maple Leafs need to change, and fast: nytimes.com/athletic/68463…

@Berger_BYTES Couldn’t agree more if you go back historically on teams that win the Stanley Cup one of the key components is a leader the guy that wears the C that shows passion - doesn’t have to be the loudest guy in the room, but leads by example and shows emotion. 34 is a robot.

Treliving and Berube are first-rate pros but they are learning that little hope exists with a team that has lacked on-ice leadership for a decade. You cannot turn a layback personality into a tiger by sewing a ‘C’ on his jersey… any more than you can teach a shooter to score goals. It’s either part of wiring and DNA or it isn’t. The #Leafs have made tons of money off Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares. But, only one has innate leadership skill. And, he’s 35 years old, still showing the way. The others are content with a playoff round or two. Then golf. It’s been the wrong mix from the outset. #LeafsForever

@markhmasters Go back to the last 10- 20-30 captains of teams that won the Stanley Cup…. You don’t have to be the loudest guy in the room, but you do have to show emotion and passion. 34 is pretty robotic.

Leafs lean on Tavares leadership during skid McMann: "Always got the right voice, always got a good voice ... good beat on the room" Hildeby: "Very supportive which is appreciated from a young guy like me" Benoit: "Having him around has been a blessing" tsn.ca/nhl/video/2025…

@brianlilley I would be in total flight mode if this was a stubby!!!

One of Canada’s greatest beers. Fight me.

@TLPF_Hockey @BizNasty2point0 Like that, thinking the highest level of awareness is the ability to predict where the play goes next based on recognizing patterns in the game-esp off puck. FLA performs at such a high level playing’fast’ bc their guys have high hockey IQ + play as an interconnected 5 man unit.

@TheBirdsNest8 Bang on bird starts with the family out and then it’s up to the player to take it from there and obviously coop did it…

Last Sports Banquet for our family tonight! Beyond proud of Coop who took home the Bonnie Cochrane Memorial Award and the only recipient of the Golden Falcon! Very thankful to all of his coaches during his 4-years at FHS! A ton of great sporting memories! Love ya Coop!