Current Leaf players who will be free agents

[Kin]

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

Think about the logical problem with your argument here. Phaneuf is the guy being presented as being one of the guys who was always working out on the Flames. You highlight that as being indicative of a positive team culture. Phaneuf is the captain of the Maple Leafs, a team with a culture you think is terrible and needs to be changed.

I'd say connect the dots but, I mean, it's more like connect the dot.

 

[Redleaf]

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

Think about the logical problem with your argument here. Phaneuf is the guy being presented as being one of the guys who was always working out on the Flames. You highlight that as being indicative of a positive team culture. Phaneuf is the captain of the Maple Leafs, a team with a culture you think is terrible and needs to be changed.

I'd say connect the dots but, I mean, it's more like connect the dot.

I'm pretty sure Phaneuf is missing some other key qualities, that more than offset his workout regime.

 

[Britishbulldog]

I'm pretty sure Phaneuf is missing some other key qualities, that more than offset his workout regime.

That is what I am thinking just by watching him play.  I don't know him, I haven't read hearsay about what Phaneuf is like in the locker room but just seeing how he reacts to things in a game almost looks like his is oblivious to his team mates.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Now your talking about team culture and we don't want to open those can of worms.

Think about the logical problem with your argument here. Phaneuf is the guy being presented as being one of the guys who was always working out on the Flames. You highlight that as being indicative of a positive team culture. Phaneuf is the captain of the Maple Leafs, a team with a culture you think is terrible and needs to be changed.

I'd say connect the dots but, I mean, it's more like connect the dot.

Those are the reasons Burke and Wilson cited for making him the captain.  His positive work effort and his vocalness in the locker room.  They wanted him to have a positive effect on others.  Maybe this has changed since then, or maybe one guy can't do it all.

 

[Kin]

Those are the reasons Burke and Wilson cited for making him the captain.  His positive work effort and his vocalness in the locker room.  They wanted him to have a positive effect on others.  Maybe this has changed since then, or maybe one guy can't do it all.

Or maybe, maybe, one player's workout habits, regardless of whether or not he's got a C on his jersey, isn't a communicable disease.

 

[Hampreacher]

One of the things the leafs need besides a coach who is more of a motivator are more leaders in the dressing room. Kessel is not the type of player to be a vocal leader. Bolland could be but injury hampered that. We need to get some more vocal players or have players step up and do that on the team.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Those are the reasons Burke and Wilson cited for making him the captain.  His positive work effort and his vocalness in the locker room.  They wanted him to have a positive effect on others.  Maybe this has changed since then, or maybe one guy can't do it all.

Or maybe, maybe, one player's workout habits, regardless of whether or not he's got a C on his jersey, isn't a communicable disease.

And yet people belief that bad influences spread like wildfires.

 

[bustaheims]

Those are the reasons Burke and Wilson cited for making him the captain.  His positive work effort and his vocalness in the locker room.  They wanted him to have a positive effect on others.  Maybe this has changed since then, or maybe one guy can't do it all.

Or maybe, maybe, one player's workout habits, regardless of whether or not he's got a C on his jersey, isn't a communicable disease.

And yet people belief that bad influences spread like wildfires.

People believe a lot of things that aren't true.

 

[L K]

Those are the reasons Burke and Wilson cited for making him the captain.  His positive work effort and his vocalness in the locker room.  They wanted him to have a positive effect on others.  Maybe this has changed since then, or maybe one guy can't do it all.

Or maybe, maybe, one player's workout habits, regardless of whether or not he's got a C on his jersey, isn't a communicable disease.

And yet people belief that bad influences spread like wildfires.

Path of least resistance.  Having a good work ethic from your leaders is important because it sets a precedent for what they have to say.  A lazy leader can't call out other members of the team on their work ethic without coming across hypocritical.  Guys who don't have an internal drive to push themselves have a lower standard of expectations because of that and it breed poor performance.

The flip side, being a leadership core that work their tails off.  There is weight behind their actions because they work just as hard as the message they promote.  But ultimately it still comes down to that ability to get your guys to buy into the message.  Lazier players are still going to be lazy unless you have are keeping on top of them.

It's all about the path of least resistance.

 

[Kin]

Path of least resistance.  Having a good work ethic from your leaders is important because it sets a precedent for what they have to say.  A lazy leader can't call out other members of the team on their work ethic without coming across hypocritical.  Guys who don't have an internal drive to push themselves have a lower standard of expectations because of that and it breed poor performance.

I think there's also something to be said for the fact that one of the things that's really emerged in the NHL over the years is a move away from the Mike Keane-style captain and towards more of the modern Sidney Crosby/Jonathan Toews concept of having your captain be the best, if not one of the best, players on the team. I have no doubt that some of the guys who work the hardest in the NHL are the guys who are end of the roster players but I think what's been recognized is that those guys have a limited capacity to inspire or serve as a positive example when you don't want young players using them as the benchmark of success.

A strong work ethic is a great thing, it can be an inspiring thing, but it can't overcome fundamental problems of talent. Guys like Wayne Gretzky or Mats Sundin, who weren't rah-rah types, were effective leaders by just about unanimous acclaim because their hard work reflected the results you ultimately wanted to achieve. One of the most frequent defenses of Phaneuf's play has been that whatever deficiencies he may have, he's the best defender on the Leafs and while that may justify playing time, that's not really an inspirational concept.