Toronto Maple Leafs head Coach Sheldon Keefe has been criticized for his statement following his team’s 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
When asked about his team’s effort following the loss, Keefe responded, “Nothing wrong with our effort level here tonight. Guys are competing. It’s physical hockey. Guys are trying. It’s a good team over there. It’s limiting us. You can question a lot of things, can’t question the effort.”
The media has condemned Keefe for those comments. We even heard one ex-NHLer say on talk radio that if Keefe thinks that he is out of touch with reality.
Critiques of the Maple Leafs’ Efforts Are Off-Base
In the wake of the Maple Leafs’ recent playoff loss to the Bruins, Keefe has come under scrutiny for his remarks on the team’s effort. His assertion that “nothing wrong with our effort level here tonight” sparked controversy, with critics questioning his grasp on reality. However, amidst all this backlash, we defend Keefe’s assessment.
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He was dead on about his players’ effort. It is difficult to believe that a professional NHL player playing in a playoff game would not give his best effort. We would also like to ask all of the former NHL payers who are now involved in the media if they ever played a single NHL postseason game in which they went out and didn’t try to win.
Let’s shake the tree of Stanley Cup competition for a minute. There are many reasons why teams lose and players fail. Every team except for one fails. More generally, not just some of us but everyone fails. Even great hockey teams don’t win all the time. In any competition, there’s more than one player or team competing. One team will win, and one will lose.
Granted, there might come a time when players or teams realize they can’t win and might give up in those moments and accept defeat. Yet, they still gave it their best effort up to that point. We don’t believe any player on the Maple Leafs is yet at that point.
With the Maple Leafs, we see a team that wants to win and is giving their all in trying to do so. So does Keefe. What they are doing isn’t working. They are making mistakes. They are not scoring enough. They are losing puck battles. The reasons they are losing are numerous. Effort is not one of them.
Would Any NHL Player Not Try Hard During the Playoffs?
The idea that NHL players would lack effort in a playoff game seems unfathomable. Keefe’s statement resonates with us fundamentally – how could anyone doubt the commitment of these athletes competing at the highest level? As former NHL players turned media personalities condemn Keefe, we are pushed to ask if they ever played a postseason game without giving their all — even if someone else claimed they dialed it in.
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It’s crucial to recognize that defeat in sports is multifaceted. Teams lose, players fail, but that’s not indicative of not trying hard. While some players might succumb to the inevitability of defeat, it doesn’t diminish the effort exerted until that final point.
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
In the case of the Maple Leafs, we see a determined team. They’re striving to win, playing hard, and being publicly frustrated when things don’t work. Yet, despite their best efforts, they are falling short. Mistakes are made, and opportunities are missed, but their effort is not the culprit.
Hockey Analyst Goes Off on Mitch Marner
In the following video, fans can see Paul Bissonnette go off on Mitch Marner during the second intermission of Game 4. His critique was blunt and pointed. But it stepped over the line insofar as calling out Marner’s lack of effort. The mistakes were well explained, and Marner made several of them in the shared taped sequence.
That said, Bissonnette expressed frustration at what he perceived as Marner’s lack of effort throughout the series. But it is his perception. Criticizing Marner’s technique is different from criticizing his commitment. Pointing out specific mistakes, such as losing puck battles and failing to block shots on the penalty kill, are all fair. His conclusion that Marner did not deserve his ice time and should be benched to set an example is what he’s paid to do as an analyst. His commentary left no doubt about his belief that Marner’s effort was inadequate and unacceptable.
Bissonnette Does Not Know Marner’s Effort Level
Yet, Bissonnette doesn’t know what Marner’s effort was. And that was his error. It’s fair for him to criticize the Maple Leafs’ lack of success, but Marner’s effort level is not his to know.
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Coach Keefe’s defense of his players’ “try” reflects a fundamental truth about professional sports – effort alone does not guarantee victory. As the Maple Leafs face tonight’s Game 5 challenges, they must address their shortcomings and adapt their strategies. However, undermining players’ dedication or questioning their desire to win likely shows more of the accuser’s frustration than the Maple Leafs’ players.
In a game where success is elusive and defeat is a reality, we believe the players’ effort remains the driving force behind their engagement with the game.
It’s Only Fair Game to Call Out Those Who Call Out Others
There is logic to the idea that if someone feels justified in criticizing a player’s or a team’s effort, they should be open to scrutiny regarding their own efforts. It’s a form of accountability and fairness. If one is quick to point fingers at others, they should also be willing to turn that same scrutiny inward.
In sports commentary, former players who have become media personalities sometimes critique teams and players for their perceived lack of effort. However, if these individuals once stood on the same ice surface, it’s reasonable to question whether they ever experienced moments of struggle or faltered in their efforts.
Listening to Bissonnette’s rant about Marner is great entertainment. It also likely expresses the frustrations that many of us, as fans, think about our team’s lack of success. But that doesn’t mean he’s right.
The Maple Leafs might lose tonight or sometime down the road in this series. But saying it’s because they don’t care or don’t try hard is cheap analysis. It’s also wrong.
[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]