Bieksa: “The Leafs are built for the regular season.”

Bold words from the former NHLer.

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Published 3 years ago
Bieksa: “The Leafs are built for the regular season.”
HNIC

Former National Hockey League defenseman Kevin Bieksa has been adjusting to his role as an analyst on Hockey Night in Canada quite well, and he certainly has not shied away from sharing a hot take or two in his new found role as a member of the media. 

Bieksa was at it again on Friday when he joined radio and television hosts Tim and Sid for an appearance on their show, an appearance that covered a wide range of topics in the NHL. At the forefront of their discussion however was the future of both the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the two teams currently reigning at the top of Canada's North Division, and it was there that Bieksa made some comments that will probably upset fans in Toronto. 

In fact Bieksa ended his comments by saying that he would expect dans in Toronto to be unhappy about them, but nonetheless went on to suggest that he expects the Canadiens will beat the Leafs when it truly matters. In the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"Montreal is built to win in the playoffs and Toronto is built to win in the regular season," said Bieksa on Tim and Sid. "The game changes as we all know in the playoffs, it's not the same game. It's not the freewheelin, high scoring games in the playoffs las much as it is in the regular season.

"Montreal and Toronto and both clearly gonna make the playoffs barring disaster and I know Leafs fans are gonna be all over me for this but I'm just giving you my opinion, I think it is a really tough series for Toronto to win 4 games against Montreal in a tight-checking, physical playoff series."

The Leafs have of course struggled to find success in the postseason with their current group, it has arguably been the biggest knock against that team, and it sounds like Bieksa does not have a great deal of faith that they will be getting over the hump. The Canadiens on the other hand have a young team, but one backed by veterans like Carey Price and Shea Weber and it sounds like Bieksa expects that they will have the edge come the playoffs.

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