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TORONTO – Two times in the past three seasons, the hockey team from Toronto has collapsed under city-rattling circumstances, including a rapid descent from near-certain playoff entry last season. In between was a valiant stab at the first Leaf post-season series win in years from a feisty, competitive group – albeit, one that probably benefited from the 48-game schedule. Looking to recapture some of that magic, Leafs management made character, attitude, leadership and qualities of mental fortitude high priorities in their bid at roster reconstruction on July 1st. Led by president Brendan Shanahan and incumbent general manager Dave Nonis, the club reacquired two players from that 2013 squad – Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin – also adding 37-year-old Stephane Robidas to a defence that recently replaced the steady Carl Gunnarsson with edgy-type Roman Polak. “Part of it is always about character,” said Nonis, shortly after 5pm et, when the Leafs first crack at free agency ended. “I dont think that we have a character issue with our team or our players, but I think adding people like Leo and Robidas to [the roster] only strengthens it. The compete level that we had two years ago, I think was at or near the top of the league. We got more out of our players – the coaches did – the players, themselves, did in terms of pushing each other, than we did last year. No question about it.” Randy Carlyle couldnt summon much in the way of explanation as to why things unraveled for the Leafs so epically months earlier, but did notice something amiss with the attitude of his group. “We lacked the compete,” he said, while at the draft in Philadelphia this past weekend. “I look at compete as part of the character flaw.” It was clear management sensed something similar, though character and leadership would hardly encompass the Leafs woeful defence and penalty-killing, targeting players in free agency or on the trade market who were known for their high compete level. In addition to Komarov and Robidas, the club also made pitches to keep gritty, but soon-to-be overpaid, Dave Bolland, 38-year-old former Team Canada defender Dan Boyle and long-time Montreal heart-and-soul type, Josh Gorges. Robidas, who was signed for three years at $9 million, offers the Leafs a much-needed veteran upgrade in their top-four, a long-time Dallas Star whos physical, blocks shots and has the ability to play in every situation. A right-handed defender, in short supply for the club a year ago, and veteran of 885 regular season games, Robidas brings a savvy that was lacking on a mismatched back-end last season. “It was a factor,” Nonis said of character when it came to Robidas, who suffered two separate, broken right-leg injuries last season, but will be ready for training camp. “The people that I know that know him, that Brendan knows, speak very highly of the way he handles himself, on and off the ice. I dont think were looking at a guy thats going to come in here and be terribly vocal or anything like that, but in terms of playing the game the right way, taking care of yourself and leading by example, that coupled with being a right-shot and his playing ability, he was the guy we targeted right away.” Komarov bolted for the KHL after that 2013 campaign, but was eager to return to the NHL-lifestyle this fall. He garnered considerably more than the club appeared willing to pay just one year earlier, four years at $2.95 million per season, and quite a bit for a player who was limited offensively as a Leaf. It was clear, however, that Nonis and company valued the Finnish wingers scrappy play and were also hopeful of more upside with more opportunity next season. “Hes a very competitive guy,” said Nonis of Komarov, who had nine points in 42 games with the Leafs. “Hes going to give you whatever he has … He has compete. He gets under peoples skin by the way he plays, not because hes a chirper or anything like that, but he finishes every single check and, sometimes, I think people dont really enjoy the way he does that. But for us, he brought that element; he brought some character to our group. He was very well-liked by his teammates. All the things that you look for in a player, he ticks a lot of boxes.” Polak, too, was added from St. Louis earlier with an eye toward the “edge” he would bring to the Toronto defence, a quality infinitely enduring to the head coach. But for the all the focus on injecting the Leafs dressing room with more bite, increased leadership and character, its Carlyle and the still-yet-to-be-named coaching staff that bear the most watching next season. For whatever the Leafs lacked in determination and persistence last year – and there was a noticeable difference – it was their inability to defend with any degree of success that instigated their downfall last season. No team, as widely known by this point, allowed more shots than Toronto and only three teams allowed more power-play goals. It was a house of cards that was bound to collapse and did when Jonathan Bernier went down with injury in mid-March. And for all his drum-beating about the troubles, and he was quick to point flaws as early as October, Carlyle and his since-deposed trio of assistants could not find the right answers, instill a defensive mindset onto a sometimes immature roster, employ top line-ups and align the talent in place with a suitable style of play. All that will have to change and its up to Carlyle to adjust accordingly. The coming season wont be about leadership concerns or questions of character, but whether a head coach can adapt to a younger and faster league. Robidas, Polak and Komarov should help to address some of the defensive deficiencies of last year – also fitting Carlyles harder brand of hockey – particularly a penalty kill that fell right back to the bottom of the league last season. Roster holes still to be filled include a centre capable of playing in a third or fourth-line capacity – Peter Holland is in line for regular opportunity, but a security blanket for Carlyle is likely preferred – perhaps another defenceman, with Cody Franson likely on the way out, some scoring depth and a backup goaltender, though, Nonis continues to insist that James Reimer could be back next year, despite clear indications of his desire to move elsewhere. Some of those changes could come internally with a round of Marlies keen to take the next step into the NHL. The Leafs additionally have about $15 million in cap space to work with a group of restricted free agents, Jake Gardiner most prominently among them, still to sign. Marqise Lee Jersey . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. Jalen Ramsey Youth Jersey .com) - Manu Ginobili capped off a 26-point night with a go-ahead layup with 24 seconds left in overtime, with the basket giving the San Antonio Spurs a much-needed 95-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. http://www.authenticjaguarslockroom.com/...I-Elite-Jersey/. Here at TSN.ca we will take a look back at the season by bringing together a panel of experts to help pick the best 50 players of the season. Josh Oliver Jaguars Jersey .com) - Avery Bradley scored 21 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets, 89-81. Jawaan Taylor Youth Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are disappointed, though not discouraged.As a fun NHL Draft exercise, I decided to go through each NHL team and re-configure their rosters, only allowing teams to include players that were drafted by the team. In order to keep the roster numbers up, those that were undrafted free agents were included with the teams for which they played their first NHL games. Take it easy, agents. This isnt about removing trades or free agency -- those are some of my favourite parts of the game too -- but its about how teams identify and secure talent and which teams have done these things more effectively. As you can see, by looking through these hypoethetical depth charts, there are teams that have provided a disproportionate number of the players throughout the league. Certainly, some teams have had and used more draft picks than other teams, so thats part of the reason why they bring so much more talent into the league, but theres probably a lesson to be gleaned from that as well. Take the defence picks of the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, for example. The Canadiens could, theoretically, have a defence that includes Ryan McDonagh, Francois Beauchemin, Mark Streit, Stephane Robidas and Ron Hainsey in addition to the guys they kept -- P.K. Subban, Andrei Markov, Alexei Emelin (could have included Francis Bouillon and Mike Komisarek, too). Nashville has done very well on the blueline, drafting Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Dan Hamhuis, Roman Josi, Seth Jones, Cody Franson, Kevin Klein and Ryan Ellis (as well as Mattias Ekholm and signing Victor Bartley). On the other hand, there are teams that have had a hard time bringing in defencemen, like the Philadelphia Flyers, who have preferred (or been forced) to acquire their defencemen through other means. Dennis Seidenberg and Joni Pitkanen are the two best active NHL defencemen that the Flyers have drafted and Pitkanen missed all of last season due to injury while Seidenberg missed half the year. Of course, the Flyers have had brought in (and subsequently let go) some serious talent up front, including Patrick Sharp, Justin Williams, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, among others, but their hypoethetical forward depth chart is impressive. Sometimes, circumstances have made it that a team doesnt need to draft at a position. Think of the Boston Bruins goaltending situation recently, carried by Tuukka Rask (acquired in trade) and, before him, Tim Thomas (a Quebec Nordiques draft pick!), so -- at least prior to drafting Malcolm Subban in the first round -- the Bruins havent brought in a lot of blue-chippers in net. By contrast, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had Rask, James Reimer and Ben Scrivens, or the Washington Capitals, who have had Semyon Varlamov, Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth through their system. A few quick obserrvations: - Some lean resuls in Columbus, where they barely have an NHL centre aside from Ryan Johansen and Derick Brassard.dddddddddddd - Tons of depth with Detroit, particularly after making call-ups this year. Joakim Andersson and Luke Glendening, who played regularly for the Wings this year, didnt crack the five-deep depth chart. - Crazy depth in Ottawa too, where so many forwards -- Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat, Daniel Alfredsson, Antoine Vermette, Brooks Laich, Jakob Silfverberg -- have moved on to other teams. - A few other rules of this "what if?" game: I allowed players that were drafted twice to be used by both organizations, so look out for Jarret Stoll playing both sides in the Battle of Alberta! - The Edmonton Oilers come by their defensive woes honestly. Theyve drafted four active NHL defencemen, including Martin Marincin and Oskar Klefbom, rookies they called up last season. - Using the Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets franchise doesnt yield much up front, especially with Ilya Kovalchuk gone to Russia. Bryan Little, Evander Kane, Mark Scheifele, then who was the fourth-best forward in 2013-2014 that was drafted by this franchise? Patrick Dwyer? Dany Heatley? The story is better on defence and in net. Using only players that played in the NHL in the 2013-2014 season, I came up with rosters (Maple Leafs example below) that you can see by clicking here. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS LW C RW Alexander Steen Nazem Kadri Brad Boyes Jiri Tlusty Tyler Bozak Nikolai Kulemin Viktor Stalberg Matt Stajan Jimmy Hayes Jerry DAmigo John Mitchell Matt Frattin Josh Leivo Spencer Abbott Shawn Thornton D D G Carl Gunnarsson Anton Stralman Tuukka Rask Morgan Rielly Luke Schenn James Reimer Carlo Colaiacovo Jay Harrison Ben Scrivens Jean-Philippe Cote Mike Kostka Jonas Gustavsson Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '