Define "toughness"

[dhsux]

Bob Bassen

[Aesa]

Bob Bassen

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!

[11WSChamps]

I think everyone knows what toughness is and agree it is important, I think the illusion is that one player being tough somehow protects another player.

Ask Brett Hull if it was an illusion.

You're absolutely right for the 90's. Ask Sidney Crosby if it's an illusion, because Ryan Reaves as a solution to the "Tom Wilson Problem" didn't last long.

Ask Ovechkin if its an illusion.

I can't recall Ovi ever being targeted during one of Tom Wilson's many "League Mandated Unpaid Vacations". The Pens got Reaves specifically to keep Wilson away from Crosby. It didn't last long because most tough guys are a liability on the ice. Tom Wilson is 1 of 1. The only thing that will stop him is CTE.

By the same token don't remember anyone running Ovi when Wilson was not suspended. And he wasn't going to be suspended forever and some players have long memories.

Like I said in the other thread I'm not talking about a guy who stages fights or has 300-penalty minutes, just someone to give the other team someone to think about if a cheap shot or something of that nature is involved.

[skilles]

I think everyone knows what toughness is and agree it is important, I think the illusion is that one player being tough somehow protects another player.

Ask Brett Hull if it was an illusion.

You're absolutely right for the 90's. Ask Sidney Crosby if it's an illusion, because Ryan Reaves as a solution to the "Tom Wilson Problem" didn't last long.

Ask Ovechkin if its an illusion.

I can't recall Ovi ever being targeted during one of Tom Wilson's many "League Mandated Unpaid Vacations". The Pens got Reaves specifically to keep Wilson away from Crosby. It didn't last long because most tough guys are a liability on the ice. Tom Wilson is 1 of 1. The only thing that will stop him is CTE.

lol right, Tom Wilson is beating you even more if you are chasing him around the ice trying to retaliate.

[skilles]

I think everyone knows what toughness is and agree it is important, I think the illusion is that one player being tough somehow protects another player.

That used to be the case, but not in today's NHL.

100%

[Cahokanut]

Toughness. Is 100% a mental thing. And has nothing to do with chasing hits or going to fight for another team mate.

I've never seen a good big hit. Without the guy being hit getting surprised by it.

I also don't see the person who sticks up for some guy that gets rocked by a bad big hit as tough. But more just being human. While not as popular in these twitter spat times. Standing up for a wrong done to another needs a response and one not needs to be tough. But human.

Toughness is the same thing as any other everyday Halloween costume everyone puts on every single day. It's a mental thing that is known when seen, not explained by the mask one may see, being worn.

[zuck698]

Brian Sutter to me was the epitome of toughness. Stood up for himself and his teammates. Was always willing to do whatever it took to make a winning play. I literally never saw the man take a second off of any shift. He played thru pain and the hurt. He was not a super big guy, but he would take all comers regardless of their size. That kind of toughness would have to permeate thru the rest of the team, IMO.