First round exits... Continuous since 2006. Sure "we are getting there" but I am done waiting longer. Dubas doesn't have a penny worth of cap space to keep all the guys that just lost us the series let alone make the team better.
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Death, Taxes and the Leafs Losing A Game 7
- Thread starter Caz
- Start date
Who's fault is that? He already fired a coach (right move IMO).. THIS IS HIS TEAM. if they can't bring in the playoffs, someone else need to make a different team
So glad I went to see Doc Strange instead of watching the game.
My family group chat after tonight:
My family group chat after tonight:
The leafs have actual stars and are actually a good team. Fostering a culture of failure? Not sure what you mean.
Matthews is a better player, considering the league he is in, than even Kawai was.
The team isn't fostering failure, it is legitimately good and lost to the reigning 2 times champions, and was the hardest series those champions played in their last 2 years.
As for why would people be leafs fans maybe its because they like hockey and live in Toronto? And that the franchise is an original six franchise while the raptors have only been around since the 90s?
I remember watching the raptors in the 90s on Rinky dink cbc productions, they were begging people to watch the games and there was so little money in it... The raptors have made so much progress and if you can't see it because you are jealous of the leafs support I don't know what to tell you.
The first round of the nba is a joke. If you come top 4 who do you have to play, the Minnesota Timberwolves or Atlanta hawks?
The leafs came 4th overall in the NHL and had to play the 5th overall and 2 times champion Tampa Bay lightning.
Dont get me wrong, I am a raptors fan and was a raptors fan first, but I've seen them win a championship now. Not sure why people only have space for one team in their hearts, aside from inability to suffer heartbreak.
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And yet here we are...again.
Jealousy of leafs fans? LMAO right. My attitude towards leafs fans is entirely due to my experience growing up around them, how they view me as someone who doesn't like hockey (as if that is a tremendous shock to their core) and as someone who looks different from them. It isn't the same with the Jays, it isn't the same with the Argos (or Canadian NFL fans in general) and it certainly isn't the same with the Raps. The same people that treated me weird growing up were always diehard Leafs fans. So yeah, fuck em.
Don't ask me that, ask Leafs fans and Toronto media that.
Not jealously of leaf fans, jealously(well, envy) of the quantity in which they exist. The leafs have the largest fanbase in the league and the largest fanbase in the GTA. It is inevitable that the largest fanbase will also have the most low lifes.
Anyways Schadenfreude is the lowest of enjoyments, totally pointless and worth less than nothing. I don't bring any hate to any team, even the Canadiens or Lakers. When the Canadiens came in last overall and the Lakers failed to make the playoffs I thought, ha that's funny, then didn't think about it again. The enjoyment people get from hating the leafs is awkwardly pathological.
As for the Toronto media, they write articles to get clicks. If leafs articles weren't getting clicks they would write about other stuff.
In the grand scheme of things hockey is barely the fifth or sixth most popular sport in North america, only in Canada does it have much interest. I doubt in the US people are complaining as much about unequal media coverage while the media networks are covering the NFL even in the off-season as much or more than the NHL playoffs.
The Buffalo Bills have been to the Super Bowl twice since the Leafs were last in the finals.
Use that for some perspective about this so-called "legendary" team.
Use that for some perspective about this so-called "legendary" team.
This year I won $150 bucks and a bottle of Crown Royal. Thanks Leafs. You're making my dreams come true.
Betting against the Leafs has been profitable for decades. Here's the thing. The Leaf fans that I have been betting with don't actually mind losing every year because they consider it an act of loyalty. I am more than happy to provide that opportunity. They get to feel loyal, and I get their money. It's a win win.
Betting against the Leafs has been profitable for decades. Here's the thing. The Leaf fans that I have been betting with don't actually mind losing every year because they consider it an act of loyalty. I am more than happy to provide that opportunity. They get to feel loyal, and I get their money. It's a win win.
Keep this team. Blowing it up is a stupid move and just because people want to see something different. The core showed up, had the best regular season ever, played the Bolts hard outside of Game 4, and didn't completely fold. Some might say these very, very incremental gains are not worth it. Maybe it doesn't go anywhere with this core truly. But the trajectory is there.
The biggest hurdle is the Matthews and Nylander contracts expiring in two years and the goalie situation; Campbell is UFA. The rest are pieces that are important (Ilya, Spezza, Engvall, etc.) but can maybe be filled in.
The biggest hurdle is the Matthews and Nylander contracts expiring in two years and the goalie situation; Campbell is UFA. The rest are pieces that are important (Ilya, Spezza, Engvall, etc.) but can maybe be filled in.
lmao you need to watch that play again. Like, really watch it. He never stopped moving. It's interference.
It was a penalty for sure but the timing was the thing of curses.
Anyways the bolts tripped Nylander during the power play at a perfect time for the refs to make up for the 5 on 3 they gifted the bolts the day before with a shoulder poke and a flop by the bolt player...
And they decided against making a call.
Not saying the reffing was bad in the series, it was acceptable, but definately worked out in a way where I can see why other leafs fans would be angry.
Vasilevsky wasn't himself until around mid Game 6 though, and this is probably the weakest incarnation of the past 3 Tampa seasons worth of Tampa teams. Opportunity was more than there for the Leafs.
Don't know anything about hockey. But are the Leafs the Dallas Cowboys of hockey?
Everyone seems to love it when they lose.
Everyone seems to love it when they lose.
The Beaverton rarely shoots and misses.
The only people who have seen the Leafs achieve greatness are the Boomers. Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha have only ever known the underachieving Leafs.
The only people who have seen the Leafs achieve greatness are the Boomers. Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha have only ever known the underachieving Leafs.
The cowboys have won all 5 of their SuperBowl in the time since the leafs last won one Stanley Cup.
I believe. It's hard to keep a winning team together if there is an bunch of fa and egos. When everyone wants to get paid, things fall apart.
I dislike Toronto more than anybody, but taking out modern back to back champions may be a tall order for any team. They are still on a good path IMO, they just can't seem to get it done yet.
I very much enjoy seeing them lose.
I very much enjoy seeing them lose.
The Wolves aren't even in the Eastern Conference.
Cowboys at least won the Superbowl in the past 30 years. The Leafs haven't made the Finals since Lyndon B Johnson as president.
Joking aside, I do kind of feel like the question is going to be about what can be done about the Leafs. They've pretty much played their best regular season and first round ever. But it seems their best is just not good enough. They are on a timer for the next two seasons where contracts will end and they probably won't be able to keep everybody. So do they do nothing and just hope for the best? Do they start trading their core(s)? Clean house the front office? I think there's going to be some soul searching and I don't personally see any obvious move for them to make to improve in the next season. That is probably not a great feeling for Leafs fans since they got cup ambition for years now with this core.
(Crappy Canucks still won more playoff rounds than the leafs in the last 5 years 🤡)
The Lightning are much better than the Kings, but...
You watch McDavid, near the end of Game 7 at home with the Oilers hanging onto a one goal lead. He takes the puck in alone, draws a penalty, picks up his own rebound, and scores on a great individual effort.
And then you watch Matthews, near the end of Game 7 at home with the Leafs down a goal. He has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, goalie pulled, and he dumps it around the boards. He scored 60 goals and won't even try a shot.
Context matters of course, but at the end of day, one Hart candidate is playing in the second round and one isn't.
You watch McDavid, near the end of Game 7 at home with the Oilers hanging onto a one goal lead. He takes the puck in alone, draws a penalty, picks up his own rebound, and scores on a great individual effort.
And then you watch Matthews, near the end of Game 7 at home with the Leafs down a goal. He has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, goalie pulled, and he dumps it around the boards. He scored 60 goals and won't even try a shot.
Context matters of course, but at the end of day, one Hart candidate is playing in the second round and one isn't.
More the Silent Generation really
The last cup was just 3 years after the last baby boomer was born... so a good chunk of young boomers wouldn't have really seen the greatness either
Ha! You're definitely not wrong. Toronto first round exits have been a joy to watch, for many, many years, but I don't think they're far away unfortunately. Maybe I'm wrong and they'll blow up their core again because of failure, but I find it hard to believe that prime Austin Matthews is going to be denied a second round for that much longer. I'd love to see Matthews walk once his contract is up, and if they can't get into the second round any time soon, he's gotta be gone, which would be another beautiful highlight.
The pressure that team is under is incredible... I'm not sure there is another franchise in North American professional sports that is even close to comparable to Toronto.
McDavid took over Game 7 in a way that none of the Leafs' superstars have done in any of the playoff games that they could've won a series. Those are the games you need your superstars to will your team to a W.
Leafs fan here. First season I've actively followed since the lockout.
No shame losing to Tampa here. Well aware of the context. But this team played great hockey this year and were contenders. This could have easily been a conference finals in terms of quality and general seeding.
Last year's collapse was disgusting. I wanted to blow it up, expose Marner to Seattle even.
This year's team showed up. Matthews, Marners, Riely, Nylander and Tavres all showed up. Even the goaltending (sorry Freddie) was fantastic for this playoffs.
We just lost to the back to back champions. Sucks. But this is the best Leafs team in my lifetime. Run this team back and give it another shot. Try to plug in the pieces for a few of the players that are missing (mostly 3rd/4th liners).
Keefe was a decent coach but have to make a run at Tortz. The penalty kill this year was a standout - pair that style with Tortz hockey.
Dubas is fine. More good moves than bad. The cap situation was a once in a lifetime casualty of the pandemic. His contract is expiring - think doing due diligence to see what's out there is the first step.
Ultimately I like this core. Tinker around and give one more shot.
No shame losing to Tampa here. Well aware of the context. But this team played great hockey this year and were contenders. This could have easily been a conference finals in terms of quality and general seeding.
Last year's collapse was disgusting. I wanted to blow it up, expose Marner to Seattle even.
This year's team showed up. Matthews, Marners, Riely, Nylander and Tavres all showed up. Even the goaltending (sorry Freddie) was fantastic for this playoffs.
We just lost to the back to back champions. Sucks. But this is the best Leafs team in my lifetime. Run this team back and give it another shot. Try to plug in the pieces for a few of the players that are missing (mostly 3rd/4th liners).
Keefe was a decent coach but have to make a run at Tortz. The penalty kill this year was a standout - pair that style with Tortz hockey.
Dubas is fine. More good moves than bad. The cap situation was a once in a lifetime casualty of the pandemic. His contract is expiring - think doing due diligence to see what's out there is the first step.
Ultimately I like this core. Tinker around and give one more shot.
Not the point and imo conferences are dumb and just exist to save nba teams travel money.
The raptors came 9th overall tied with the nuggets and they ended up playing the tied for 6th overall 76ers. And that was considered one of the best matched series... Aside from Shaq.
My point is that nba first round matches are usually horrible mismatches.
The Gilmour and Sundin teams had 2 conference final runs each. So Gen X and Millennials have seen good teams.
OTOH NBA round 1 is also extremely entertaining and largely seen as a chance for recent draftees to develop under pressure and for teams to punch a rival team square on the nose.
For example, this year's Raptors and sixers series, the Raptors beat up on the Sixers (in a literal and metaphorical sense) so much so that Philly just shrunk to nothing in the next round.
The Leafs scare nobody.
One day gen Z will get to know the feeling of parading down Yonge St with Leafs flags after winning 1 round
At least Gen Z got the Raptors win since they weren't around for the Jays back to back World Series
MLS Cup and Grey Cup aren't the same
At least Gen Z got the Raptors win since they weren't around for the Jays back to back World Series
MLS Cup and Grey Cup aren't the same
Everyone skipped school to go downtown for the Jays parade.
I wish the Leafs weren't owned by a corporation. If it was owned by one person, they could do the following:
1. Fire all executive, management, scouting and coaching staff related to hockey operations. Basically the only untouchables would be employees that deal with ticket sales, concessions, custodial work, ice maintenance, etc.
2. Trade every player - whether it's a prospect or an NHL'er. It's all poison. Don't trust any prospect drafted by current staff.
3. Hire actual good executives, management, scouting and coaching staff. Easier said than done but for god's sake, other teams seem to be able to do it. Just hire good people for god's sake.
4. Rebuild and wait 10 or so years for the rebuild to complete.
This rebuild isn't for a Cup win, mind you - this is to win at least one round. Baby steps. Right now the current Leafs won't sniff a first round win. But if they rebuild they might be able to get a first round win within 10 years.
1. Fire all executive, management, scouting and coaching staff related to hockey operations. Basically the only untouchables would be employees that deal with ticket sales, concessions, custodial work, ice maintenance, etc.
2. Trade every player - whether it's a prospect or an NHL'er. It's all poison. Don't trust any prospect drafted by current staff.
3. Hire actual good executives, management, scouting and coaching staff. Easier said than done but for god's sake, other teams seem to be able to do it. Just hire good people for god's sake.
4. Rebuild and wait 10 or so years for the rebuild to complete.
This rebuild isn't for a Cup win, mind you - this is to win at least one round. Baby steps. Right now the current Leafs won't sniff a first round win. But if they rebuild they might be able to get a first round win within 10 years.
I really don't like Leaf fans trying to talk about not blowing it up. It doesn't matter how good Matthews is. He won't win here. It's over and done with. He is going to succeed and win a cup elsewhere. But NOT here. I'm SICK of waiting for this core to do something. They won't do anything. Get rid of the core, get rid of everybody. And start over.
Blowing it up would be the worst thing they could do ( would be the funniest though)
Uh, how many times did Ovi's Caps come up short? They eventually won. How many times did Stamkos' Bolts come up short? They eventually won. You can't throw away a generational talent just because he didn't win it all within the first six years. That's just not how it works. Blowing it up just for the sake of blowing it up will result in another rebuild and an even longer playoff series winless streak. Do you want to be the 26 year playoff series winless streak Florida Panthers? Cause that's how you do it.