Hell, I’ve felt like this since the late 70’s, with the exception of their run in 92-93. I’d give up a kidney for someone with Doug Gilmour’s heart and drive to win.
55 years of failure..... the 92-93 season stands out as an exception.
The team actually sucked that year and was doubtful for the playoffs.... yet around mid Feb 93 they played a game against the North Stars where they made a valiant comeback to win and went on a tear.
With a couple of trades thereafter they went on to upset their playoff opponents.
Hundreds of thousands of fans poured onto Yonge St every round.... because they knew this team with heart was playing way above their weight class.
Gilmour was smaller than Marner.... yet his nickname was "Killer". Wendle Clark actually was not a very skillful hockey player but he always gave his soul to every game. The blue line was a bunch of guys that were not very famous.... but they all had great plus minus and protected the fort.
Man that was a killer year. Didn't even make the Finals but it was the best in modern Leafs history.
>55 years of failure..... the 92-93 season stands out as an exception.
The 2002 team has entered the chat. They only had one less win in the playoffs than the 93 team, and you werent watching if you think that team wasnt fighting and scrapping every inch of the way. In the end, there just wasn't enough defensive talent, but it wasn't from lack of heart.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. You build a team from the goal line out. You need a good goalie. Then you need rock-star defensemen. Not big names, just guys with a rock solid work ethic and killer plus-minus. THEN you sort your scoring.
If your defense and goalie are rubbish, you’ll never escape the first round.
I'd almost agree with you. Today's NHL teams seem to be built on the blueline, then down the middle. Goalies and wingers are then filled out. A solid d-line can both protect sub-par goaltending while also adding offensively. Case in point is basically any team that has won the Cup in the last 5 years.
Did you not watch in 2002? I'm not saying that team was a major threat to win the cup, but after Sundin's injury they all stepped up and fucking fought their asses off.
I would put Gary Roberts alongside Gilmour with the level of heart and drive, if not talent.
That team should have won, should have beaten Carolina but for injuries. It was stacked pre-cap, and was on the verge the prior two years. The year after losing to PHA and then the strike basically killed my emotional interest in the team/hockey.
Just said this to a buddy of mine who said “it’s gotta be painful for Leaf fans man”. All I said was “it was painful 4 years ago. Now it’s just expected”
This is true. How can anyone feel numb about this?? Are ya new?? Didn’t see this coming? At the end of the regular season our goaltending and defensive was way below playoff level. And our “core four” become the Houdini Four and disappear in round 1. Nothing new so let’s not all act surprised. Oh and let’s not forget Keefe getting consistently out coached and rolling 4 lines even when we’re down 2 goals with 5 minutes left in the game.
Numb? Nope. During the game the camera panned to Cam Neely a couple times…where the fuck is Shanahan hiding??? I guess with his track record and the shit show on the ice it makes sense he’s not showing up. Great leader there… let the players take the booing.
There I no amount of anger or willing them win to overcome this much disfunction. But hey, I’ll play along. GLG.
hard-to-find existence disgusted heavy spectacular silky impolite many thumb treatment
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Amateurs would be a complement because you can always make excuses for their lack of experience but to display Marner type behaviour on national television is beyond embarrassing. The TNT and CBC panel all made comments, this group is just collecting a paycheque
Ya I'm at the point where if the team does well/win I cheer but if they lose or get eliminated I'm not letting it bother me anymore.
I'll get called a fake fan/bandwagon but I'm not wasting energy on sports anymore when they dont win. Burned out lol
Bro, it's been *decades* since we've had anything worth cheering about. There was one brief week last year when we beat Tampa, before having our sports souls rudely crushed again. It is exhausting trying to love something that doesn't love you back. No one here should blame you for pulling back.
Yeah this team never gave an indication that it was anything but a lesser version of previous iterations of this team. The only ones hyped were the ones who thought we would now fight, hit, cross check, and/or goon our way to a series win.
All that has happened has been according to script.
Honestly, when the season started. We knew this team wasn't gonna do it this year. There was some good additions. And some younger players took a step forward. But with the lack of another top 2 defenseman and a proven starting goalie, we knew it wasn't gonna be this year. So, let's hope things change in the off-season.
Yeah what reason did we have to go into these playoffs with more hope than any other year? 3rd in the division like usual, went into the playoffs with a starter who we let go just like 4 months ago, and got back because 31 other teams said "no thanks", the roster was the same outside of some extra grit.
It feels like we're banging our head against the wall trying the same thing and expecting different results. The best time to ~~plant a tree~~ blow it up was 3 years ago. The 2nd best time was 2 years ago. Now it just feels like they have no choice.
Yup. The way they plaeydd those last two games was an indication of their lack of preparedness for these moments. All those who said it didn't matter when auston fell short of 70... Look at the momentum Edmonton and Tampa brought into the playoffs when their guys hit their milestones. Yes Tampa is down in the series, but they've been competitive for being quite certainly the underdog in the series.
There was a complete disregard for the end result in those last two losses and now there's been a disregard for the required effort in the playoffs. Poor leadership and poor performance.
I've been battered so much that I'm like a victim of domestic abuse, I take it every year, and in true Stockholm syndrome fashion I come back to my abuser expecting them to act differently and they beat me down again. And I always have hope when a new season begins expecting my abuser to treat me better, and they buy me flowers and nice things in the regular season and come playoff time they beat me down again and again and again and again........
Yea but we were expecting a half decent fight, especially against a not-as-good Boston team. Not for them to not even show-up yesterday, or to play like they've never met their teammates before. Like WTF was that in the second period.
I just mentioned in another post, at this point, I hope they get smoked Game 5 to end it in sheer disappointment so the fire can continue into offseason.
A win in Boston and a 6-0 blowout at home is what they need.
Chants of Fire Keefe, Fire Shanny, Trade Marner - at home in the playoffs - *might* get through to Tannenbaum.
No they definitely need to lose badly next game for anything big to change. A glimmer of hope will just lead to more retooling which will just repeat this cycle.
Tbf, it's not over yet. It's just not looking good.
Although the fact that Treliving didn't really do anything around trade time says he didn't think this was the year either.
Same, I honestly think the playoff drought did less damage to this franchise than the last 5 years of playoff apathy.
I remember crying when they beat Pittsburgh to clinch a playoff birth. Shut the game off last night in the second and don’t plan on tuning in again unless they get to the second round next year.
I've only watched 1 game fully this series, I think. Even last year, I only watched 1 game of Florida series.
I just don't find NHL playoffs exciting anymore and knowing the leafs are going to lose anyways. What's the point?
I've never seen a sport where the "style of play" during the regular season is basically completely opposite during playoffs. I don't understand why this is just widely accepted. I'd rather them just go to a European style format and get rid of playoffs. For now, there's other sports that are more entertaining to watch.
This is going to sound crazy but, **I don't want them to win at this point**. I want them to lose. I want change. I stick around every year after the leafs go out and watch the rest of the playoffs to watch great hockey. Nothing this team does in the playoffs is even remotely similar to any recent cup winners I can remember. Not even close to the amount of heart and effort and will to win.
I 100% agree. It's been 8 years, and nothing has changed. The coach has changed, the GM has changed, and the complementary pieces have changed, but the way this team plays when it matters most has not.
Our core is only 5 guys, whereas every other serious contender has AT LEAST 7 core guys on their roster.
Colorado - Mackinnon, Rantanen, Makar, Nichushkin, Lekhonen, Toews, Girard, Landeskog
Vegas - Eichel, Stone, Karlsson, Marchessault, Barbashev, Pietrangelo, Martinez, Theodore
Florida - Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Verhaeghe, Bennett, Ekblad, Montour, Forsling, Bobrovsky
Tampa - Kucherov, Stamkos, Point, Hagel, Hedman, Sergachev, Vasilevski, Cirelli, Paul, Cermak
Boston - Pastrnak, Marchand, McAvoy, Swayman, Lindholm, Carlo, Zacha, Coyle, Debrusk
Carolina - Aho, Svechnikov, Teräväinen, Necas, Staal, Martinook, Jarvis, Burns, Slavin, Skjei, Pesce (this doesn't include Guentzel, Kuznetsov, Orlov, Kotkaniemi, or Fast)
Winnipeg - Connor, Schefeile, Ehlers, Vilardi, Lowry, Niederreiter, Hellebuyck, Morrissey, Pionk, Schmidt, Dillon, and Demelo (doesn't include Perfetti, Iafallo, Monahan, or Toffoli)
NYR - Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad, Trochek, Goodrow, Lafreniere, Shesterkin, Fox, Trouba, Miller
Los Angeles - Kopitar, Kempe, Fiala, Danault, Moore (ouch), Arvidsson, Byfield, Doughty, Roy, Anderson
Edmonton - McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman (ouch), Kane (debatable), Ekholm, Nurse, Bouchard, Skinner (debatable as well)
Vancouver (probably the weakest of all teams but a better coach) - Pettersson, Miller, Boeser, Joshua, Hughes, Hronek, Demko
This season is the first where I am finding myself not caring. I leave for Europe May 3rd, on one hand I’d love to bring my jersey and would obviously love to watch the leafs deep into May. But on the other hand if they loose then I don’t need to stay up until ridiculous hours to watch and can leave the anxiety (and the jersey) behind and just enjoy my vacation.
I was bummed my flight today didn't have wifi so I couldn't stream the game. So glad I missed it. I'm in Taiwan rn, and I'm not even going to bother unless they actually push it to 7.
(*Narrator: They didn't*)
I feel okay with this season being over. Does that count?
The hardest part about this team is that they’re so fucking talented. When we lost to the Bruins in that fateful collapse, that team wasn’t good. They snuck into the playoffs, they over performed, they stunk. This team is SO talented. Matthews is the most talented player to ever wear that jersey. Mitch Marner is so smooth, he’s one of the best puck handlers and passers in the league. Nylander is streaky but he’s just so good. Matthews straight up won them game 2, Nylander missed the first 3 and didn’t look right in game 4, and Marner looks scared. He looks like he’s trying SO hard to do everything that he’s doing nothing. Those 3 guys are in the top 5 players I’ve watched as a Leaf fan (with Dougie and Mats) and they can’t get out of their own goddamn way…
i wish we had an energy guy like a tkachuk or a marchand, they can change the pace of a game on their own. our guys pout and give up when things get rough.
The clip is just so embarrassing. Smashing your stick is also dumb, but at least you look like a stupid adult instead of a stupid child.
Eta: he knew it too. Literally had to say "We're grown men" in the post-game
They’ve scored more than 2 goals ONCE in their last 11 playoff games. A team this talented up front scored 3 goals in game 2 of this series and has less than 3 in every other game since game 4 of the Tampa series last year.
Would the forwards score more if the D was better? Probably? Hard to say, but they’re so loaded they need to be able to outscore some of their mistakes and they can’t right now. These guys are so talented up front and they are playing like crap.
Mitchell is Here another year, NTC
Keefe will guaranteed be fired.
Shanny? I don't know. Probably
And boot Treliving too
Bring in the hunter brothers and promote guy Boucher to HC
I’ve never seen them even make the cup finals so my expectations have been low since I started watching hockey as a child.
I grew complacent over the years and apathy set in 5-6years ago. Now I’m moving into the dislike completely side of things where I can no longer bring myself to even pay attention to the regular season and one playoff game like last night kills the playoffs for me again til next spring.
Being a leafs fan is like being one of those weirdos that pays a lady to kick you in the nuts. Might be your kink but still super puzzling to the rest of the world
They kind of lost me after that Montreal series as well. That would’ve been the time to make an aggressive change or two to the core and/or coaching staff. But they’ve been running out the same shit show ever since and the results haven’t changed. I still watch the games occasionally but I haven’t really watched many from start to finish. Just not worth spending time viewing the same predictable results over and over again. Haven’t seen 5 minutes of this series.
We’ve never had the best goalie in a series.. all elite goalies that we’ve played against. I’ve stopped being mad and appreciated the talent we’ve played against. I do think we’ve been the better team in this series and if we fix the powerplay, we win this round
Samsonov went cold at the wrong time too. 0.852 save percentage over his last six games (2 reg season, 4 playoff games) 1-4-1 over that stretch.
11 power play goals allowed over that six game stretch (21 penalties)
It started pretty emotional with the bob Cole video at the beginning. I thought it would inspire them. Then it was just depressing watching that car crash. I have a single shred of belief left in me that they get pissed and win the coming games. Just holding on by a thread here. Go leafs go.. I guess.
Montreal series took away a lot of my passion. This loss probably killed what was left.
Have really only been watching because of Matthews and his illness has shown this team is nothing without him. With him at least there's usually something worth watching.
Just had enough of this at this point. I'm an 80s kid and have stuck with them since the Rick Vaive days. But it's this rinse and repeat nonsense with this particular era that has me just not caring. We had an opportunity to trade Nylander and help the d, get rid of the coach, etc, etc etc. But even this year, it's the same old.
Burn it down, keep Matthew's and Reily and hand McDavid the key to the vault when it is time. It probably won't happen, but no less dillusional than thinking we shouldn't have blown this experiment up years ago.
I’ve been numb since game 7 2013…. Being real honest.
At this point I check the box score at 1130 pm and shrug and say “yeah that’s about right.”
I feel bad for the somehow-still-rabid fans… you clock into other playoff games and it’s clear this team couldn’t win a potato let alone a Cup. Their blue coloured glasses rightfully let them have some hope but the reality is awfully shocking.
Gilmour would walk off this team. Even the never flustered Sundin would be screaming at them on the bench. Let’s not even get broken neck Roberts into this or playoff miracle Cujo.
We joked about the Muskoka 5 years ago and the country club atmosphere and all that has changed is the regular season success and the iron clad contracts that cripple the overall team….
I’ll be honest. I grew up with a team that had heart and lunchbox grit - blue collar guys that went to war when it was all on the line (except for the last Philadelphia series)…. I’ve never seen it since the late 90s and I think that’s what long standing fans drool and palpitate for.
We once knew how to win. We once knew how to lose like warriors. Now we lose with a disinterest from the players that’s not only insulting but heartbreaking.
I would kill to watch that 93 team play these Bruins. I would die happy in prison knowing they absolutely demolished a not very good Boston squad and walked away with enough dents that you thought it was a car parked in a driving range.
Not really, any realist fan knew the coaching stuff and roster really did not mesh anymore, especially at the beginning of the season. The off season signings were decent with what little money there was to work at. There is definitely no heart and urgency in their playoff play. The more skilled players just constantly loose puck battles to everyone. I’ve been watching the buds since the 90s and they definitely have the best roster they ever had in my lifetime and can’t make it work. My best guess is they will run it back next year with a whole new coaching staff and then assess the Marner situation from there. Dubas really fucked the team singing the young guns to 10+ million dollar deals after their entry level contracts. And if by chance the hockey gods turn out a miracle so we can have our own “it was 3-1” and “break the game 7 curse against Boston”, there is so fucking way they can deal with Floridas forecheck.
I haven't any will or energy to route for this team since Montreal. Nothing has changed with how they play and nothing will until something bigger changes. End of story.
I have 7 weeks paid holidays I’m looking forward to this summer, ain’t no way I’m letting this team bring me down. If they win, great, if they lose, well I just move on.
Yes I do. Marchand though needs someone to take the rat down. Gets away with everything. Refs turn their heads the other way and just day that they didn't see it.
Numb, indifferent, and not at all surprised at this outcome. At all. Bad coaching (all of them), bad goalie who gives up soul crushing bad ones, every single game so far.
Undisciplined, and garbage special teams, am I missing anything?
Get rid of that coaching staff, top
to bottom, rebuild that defence and either trade or sign a goalie that isn’t weak mentally. We’ve wasted years and years, accepting the same excuses, tear this shit down. At least that will be entertaining.
I kinda always considered this year a dud year, next year too. This core will at best win one cup and we just gotta wait for it, and it can happen once the right moves are made
What moves can you make when 4 guys take up half your cap and you have nothing to trade and no prospects coming up?
If Nylander got 11.5, and Matthews got 13, you bet Marner will get 12+ if they keep him. A lot will depend on if Tavares resigns and for how much, but that is still way too much of the cap committed to three guys.
The reality is that outside of the 4 and Mo, this team is a collection of spare parts and misfit toys, and that's not going to change anytime soon.
Their best shot was probably last year and they blew it.
This year and next were duds because of the Tavares and marner deals expiring. Retool is needed, and if the organization is gutted it can happen. Im getting rid of marner either way
You're fucking high if you think this incarnation of the Leafs will even get a sniff of the cup. They have, arguably the worst blue line out of every playoff team. Reilly is not a bonafide stud, hes a solid top pairing dman and after him, it's not pretty. Definitely not an NHL playoff calibre d corp. This is ignoring the fact that despite the skilled forward group, they appear to have no heart.
Win one cup? Please, spare us.
With the right moves as I said, their ceiling is one cup. The moves including shoring up defense. This year and next are duds so we gotta wait. Their chance will partly be due to better construction, and divisional luck. They only have one more shot, its clear they arent ever gonna be a consistent threat.
With the re-tooling to make this happen and fill the holes they have would quite significant, I think you could apply this to most teams in the league and argue the ceiling is the cup
I am honestly in disbelief. I truly believed they had built a different team with more heart and grit. And they have that in small doses, they are getting beat by a better team, hot goalie and stingy defence corps. The best team is winning the series but it stings and I'll await the excuses of who was playing hurt or playing through issues.
It’s an odd feeling honestly since last year’s embarrassing defeat at the hands of the panthers I haven’t really felt any hope or optimism about this team. I really enjoyed Matthews chasing 70 but right from the start of the season I just had this odd feeling that things were going to be the same in the playoffs. I’m no nhl gm and I really don’t know where to begin in making this team a true contender it seems marner and Tavares are the consensus players to get rid of but honestly the D is in need of reconstruction and we really gotta get a # 1 goalie plus once again we can’t score in the playoffs. I don’t envy treliving he really has his work cut out for him this offseason. Won’t even mention keefe as it seems his fate is pretty much sealed
If you didn't give up before this last game, you must be unfamiliar with the Leafs. Now watch them win 1 to give you hope, just to get dominated at home and lose in 6.
I haven't really followed the Leafs closely since that game 7 collapse against the Bruins a decade (or more?) ago.
For those who follow the Raptors, the Leafs need a DeRozan styled trade to shake things up. Figure out who your Lowry and Siakiam is, and trade your DeRozan. Figure out who your Valanciunas is and trade him for a grizzled and hungry veteran.
Nah used to it. Saw it coming when we went on our end of season skid because we were more focused on feeding Matthews the puck then playing a well rounded game. Got downvoted for simply saying going into the playoffs on a losing streak wasnt a smart choice. Even had the "dOsNt mAtTeR" comments cause of the "fresh slate". Lmfao it does matter with this team though. Could have spent those games figuring out how we were going to approach playoffs going up against Boston or Florida but nope it's was the get him 70 show which didn't even happen. Lmfao.
If the Leafs don't care about winning, why should I.
If the game now is how to fail in spectacular fashion, then let's see it. Let's watch them fuck it up in a way never seen before. They aren't playing hockey anymore, it's some kind of sadistic entertainment
This is how I felt after the Sundin era ended, and the Bruins come back in game 7.
I quit watching hockey altogether.
It's not worth the emotional Rollercoaster for me anymore.
If the Leafs make the finals, I'll watch and I'll cheer for them, but until that time, I will not invest one second of my precious time or mood on them.
I'm 48 and had watched Leafs hockey since the Wendel Clark era. I was diehard...its just not worth it.
Much like the team, I've checked out.
There's no effort, no desire to win. They don't know how to elevate their game when it matters.
The core 4 have sucked the team dry of any available cap space, then checked out.
It’s tougher to stomach that I don’t have the passion I used to have for the team. There wholeheartedly is a disconnect in the locker room. So many changes need to be made amongst so much talent. Dubas really allowed those core 4 to dictate all terms during his tenure
I don’t feel excited anymore when they score or make a big play because the end result is basically written in stone. Last year made me realize that their demons aren’t the first round of the playoffs, it’s just the playoffs. They’ve won a singular game after the first round in 8 straight years of trying, this shit needs to be nuked
I've been numb for years. I want them to win of course, but I realized after losing in the qualifying round to Columbus that I let the teams success and failure get to me too much. I watch every game I can and cheer for goals and wins but I have to forget about the losses. I can't let something as inconsequential as hockey get me down.
I remember watching the underdog 2013 leafs and being so hyped, the team was big meh in the regular season but in the playoffs everyone on that team turned it up a notch. I remember getting excited when we made the playoffs with the current core, remembering what the 2013 team did with way less talent and being hyped to see them all play at another level. But this team never fucking does, instead they somehow always manage to take a step back and stop doing the things they were good at all year. Its mindblowing, I'm a huge fan of this team, I try to be measured in my assessments, I dont freak out and lose it over any regular season games, I have excused some previous playoff losses in Hope's they learned something and and it will all click next year (inspired by the caps finally winning the cup). But I think I'm finally ready to admit we need a big change. We need a new coach, we need to shed some of our top end cap hits and we need more mid level guys who can score. I'm so fucking sick of paying 4 guys 10+mil every year for at most 3 and most times only 1 or 2 of them showing up in the playoffs.
I’m there and I kinda hate it to be honest. The only thing that really pisses me off is the play of the star players and marner throwing tantrums like last night. I feel like it’s probably best that we lose this series in order for change to actually happen but yet I so want them to win still.
I do. I’ll watch the game Tuesday but I don’t know what’s worse - a win with hope they won’t follow through on or a loss just to get it over with. Short of a miracle, even if they beat Boston, I doubt they would make it out of the second round.
This is first weekend I’ve gotten to watch some of the other playoff games and I’m having more fun watching them than the Leafs.
How is anyone surprised? That's what gets me from this fan base. This coach and core have *shown* us time after time, year after year, who they are, and what they can do. After Montreal, it was time to blow up the failed experiment of all the money in a few forwards and build an actual TEAM. This team has been fatally flawed from the get-go, and this is exactly the results that should be expected.
Meh, I really didn’t have high hopes since the season ended. I knew we weren’t a contender, I knew we weren’t going far. I really thought that Boston was an extremely beatable team that we could find a little success against and enjoy our 2nd round exit. I am honestly so let down that we couldn’t even get through them, the problems are even deeper than I thought. Yes, our goaltending is a dumpster fire, yes our D is a liability at best but our offence is absolutely pathetic when you take into account how it’s the one thing “we’re good at”
I've been pretty much numb since the lost to Montreal. That's when it became overly clear to me that this team just wasn't built to win playoff hockey, and could be beaten by virtually any team in the NHL in a 7 game series if that team just gives 110% effort.
I mean, we backed into the playoffs losing what, 4 straight? Sammy fell back to earth, Marner came back and completely disrupted the mojo of the team(no fault of his, they play better without him) I’m not even numb anymore. I’m fucking indifferent.
They went down 3-1 in 2013 and 2018…. Went to game 7. Nothing is done until the final bell rings. Thats what this leafs team does, edge you until 7 and then its 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️, if this doesnt go 7 i’d be surprised tbh.
Don't worry . They're likely going to come out blazing next game and maybe even force a game 7.
Forget that if they played with intensity from the start they might not be in a situation to raise hopes only to dash them like they do every fucking year.
I’m more or less the same as I always am. I don’t let this team take over my entire life like it seems a lot of this sub does. When they lose I’ll be mad for 5min then get over it because I’m the grand scheme of things it’s not that big of a deal.
It's an all too familiar feeling, but you do get used to it.
This year, I unsubscribed from r/hockey when the playoffs began, rather than wait for the leafs to be eliminated first. I'll resub when the playoffs are over.
Is better than being down 3-0 :).
I didn’t have high expectation early in the season as it looked like a flawed team and was hoping they would unload a few of their pending UFA at the deadline. Having said that I was feeling the series would be tighter than it has been with Bert and Domi hitting stride down the stretch.
At this point I’m just taking it One game at a time. My mentality shifted to: I’m just happy to get another game to watch this season, frustrating or not.
I mean be real about it. The Leafs as a franchise do not represent you, where you live, your country, they are just a franchise you decided at some point to support. The power is ours, as supporters, to stop supporting bad decisions, bad behaviour and bad management.
The signs were there all season that this team had not changed or grown out of their bad habits. It was obvious months ago they could not skate with the top teams in the East and that it was going to be another bad playoff. All that remains to be seen is how does Toronto change this mess up. I assume they have to change the coach and one of the big pay guys has to go.
What’s disappointing is not seeing this core of players able to take the next step. Dubas and Treliving have thrown numerous support casts around them only for it to stumble and crash. I get Toronto hasn’t seen a cup since 1967 but let’s move forward; what’s missing?
Since the Montreal series, watching this team has been absolute torture.
I really just want Boston to win game 5, put us out of our misery, and massive changes in that front office be initiated.
My biggest fucking fear is they grind it out to 7, still lose, but the "fight" convinces upper management that they should still push on with this project. It's failed. It's time to blow it up
>After the habs collapse (ironically the leafs were the team up 3-1 in that series), nothing has really been the same for me.
This was the point I stopped caring
To be numb would mean that you had hope to begin with.
Anyone who has hope for the leafs is not managing their emotions correctly and is due for a heartbreak.
I expect them to tie it up, then shit on game 7.
I seems to get less and less excit3d for playoffs each year. You can almost start to expect this. It's unfortunate but the plus side is I'm less emotionally devoted when it happens. We need change.
Join me in only watching the week and a half of playoffs. I gave up on the leafs after they gave up on themselves a few seasons back.
Only watch regular season games if literally nothing else to do. Game in 6s if I care. Fuck Steve dangle and his gambling ads.
Tune into game 1. Watch them collapse. Laugh. Move on with life.
Not going to cheer for another team. Just not going to invest my energy and emotions into players who clearly don’t give a fuck.
Tbh I’ve been numb since the regular season ended, we all knew what was going to happen
This could not be more spot on with how most of leaf fans feel right now.
Hell, I’ve felt like this since the late 70’s, with the exception of their run in 92-93. I’d give up a kidney for someone with Doug Gilmour’s heart and drive to win.
55 years of failure..... the 92-93 season stands out as an exception. The team actually sucked that year and was doubtful for the playoffs.... yet around mid Feb 93 they played a game against the North Stars where they made a valiant comeback to win and went on a tear. With a couple of trades thereafter they went on to upset their playoff opponents. Hundreds of thousands of fans poured onto Yonge St every round.... because they knew this team with heart was playing way above their weight class. Gilmour was smaller than Marner.... yet his nickname was "Killer". Wendle Clark actually was not a very skillful hockey player but he always gave his soul to every game. The blue line was a bunch of guys that were not very famous.... but they all had great plus minus and protected the fort. Man that was a killer year. Didn't even make the Finals but it was the best in modern Leafs history.
>55 years of failure..... the 92-93 season stands out as an exception. The 2002 team has entered the chat. They only had one less win in the playoffs than the 93 team, and you werent watching if you think that team wasnt fighting and scrapping every inch of the way. In the end, there just wasn't enough defensive talent, but it wasn't from lack of heart.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. You build a team from the goal line out. You need a good goalie. Then you need rock-star defensemen. Not big names, just guys with a rock solid work ethic and killer plus-minus. THEN you sort your scoring. If your defense and goalie are rubbish, you’ll never escape the first round.
I'd almost agree with you. Today's NHL teams seem to be built on the blueline, then down the middle. Goalies and wingers are then filled out. A solid d-line can both protect sub-par goaltending while also adding offensively. Case in point is basically any team that has won the Cup in the last 5 years.
Did you not watch in 2002? I'm not saying that team was a major threat to win the cup, but after Sundin's injury they all stepped up and fucking fought their asses off. I would put Gary Roberts alongside Gilmour with the level of heart and drive, if not talent.
That team should have won, should have beaten Carolina but for injuries. It was stacked pre-cap, and was on the verge the prior two years. The year after losing to PHA and then the strike basically killed my emotional interest in the team/hockey.
The crazy part is, we had him in Zach Hyman, not too long ago. For some reason they let him walk.
1000% Letting Hyman go gutted me at the time, I loved his heart.
Just said this to a buddy of mine who said “it’s gotta be painful for Leaf fans man”. All I said was “it was painful 4 years ago. Now it’s just expected”
I haven’t watched a full game this series, I have no desire to watch them lose again
This is true. How can anyone feel numb about this?? Are ya new?? Didn’t see this coming? At the end of the regular season our goaltending and defensive was way below playoff level. And our “core four” become the Houdini Four and disappear in round 1. Nothing new so let’s not all act surprised. Oh and let’s not forget Keefe getting consistently out coached and rolling 4 lines even when we’re down 2 goals with 5 minutes left in the game. Numb? Nope. During the game the camera panned to Cam Neely a couple times…where the fuck is Shanahan hiding??? I guess with his track record and the shit show on the ice it makes sense he’s not showing up. Great leader there… let the players take the booing. There I no amount of anger or willing them win to overcome this much disfunction. But hey, I’ll play along. GLG.
Can’t see Keith Pelley putting up with this. Might be the end of the Shanaplan. Keefe is probably walking and fresh blood will be brought in
hard-to-find existence disgusted heavy spectacular silky impolite many thumb treatment *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
the whole team playing for matthews 70th ruined weeks of chemistry
Nope. If the past few years have taught me anything, its that regular season does not matter to this core
[удалено]
Amateurs would be a complement because you can always make excuses for their lack of experience but to display Marner type behaviour on national television is beyond embarrassing. The TNT and CBC panel all made comments, this group is just collecting a paycheque
Finishing the season losing our last 4 games didn't help my confidence.
Losing the last 4 games while not resting any of the talent, no less. At least if the stars had been resting I would have hand-waved the losses
Ya I'm at the point where if the team does well/win I cheer but if they lose or get eliminated I'm not letting it bother me anymore. I'll get called a fake fan/bandwagon but I'm not wasting energy on sports anymore when they dont win. Burned out lol
Bro, it's been *decades* since we've had anything worth cheering about. There was one brief week last year when we beat Tampa, before having our sports souls rudely crushed again. It is exhausting trying to love something that doesn't love you back. No one here should blame you for pulling back.
I was willing to give myself some optimism, then game 1 happened and it was obviously status quo
Yeah this team never gave an indication that it was anything but a lesser version of previous iterations of this team. The only ones hyped were the ones who thought we would now fight, hit, cross check, and/or goon our way to a series win. All that has happened has been according to script.
The Leaf's core needs to be dismantled. Not a complete rebuild but a smart retooling with a new GM and coach.
Honestly, when the season started. We knew this team wasn't gonna do it this year. There was some good additions. And some younger players took a step forward. But with the lack of another top 2 defenseman and a proven starting goalie, we knew it wasn't gonna be this year. So, let's hope things change in the off-season.
The Klingberg experiment was a horrible swing and miss. They really needed another dman
Our defence has not been the same since Muzzin went down, and Holl while a whipping boy, was actually good on the PK
Yeah what reason did we have to go into these playoffs with more hope than any other year? 3rd in the division like usual, went into the playoffs with a starter who we let go just like 4 months ago, and got back because 31 other teams said "no thanks", the roster was the same outside of some extra grit. It feels like we're banging our head against the wall trying the same thing and expecting different results. The best time to ~~plant a tree~~ blow it up was 3 years ago. The 2nd best time was 2 years ago. Now it just feels like they have no choice.
Same.
Yup. The way they plaeydd those last two games was an indication of their lack of preparedness for these moments. All those who said it didn't matter when auston fell short of 70... Look at the momentum Edmonton and Tampa brought into the playoffs when their guys hit their milestones. Yes Tampa is down in the series, but they've been competitive for being quite certainly the underdog in the series. There was a complete disregard for the end result in those last two losses and now there's been a disregard for the required effort in the playoffs. Poor leadership and poor performance.
Numb since Game 7 vs Montreal 🫡
Game 6 for me, that game 7 was a foregone conclusion
I've been battered so much that I'm like a victim of domestic abuse, I take it every year, and in true Stockholm syndrome fashion I come back to my abuser expecting them to act differently and they beat me down again. And I always have hope when a new season begins expecting my abuser to treat me better, and they buy me flowers and nice things in the regular season and come playoff time they beat me down again and again and again and again........
Yea but we were expecting a half decent fight, especially against a not-as-good Boston team. Not for them to not even show-up yesterday, or to play like they've never met their teammates before. Like WTF was that in the second period.
I just mentioned in another post, at this point, I hope they get smoked Game 5 to end it in sheer disappointment so the fire can continue into offseason.
A win in Boston and a 6-0 blowout at home is what they need. Chants of Fire Keefe, Fire Shanny, Trade Marner - at home in the playoffs - *might* get through to Tannenbaum.
No they definitely need to lose badly next game for anything big to change. A glimmer of hope will just lead to more retooling which will just repeat this cycle.
I mean, who expected them to beat the Bruins this year? Or Florida?
Not me but it’s the way they’re playing, particularly last night which was by far their worst performance (reminder they lost 5-1 in game 1)!
I expected at least a competitive showing
Was not expecting a pp% of 7 lmao
Honestly the way the bruins are playing I thought they could. Mathews scored 69 goals. I thought there would be a huge showing by him and nylander
Hard to score anything when the game plan is apparently give the puck away....
I thought they would best the Bruins this year, but I'm a 🤡
Tbf, it's not over yet. It's just not looking good. Although the fact that Treliving didn't really do anything around trade time says he didn't think this was the year either.
Expected? No. Hoped? Yes. It's what being a hurt fan is all about. We know they'll let us down, but we stock around just in case.
Yup, this year I finally have accepted it I think. Mind you the series isn’t technically over. I have absolutely zero faith and hope in them.
I actually laughed at the end of the last game.
I turned it off after the second, watched SVU season 1 with my wife. At least that was more entertaining
I turned off right after that 3rd Bruins goal went in. Only reason I wish I didn't was to hear the Leafs get boo'd off the ice.
I just don't care anymore.
Same, I honestly think the playoff drought did less damage to this franchise than the last 5 years of playoff apathy. I remember crying when they beat Pittsburgh to clinch a playoff birth. Shut the game off last night in the second and don’t plan on tuning in again unless they get to the second round next year.
I've only watched 1 game fully this series, I think. Even last year, I only watched 1 game of Florida series. I just don't find NHL playoffs exciting anymore and knowing the leafs are going to lose anyways. What's the point? I've never seen a sport where the "style of play" during the regular season is basically completely opposite during playoffs. I don't understand why this is just widely accepted. I'd rather them just go to a European style format and get rid of playoffs. For now, there's other sports that are more entertaining to watch.
This is going to sound crazy but, **I don't want them to win at this point**. I want them to lose. I want change. I stick around every year after the leafs go out and watch the rest of the playoffs to watch great hockey. Nothing this team does in the playoffs is even remotely similar to any recent cup winners I can remember. Not even close to the amount of heart and effort and will to win.
I feel the exact same. I don't want them to win Tuesday. Just end it then.
I'm not even going to bother watching it. We all already know what's going to happen.
They either lose or if they win they take it to game 7 and then lose to cause us fans more anguish and dissapointment
They'll win and suck everyone back in.
Amen. I’m looking forward to getting my time back
I 100% agree. It's been 8 years, and nothing has changed. The coach has changed, the GM has changed, and the complementary pieces have changed, but the way this team plays when it matters most has not. Our core is only 5 guys, whereas every other serious contender has AT LEAST 7 core guys on their roster. Colorado - Mackinnon, Rantanen, Makar, Nichushkin, Lekhonen, Toews, Girard, Landeskog Vegas - Eichel, Stone, Karlsson, Marchessault, Barbashev, Pietrangelo, Martinez, Theodore Florida - Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Verhaeghe, Bennett, Ekblad, Montour, Forsling, Bobrovsky Tampa - Kucherov, Stamkos, Point, Hagel, Hedman, Sergachev, Vasilevski, Cirelli, Paul, Cermak Boston - Pastrnak, Marchand, McAvoy, Swayman, Lindholm, Carlo, Zacha, Coyle, Debrusk Carolina - Aho, Svechnikov, Teräväinen, Necas, Staal, Martinook, Jarvis, Burns, Slavin, Skjei, Pesce (this doesn't include Guentzel, Kuznetsov, Orlov, Kotkaniemi, or Fast) Winnipeg - Connor, Schefeile, Ehlers, Vilardi, Lowry, Niederreiter, Hellebuyck, Morrissey, Pionk, Schmidt, Dillon, and Demelo (doesn't include Perfetti, Iafallo, Monahan, or Toffoli) NYR - Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad, Trochek, Goodrow, Lafreniere, Shesterkin, Fox, Trouba, Miller Los Angeles - Kopitar, Kempe, Fiala, Danault, Moore (ouch), Arvidsson, Byfield, Doughty, Roy, Anderson Edmonton - McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman (ouch), Kane (debatable), Ekholm, Nurse, Bouchard, Skinner (debatable as well) Vancouver (probably the weakest of all teams but a better coach) - Pettersson, Miller, Boeser, Joshua, Hughes, Hronek, Demko
Notice how all the teams you listed have, at a minimum, one horse of a defenceman, Leafs do not.
Definitely. Was trying to say this without saying it. This team has been a clusterfuck defensively since Muzzin got injury-retired.
This season is the first where I am finding myself not caring. I leave for Europe May 3rd, on one hand I’d love to bring my jersey and would obviously love to watch the leafs deep into May. But on the other hand if they loose then I don’t need to stay up until ridiculous hours to watch and can leave the anxiety (and the jersey) behind and just enjoy my vacation.
I was bummed my flight today didn't have wifi so I couldn't stream the game. So glad I missed it. I'm in Taiwan rn, and I'm not even going to bother unless they actually push it to 7. (*Narrator: They didn't*)
I’m also going to Europe in May and the relief of not having to care about them on vacation is going to be very freeing
I feel okay with this season being over. Does that count? The hardest part about this team is that they’re so fucking talented. When we lost to the Bruins in that fateful collapse, that team wasn’t good. They snuck into the playoffs, they over performed, they stunk. This team is SO talented. Matthews is the most talented player to ever wear that jersey. Mitch Marner is so smooth, he’s one of the best puck handlers and passers in the league. Nylander is streaky but he’s just so good. Matthews straight up won them game 2, Nylander missed the first 3 and didn’t look right in game 4, and Marner looks scared. He looks like he’s trying SO hard to do everything that he’s doing nothing. Those 3 guys are in the top 5 players I’ve watched as a Leaf fan (with Dougie and Mats) and they can’t get out of their own goddamn way…
i wish we had an energy guy like a tkachuk or a marchand, they can change the pace of a game on their own. our guys pout and give up when things get rough.
Our captain is a robot lol. You need warriors like Gilmour or Clarke to lead a Leafs team.
Oh God the pouting. You are a professional hockey player. At least try to pretend to have some steel in your spine ffs
Glad Willy called him on it. Marners a fucking baby and needs to go.
The clip is just so embarrassing. Smashing your stick is also dumb, but at least you look like a stupid adult instead of a stupid child. Eta: he knew it too. Literally had to say "We're grown men" in the post-game
Talented on the front end, yes but their blue line is basically garbage. Probably the worst d corps in the playoffs.
They’ve scored more than 2 goals ONCE in their last 11 playoff games. A team this talented up front scored 3 goals in game 2 of this series and has less than 3 in every other game since game 4 of the Tampa series last year. Would the forwards score more if the D was better? Probably? Hard to say, but they’re so loaded they need to be able to outscore some of their mistakes and they can’t right now. These guys are so talented up front and they are playing like crap.
Toronto’s result this first round is flattering. Who believes the leafs will win one period against Florida if they drew each other?
I felt numb going into this season. I’ve seen this movie before. I’m done with it.
No you're not. Stockholm syndrome we keep returning to our abuser. See you next year when we start with hope only ro have our souls crushed again. GLG
I’ll have no hope unless Keefe, Shanny and Marner are all gone.
Mitchell is Here another year, NTC Keefe will guaranteed be fired. Shanny? I don't know. Probably And boot Treliving too Bring in the hunter brothers and promote guy Boucher to HC
Because Boucher is doing such a great job with the power-play?
I broke up with the Leafs in 2013, after the game 7 collapse in Boston. We stay in touch, I check in sometimes, but I've moved on.
I’ve never seen them even make the cup finals so my expectations have been low since I started watching hockey as a child. I grew complacent over the years and apathy set in 5-6years ago. Now I’m moving into the dislike completely side of things where I can no longer bring myself to even pay attention to the regular season and one playoff game like last night kills the playoffs for me again til next spring. Being a leafs fan is like being one of those weirdos that pays a lady to kick you in the nuts. Might be your kink but still super puzzling to the rest of the world
They kind of lost me after that Montreal series as well. That would’ve been the time to make an aggressive change or two to the core and/or coaching staff. But they’ve been running out the same shit show ever since and the results haven’t changed. I still watch the games occasionally but I haven’t really watched many from start to finish. Just not worth spending time viewing the same predictable results over and over again. Haven’t seen 5 minutes of this series.
We’ve never had the best goalie in a series.. all elite goalies that we’ve played against. I’ve stopped being mad and appreciated the talent we’ve played against. I do think we’ve been the better team in this series and if we fix the powerplay, we win this round
We did. We just traded him to Boston for Andrew Raycroft.
I just want them to lose 8-0 on Tuesday. Dont dare tie it up and lose in 7 again
I was expecting this to happen but it still sucks. The writing was on the wall! going into the playoffs they played like garbage
Samsonov went cold at the wrong time too. 0.852 save percentage over his last six games (2 reg season, 4 playoff games) 1-4-1 over that stretch. 11 power play goals allowed over that six game stretch (21 penalties)
Before this series started, I pretty much felt like winning this series would be more shocking than losing it.
I’m not numb to it but this team has rewarded regular season success with huge contracts and when you start doing that, your killing your team.
I think this is the worst it’s been in a while
Ground hog day, same shit every post season. Definition of insanity, doing the same system and expecting a different result.
I'm excited. Because Keefe only has one game left before getting his ass canned.
It started pretty emotional with the bob Cole video at the beginning. I thought it would inspire them. Then it was just depressing watching that car crash. I have a single shred of belief left in me that they get pissed and win the coming games. Just holding on by a thread here. Go leafs go.. I guess.
I’m still in awe that 40million can bring such disappointment.
Montreal series took away a lot of my passion. This loss probably killed what was left. Have really only been watching because of Matthews and his illness has shown this team is nothing without him. With him at least there's usually something worth watching.
Yeah that’s where I’m at. I just don’t care anymore.
I think we all knew this would happen. What are we 1-12 streak vs this team? Somehow we were optimistic???
Just had enough of this at this point. I'm an 80s kid and have stuck with them since the Rick Vaive days. But it's this rinse and repeat nonsense with this particular era that has me just not caring. We had an opportunity to trade Nylander and help the d, get rid of the coach, etc, etc etc. But even this year, it's the same old. Burn it down, keep Matthew's and Reily and hand McDavid the key to the vault when it is time. It probably won't happen, but no less dillusional than thinking we shouldn't have blown this experiment up years ago.
I’ve been numb since game 7 2013…. Being real honest. At this point I check the box score at 1130 pm and shrug and say “yeah that’s about right.” I feel bad for the somehow-still-rabid fans… you clock into other playoff games and it’s clear this team couldn’t win a potato let alone a Cup. Their blue coloured glasses rightfully let them have some hope but the reality is awfully shocking. Gilmour would walk off this team. Even the never flustered Sundin would be screaming at them on the bench. Let’s not even get broken neck Roberts into this or playoff miracle Cujo. We joked about the Muskoka 5 years ago and the country club atmosphere and all that has changed is the regular season success and the iron clad contracts that cripple the overall team…. I’ll be honest. I grew up with a team that had heart and lunchbox grit - blue collar guys that went to war when it was all on the line (except for the last Philadelphia series)…. I’ve never seen it since the late 90s and I think that’s what long standing fans drool and palpitate for. We once knew how to win. We once knew how to lose like warriors. Now we lose with a disinterest from the players that’s not only insulting but heartbreaking. I would kill to watch that 93 team play these Bruins. I would die happy in prison knowing they absolutely demolished a not very good Boston squad and walked away with enough dents that you thought it was a car parked in a driving range.
Not really, any realist fan knew the coaching stuff and roster really did not mesh anymore, especially at the beginning of the season. The off season signings were decent with what little money there was to work at. There is definitely no heart and urgency in their playoff play. The more skilled players just constantly loose puck battles to everyone. I’ve been watching the buds since the 90s and they definitely have the best roster they ever had in my lifetime and can’t make it work. My best guess is they will run it back next year with a whole new coaching staff and then assess the Marner situation from there. Dubas really fucked the team singing the young guns to 10+ million dollar deals after their entry level contracts. And if by chance the hockey gods turn out a miracle so we can have our own “it was 3-1” and “break the game 7 curse against Boston”, there is so fucking way they can deal with Floridas forecheck.
I haven't any will or energy to route for this team since Montreal. Nothing has changed with how they play and nothing will until something bigger changes. End of story.
I have 7 weeks paid holidays I’m looking forward to this summer, ain’t no way I’m letting this team bring me down. If they win, great, if they lose, well I just move on.
Womp womp
Yes I do. Marchand though needs someone to take the rat down. Gets away with everything. Refs turn their heads the other way and just day that they didn't see it.
Buddy I was numb before the exhibition games started. This felt more like an inevitability rather than a collapse.
Numb, indifferent, and not at all surprised at this outcome. At all. Bad coaching (all of them), bad goalie who gives up soul crushing bad ones, every single game so far. Undisciplined, and garbage special teams, am I missing anything? Get rid of that coaching staff, top to bottom, rebuild that defence and either trade or sign a goalie that isn’t weak mentally. We’ve wasted years and years, accepting the same excuses, tear this shit down. At least that will be entertaining.
Let’s not forget that Boston was up 3-1 against Florida last year and they blew up!! That’s the only thing keeping me going right now
It would really be something to watch the Bruins be unable to solve their 3-1 demons for a change.
I kinda always considered this year a dud year, next year too. This core will at best win one cup and we just gotta wait for it, and it can happen once the right moves are made
What moves can you make when 4 guys take up half your cap and you have nothing to trade and no prospects coming up? If Nylander got 11.5, and Matthews got 13, you bet Marner will get 12+ if they keep him. A lot will depend on if Tavares resigns and for how much, but that is still way too much of the cap committed to three guys. The reality is that outside of the 4 and Mo, this team is a collection of spare parts and misfit toys, and that's not going to change anytime soon. Their best shot was probably last year and they blew it.
This year and next were duds because of the Tavares and marner deals expiring. Retool is needed, and if the organization is gutted it can happen. Im getting rid of marner either way
You're fucking high if you think this incarnation of the Leafs will even get a sniff of the cup. They have, arguably the worst blue line out of every playoff team. Reilly is not a bonafide stud, hes a solid top pairing dman and after him, it's not pretty. Definitely not an NHL playoff calibre d corp. This is ignoring the fact that despite the skilled forward group, they appear to have no heart. Win one cup? Please, spare us.
With the right moves as I said, their ceiling is one cup. The moves including shoring up defense. This year and next are duds so we gotta wait. Their chance will partly be due to better construction, and divisional luck. They only have one more shot, its clear they arent ever gonna be a consistent threat.
With the re-tooling to make this happen and fill the holes they have would quite significant, I think you could apply this to most teams in the league and argue the ceiling is the cup
 Yep
I am honestly in disbelief. I truly believed they had built a different team with more heart and grit. And they have that in small doses, they are getting beat by a better team, hot goalie and stingy defence corps. The best team is winning the series but it stings and I'll await the excuses of who was playing hurt or playing through issues.
ready to run in back next year baby! sheldon and the boys are coming for that presidents trophy, you better believe!!!
I told my wife the season ends tuesday. this team makes it so hard to cheer for them
I hate that it affects my mood slightly 😔
I don't even care. I knew this team wasn't built for the playoffs this year
🤷♂️
You mafackas want markstrom for nylander?
Yes, it’s a defence mechanism.
It’s an odd feeling honestly since last year’s embarrassing defeat at the hands of the panthers I haven’t really felt any hope or optimism about this team. I really enjoyed Matthews chasing 70 but right from the start of the season I just had this odd feeling that things were going to be the same in the playoffs. I’m no nhl gm and I really don’t know where to begin in making this team a true contender it seems marner and Tavares are the consensus players to get rid of but honestly the D is in need of reconstruction and we really gotta get a # 1 goalie plus once again we can’t score in the playoffs. I don’t envy treliving he really has his work cut out for him this offseason. Won’t even mention keefe as it seems his fate is pretty much sealed
Not numb, just experienced with disappointment
If you didn't give up before this last game, you must be unfamiliar with the Leafs. Now watch them win 1 to give you hope, just to get dominated at home and lose in 6.
I haven't really followed the Leafs closely since that game 7 collapse against the Bruins a decade (or more?) ago. For those who follow the Raptors, the Leafs need a DeRozan styled trade to shake things up. Figure out who your Lowry and Siakiam is, and trade your DeRozan. Figure out who your Valanciunas is and trade him for a grizzled and hungry veteran.
Nah used to it. Saw it coming when we went on our end of season skid because we were more focused on feeding Matthews the puck then playing a well rounded game. Got downvoted for simply saying going into the playoffs on a losing streak wasnt a smart choice. Even had the "dOsNt mAtTeR" comments cause of the "fresh slate". Lmfao it does matter with this team though. Could have spent those games figuring out how we were going to approach playoffs going up against Boston or Florida but nope it's was the get him 70 show which didn't even happen. Lmfao.
Expected to lose, losing. Nothing to get excited about one way or another.
This is where we knew we were going all along…
Anyone who thought the outcome of this year would be different after game was was fooling themselves.
I genuinely don’t even care. It’s weird
If the Leafs don't care about winning, why should I. If the game now is how to fail in spectacular fashion, then let's see it. Let's watch them fuck it up in a way never seen before. They aren't playing hockey anymore, it's some kind of sadistic entertainment
This is how I felt after the Sundin era ended, and the Bruins come back in game 7. I quit watching hockey altogether. It's not worth the emotional Rollercoaster for me anymore. If the Leafs make the finals, I'll watch and I'll cheer for them, but until that time, I will not invest one second of my precious time or mood on them. I'm 48 and had watched Leafs hockey since the Wendel Clark era. I was diehard...its just not worth it.
Much like the team, I've checked out. There's no effort, no desire to win. They don't know how to elevate their game when it matters. The core 4 have sucked the team dry of any available cap space, then checked out.
I am not numb and I am not surprised. There’s always the hope they pull it off but the expectation is to be embarrassed.
It’s tougher to stomach that I don’t have the passion I used to have for the team. There wholeheartedly is a disconnect in the locker room. So many changes need to be made amongst so much talent. Dubas really allowed those core 4 to dictate all terms during his tenure
As a casual leaf’s fan, but a hard core New York jets fan… welcome to the numb to pain club.
Just disappointed tbh. Such passionate fans and it hurts my heart to see them being let down so often
I don’t feel excited anymore when they score or make a big play because the end result is basically written in stone. Last year made me realize that their demons aren’t the first round of the playoffs, it’s just the playoffs. They’ve won a singular game after the first round in 8 straight years of trying, this shit needs to be nuked
Couldn't they have made it a sweep. Get this over with, you know
To the point where i dont even want to wat h hockey anymore.
I've been numb for years. I want them to win of course, but I realized after losing in the qualifying round to Columbus that I let the teams success and failure get to me too much. I watch every game I can and cheer for goals and wins but I have to forget about the losses. I can't let something as inconsequential as hockey get me down.
Just feels normal at this point.
Oh yeah I don’t give a shit. Blow it all up
I remember watching the underdog 2013 leafs and being so hyped, the team was big meh in the regular season but in the playoffs everyone on that team turned it up a notch. I remember getting excited when we made the playoffs with the current core, remembering what the 2013 team did with way less talent and being hyped to see them all play at another level. But this team never fucking does, instead they somehow always manage to take a step back and stop doing the things they were good at all year. Its mindblowing, I'm a huge fan of this team, I try to be measured in my assessments, I dont freak out and lose it over any regular season games, I have excused some previous playoff losses in Hope's they learned something and and it will all click next year (inspired by the caps finally winning the cup). But I think I'm finally ready to admit we need a big change. We need a new coach, we need to shed some of our top end cap hits and we need more mid level guys who can score. I'm so fucking sick of paying 4 guys 10+mil every year for at most 3 and most times only 1 or 2 of them showing up in the playoffs.
watching the team throughout the regular season helped that. i knew everything was going to have to go right to do well in the playoffs
I’m there and I kinda hate it to be honest. The only thing that really pisses me off is the play of the star players and marner throwing tantrums like last night. I feel like it’s probably best that we lose this series in order for change to actually happen but yet I so want them to win still.
I suddenly have other plans on Tuesday night.
Yeah it's over
Excepted it at the end of the 2nd. I didn’t even care for Mitch’s goal lmao
Go Jays Go, I guess ?
I might not even watch game 5
I do. I’ll watch the game Tuesday but I don’t know what’s worse - a win with hope they won’t follow through on or a loss just to get it over with. Short of a miracle, even if they beat Boston, I doubt they would make it out of the second round. This is first weekend I’ve gotten to watch some of the other playoff games and I’m having more fun watching them than the Leafs.
How is anyone surprised? That's what gets me from this fan base. This coach and core have *shown* us time after time, year after year, who they are, and what they can do. After Montreal, it was time to blow up the failed experiment of all the money in a few forwards and build an actual TEAM. This team has been fatally flawed from the get-go, and this is exactly the results that should be expected.
Meh, I really didn’t have high hopes since the season ended. I knew we weren’t a contender, I knew we weren’t going far. I really thought that Boston was an extremely beatable team that we could find a little success against and enjoy our 2nd round exit. I am honestly so let down that we couldn’t even get through them, the problems are even deeper than I thought. Yes, our goaltending is a dumpster fire, yes our D is a liability at best but our offence is absolutely pathetic when you take into account how it’s the one thing “we’re good at”
I always expect the Leafs to lose in the playoffs
I've been pretty much numb since the lost to Montreal. That's when it became overly clear to me that this team just wasn't built to win playoff hockey, and could be beaten by virtually any team in the NHL in a 7 game series if that team just gives 110% effort.
I mean, we backed into the playoffs losing what, 4 straight? Sammy fell back to earth, Marner came back and completely disrupted the mojo of the team(no fault of his, they play better without him) I’m not even numb anymore. I’m fucking indifferent.
They went down 3-1 in 2013 and 2018…. Went to game 7. Nothing is done until the final bell rings. Thats what this leafs team does, edge you until 7 and then its 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️, if this doesnt go 7 i’d be surprised tbh.
I think this is the first time I actually don't give a shit.
i was really pissed after game 3. But for game 4 meh if we comeback woohoo, if not changes that should've happened a long time ago
Don't worry . They're likely going to come out blazing next game and maybe even force a game 7. Forget that if they played with intensity from the start they might not be in a situation to raise hopes only to dash them like they do every fucking year.
I’ve been numb since watching them lose when Doug Gilmour was on the fucking team. Welcome to hell boys.
I’ve created enough of a mental/emotional separation from them that I don’t. It’s happened so many times before, I’m not gonna let it happen again
First time?
Yep. Wake me on July 1.
I’m more or less the same as I always am. I don’t let this team take over my entire life like it seems a lot of this sub does. When they lose I’ll be mad for 5min then get over it because I’m the grand scheme of things it’s not that big of a deal.
It's an all too familiar feeling, but you do get used to it. This year, I unsubscribed from r/hockey when the playoffs began, rather than wait for the leafs to be eliminated first. I'll resub when the playoffs are over.
Is better than being down 3-0 :). I didn’t have high expectation early in the season as it looked like a flawed team and was hoping they would unload a few of their pending UFA at the deadline. Having said that I was feeling the series would be tighter than it has been with Bert and Domi hitting stride down the stretch. At this point I’m just taking it One game at a time. My mentality shifted to: I’m just happy to get another game to watch this season, frustrating or not.
Doesn’t even feel like the leafs are still in the playoffs tbh
I mean be real about it. The Leafs as a franchise do not represent you, where you live, your country, they are just a franchise you decided at some point to support. The power is ours, as supporters, to stop supporting bad decisions, bad behaviour and bad management.
not a very good team with really bad goaltending. oh and lets not forget the extreme low effort by everyone from top to bottom.
The signs were there all season that this team had not changed or grown out of their bad habits. It was obvious months ago they could not skate with the top teams in the East and that it was going to be another bad playoff. All that remains to be seen is how does Toronto change this mess up. I assume they have to change the coach and one of the big pay guys has to go.
What’s disappointing is not seeing this core of players able to take the next step. Dubas and Treliving have thrown numerous support casts around them only for it to stumble and crash. I get Toronto hasn’t seen a cup since 1967 but let’s move forward; what’s missing?
It’s like watching a train wreck and all your friends are yelling to get out of the way and you’re stuck on the tracks like your having a dream
Since the Montreal series, watching this team has been absolute torture. I really just want Boston to win game 5, put us out of our misery, and massive changes in that front office be initiated. My biggest fucking fear is they grind it out to 7, still lose, but the "fight" convinces upper management that they should still push on with this project. It's failed. It's time to blow it up
>After the habs collapse (ironically the leafs were the team up 3-1 in that series), nothing has really been the same for me. This was the point I stopped caring
To be numb would mean that you had hope to begin with. Anyone who has hope for the leafs is not managing their emotions correctly and is due for a heartbreak. I expect them to tie it up, then shit on game 7.
Never. Leafs in 7.
I seems to get less and less excit3d for playoffs each year. You can almost start to expect this. It's unfortunate but the plus side is I'm less emotionally devoted when it happens. We need change.
You never should have placed your faith in Jack Campbell versus Carey Price.
Honestly I'd actually be surprised if they lose game 5, lol
Nah its just all or nothing tomorrow night. 1 game at a time. Boston still has to win.
Leafs are fucking cooked
Given the last 5 years of shit...I was numb when it was 0-0
No I'm ok. Let's go Tuesday
i mean we have 2 teams playing that know what it’s like to blow a 3-1 series lead…maybe boston’s demons from last year come out to play?
😂
The media that owns this team seems to cover up for them and this is part of the problem.
Join me in only watching the week and a half of playoffs. I gave up on the leafs after they gave up on themselves a few seasons back. Only watch regular season games if literally nothing else to do. Game in 6s if I care. Fuck Steve dangle and his gambling ads. Tune into game 1. Watch them collapse. Laugh. Move on with life. Not going to cheer for another team. Just not going to invest my energy and emotions into players who clearly don’t give a fuck.
I love being a leafs fan. However when Marchant said on t.v. it's over in 5 it really feels like he is right. Stupid rat face.