It's always funny to see the sadness from other teams showing up here. What must it be like to have such a poopty team that your whole sports-fan existence is reduced to cheering against a team because you have nothing to cheer for.
- Aetherial

I always amuse myself when I think of that fact. The leafs live rent free in their heads more than the team they cheer for.

I always amuse myself when I think of that fact. The leafs live rent free in their heads more than the team they cheer for.
- Aaron_85

The teams they cheer for, as lousy as they may currently be, have absolutely won more playoff series than the Leafs in the last 20 years. That ain't rent free in Leaf fans' heads.

The teams they cheer for, as lousy as they may currently be, have absolutely won more playoff series than the Leafs in the last 20 years. That ain't rent free in Leaf fans' heads.
- fifty__missions

Well said. Still in the end all Canadian teams are in a drought.

The teams they cheer for, as lousy as they may currently be, have absolutely won more playoff series than the Leafs in the last 20 years. That ain't rent free in Leaf fans' heads.
- fifty__missions

They are if those fans are in here making asses of themselves. Not too many people go to sleep at night saying yeah well my team won a playoff series in 2006.

The teams they cheer for, as lousy as they may currently be, have absolutely won more playoff series than the Leafs in the last 20 years. That ain't rent free in Leaf fans' heads.
- fifty__missions

Meh not very many but 20 years ago doesn't really matter to me. I dont know why sports live so much in the past when the rest of our lives can't.

The teams they cheer for, as lousy as they may currently be, have absolutely won more playoff series than the Leafs in the last 20 years. That ain't rent free in Leaf fans' heads.
- fifty__missions

If you haven’t won the cup you haven’t won anything. Imo anyway. I couldn’t care less about who won a series in the last 20 years.

Meh not very many but 20 years ago doesn't really matter to me. I dont know why sports live so much in the past when the rest of our lives can't.
- Aaron_85

We were right there with the champs. And we will be for the next number of years. It’s actually a great time to be a fan.

Another nailbiter tonight

F Pitt and F Crosby

They are if those fans are in here making asses of themselves. Not too many people go to sleep at night saying yeah well my team won a playoff series in 2006.
- joel878

100% man.

It’s so bizarre to me to have fans like Canucks fans chirp the Leafs for no Cup since 67 when they have NEVER EVER won a single Cup. It’s so odd.

Flames fans - 1989 that’s a pretty long time ago man and how many Cups does their franchise have?

Oilers fans - Since Gretz left they won that one after with Messier as their Captain - then what?

Ottawa? Yikes.

Winnipeg? They at one lost their bloody team as a City - and how many Cups?

Habs - I leave the Habs alone (even though 93 was a long ways ago) because they are the Habs. The Leafs and Habs are hockey. Meccas. Respect.

I do understand though. There are typically more Leafs fans in their barn every time Leafs play there. Makes sense. Sometimes team loyalty is passed down l, usually to be honest.

English Canadians - Leafs Fans
French - Habs Fans

It’s just how it was historically. So that gets passed down growing up.

The US based teams are just as odd. Some good teams in recent history and historically like the Wings Hawks Bruins - but I mean…Buffalo fans for example? Man that’s a tough look to obsess about the Leafs when, well you kore than likely live in Buffalo and cheer for one of the worst franchises in history of this league on my opinion.

Well said, love it!

- PuckPix

Well said indeed!! What a great way to display an inferiority complex! Well done boys.

Well said, love it!

- PuckPix

How are you going to write your “blogs” when banned!??

Another nailbiter tonight

F Pitt and F Crosby
- 21peter

Those veteran teams don’t go down without a fight.

This is all... wrong... On a lot of levels.

You're talking about MLSE. No money? They will literally fire anyone out of cannon into the sun to pay Matthews whatever he wants. Any suggestions they can't afford him are ridiculous. That's before you consider that the guy will have made over 70 million in salary alone prior to that point in his career, would it not be a little narrow minded to assume his only consideration is money?

As for the management group, I mean ooof. This is going to be the biggest tell of whether a person is capable of having a mature measured response to this loss all summer. Because if someone is that jaded that they can't see the steps forward this management group brought the team this year, well, that's all you need to know. Is the assumption here that a new GM wouldn't come in and put years of work into implementing their own footprint? They're just gonna come in and make a couple finger snap moves and it's straight to the cup hey...
- joel878

that's why Brian Burke won in Anaheim.

Anyone think that the leafs will talk to Barry Trotz? I’m not blaming Keefe but sometimes good teams change coaches just before they get over the hump.

The timing with him being available right now seems fortuitous.

The better team won.

It’s exactly how everyone says it is. The Leafs are built for the regular season, not the playoffs.

Sure they tried hard and all that, but the roster wasn’t constructed properly to have playoff success.

You can re-arrange the chairs however you like, but that defence is too porous, and teams get to the middle of the ice too easily. When push comes to shove, one side always chickens out.

Bawk-bawk.

First Cush and Dozzer thanks for all you do. Thankless job.

Now what I think might happen here for this offseason with this team? I figure some significant changes likely do take place and happen. They have to at this point. I think Shanny is going to draw the line and I think Dubas is going to have to make the move he said he wouldn't, which is moving Nylander out. He is the one of the core that is going to go. Fact they were vocal about him and being disappointed in him, yeah I think he is going to be gone.

Now start with the coaching staff. I think the players all respect them and play hard for them, and I don't think results have been bad from a win record. The team COULD look at Trotz and it might shake up bigtime there and maybe that wouldn't be too bad, but I don't think Keefe is going anywhere. And really at this point you have to put the focus on the players. They have changed coaches etc, but in the end guys on the ice have to perform.

Up front I would think Nylander is gone, as are Kerfoot and Mik. Kase likely moves on and should. Clifford will return to the A. Spezza may retire, but if not I think it is time to move on. Simmonds the same, time to move on. He can waive his NTC or go to the A for the final year of his contract. The question mark is Blackwell and Engvall and do you keep them or not? I think both should not be that expensive and as a couple 4th line guys, you can keep them around. That said you could also wipe the deck clean and move on from both as well. Kind of the same with Robertson, does he get in and play or go?

That leaves Matthews, Marner, JT, Bunting, Kampf, Engvall, Robertson, and Blackwell up front.

Back end it is really some question marks. I hope and the team should do all they can to keep Boosh. IF Gio signs a team friendly one year deal for another kick at the can that would help. Of course Muzzin is the big question and does he retire given the concussions and injuries? I do NOT like the idea of buying him out at all. Assuming that happens and they stay, yeah Holl is gone. Sandin and Lilly in there the defence isn't bad at all.

Rielly, Boosh, Brodie, Muzzin, Gio, Sandin, and Lilly is a pretty good d corp.

Goaltending is going to be the interesting one. Do we keep Campbell or look for a more proven starter? Mrazek has to be moved. I doubt Hutchinsieve is back and if he is will be another 1 year A deal but I suspect Woll and Kallgrens are going to have that locked up. Scott with the injuries I dunno if he can stay healthy and we keep him longer at this point. This has to be the biggest spot where changes could and likely should come. Be it proven starter or Campbell and a proven solid backup brought in we can rely on.

I have a feeling it is going to be some serious changes and a busy offseason as they retool this team around the core and it SHOULD be some drastic moves coming.

The better team won.

It’s exactly how everyone says it is. The Leafs are built for the regular season, not the playoffs.

Sure they tried hard and all that, but the roster wasn’t constructed properly to have playoff success.

You can re-arrange the chairs however you like, but that defence is too porous, and teams get to the middle of the ice too easily. When push comes to shove, one side always chickens out.

Bawk-bawk.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

I get a kick out of people coming to these sweeping conclusions about the construction of the Leafs roster and the character of the players based on a seven game series against the two time champions that could have gone either way where the cowardly Leafs outscored Tampa. It’s almost as if folks had these conclusions baked in.

I get a kick out of people coming to these sweeping conclusions about the construction of the Leafs roster and the character of the players based on a seven game series against the two time champions that could have gone either way where the cowardly Leafs outscored Tampa. It’s almost as if folks had these conclusions baked in.
- Canada Cup

I kinda thought Nylander has shown he is built for the playoffs . Too bad people are right and he will be the one traded.

I get a kick out of people coming to these sweeping conclusions about the construction of the Leafs roster and the character of the players based on a seven game series against the two time champions that could have gone either way where the cowardly Leafs outscored Tampa. It’s almost as if folks had these conclusions baked in.
- Canada Cup

Yeah, I wouldn’t do that. I said nothing about character.

I only conclusion that I’ve come to is that the Matthews and Marner window won’t be open forever, and the current management have failed to build a team that’s capable of winning around around those two players.

What will next year's first round exit feel like? That's the question...
- GodIsaCatholic

Wait 364 days to find out.


I gotta believe that Tanenbaum and the rest of MLSE have run out of patience.

😂😂

The only change that should be made is to get someone that complements JT well. We are stuck with him, so a resurrection of sorts is the only way everyone benefits. Maybe this means trading Nylander for someone with fewer goals on average but better play defensively. You shouldn't pay hockey if you cannot throw a check when the opportunity arises.

Leafs played well (mostly) and Tampa played well (mostly). It was a great series. It was close. If you take this out of the historical context of the past playoff series losses, it was simply that, a great series.

The referees were not as bad as some like to think. Tons of Leafs fans, and many on here, are so quick to look for someone else to blame when things don't go how they'd like. It's a pathetic knee-jerk reaction that should be weeded out before adulthood. Grow up.

Oh look, imagine that. They can call a penalty in overtime during the Ranger game.

Yeah, I wouldn’t do that. I said nothing about character.

I only conclusion that I’ve come to is that the Matthews and Marner window won’t be open forever, and the current management have failed to build a team that’s capable of winning around around those two players.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Calling them chickens is talking about character. They built one of the 5 or so best teams that played and lost to another of the 5 or so best teams in a close series. Oh well. Honestly, how many other first round teams do you think they would have beaten if the pairings had been different. I don’t buy that they failed to build a team capable of winning a round. They didn’t win this round. That sucks.

So everybody can call for the changes they always wanted - get rid of Nylander or Marner or Dubas or Carleton or keep everything exactly the same if you’re inclined that way.

Fact I’d, they improved the team considerably from last year. I hope they make more improvements for next year

The only change that should be made is to get someone that complements JT well. We are stuck with him, so a resurrection of sorts is the only way everyone benefits. Maybe this means trading Nylander for someone with fewer goals on average but better play defensively. You shouldn't pay hockey if you cannot throw a check when the opportunity arises.

Leafs played well (mostly) and Tampa played well (mostly). It was a great series. It was close. If you take this out of the historical context of the past playoff series losses, it was simply that, a great series.

The referees were not as bad as some like to think. Tons of Leafs fans, and many on here, are so quick to look for someone else to blame when things don't go how they'd like. It's a pathetic knee-jerk reaction that should be weeded out before adulthood. Grow up.
- sokosteve

No.

Everything’s copacetic. We’re supposed to lose in the first round every year.