Eklund: The Florida Panthers Have Won the Hearts of NHL Fans. Who Do You Like?

People kept saying they cant, then they just do. Its a great underdog story and they keep finding ways to win games.


This team is a Cat Wagon.

Flyers in 3

decades

"We want Florida"

I don't think I have ever been less interested in a potential final matchup.

NHL fans have a top 10 list of favourite teams? I don't. I love 1 team and basically hate the rest. Most die hard fans are like that.

But fairweather fans I guess can like numerous teams at once. I suspect Florida being such heavy underdogs in round 1 is the main reason.

"We want Florida"

People need to understand this was not because Leafs fans thought Florida to be the easier route to the Final Four, but because we wanted to see the Bruins blow a 3 games to 1 lead and lose a series as such heavy favourites.

This was never about Florida, but about maximizing the pain for the Bruins (who has inflicted so much on the Leafs over the last 15 years).

Go Panthers!

"We want Florida"

People need to understand this was not because Leafs fans thought Florida to be the easier route to the Final Four, but because we wanted to see the Bruins blow a 3 games to 1 lead and lose a series as such heavy favourites.

This was never about Florida, but about maximizing the pain for the Bruins (who has inflicted so much on the Leafs over the last 15 years).
- bullethead7

Sure it was.

@bullethead
it’s never about Florida, even after they beat the Leafs in 5.

If Leafs fans wanted to hurt the Bruins for what they inflicted on the Bruins over the last 15 years, they would've been chanting "We want Boston" so that their Leafs could be the ones to do it.

"We want Florida"

People need to understand this was not because Leafs fans thought Florida to be the easier route to the Final Four, but because we wanted to see the Bruins blow a 3 games to 1 lead and lose a series as such heavy favourites.

This was never about Florida, but about maximizing the pain for the Bruins (who has inflicted so much on the Leafs over the last 15 years).
- bullethead7

They were also chanting we want Boston!
So, it was just fans having fun after their’s team’s series victory. poop happens, people took it and ran with it. Don’t try to come up with some deep philosophical reasons why they were chanting we want Florida

I want Florida but it's the lesser of 4 evils to me. I Don't want a team in the West to win it, I certainly don't want a team in the Central to win it. I'm an Avs season ticket holder who sits in the visitors attack twice end and most opposing fans these days are a-holes and I have no desire to give the ones who come her most often any more reasons to be a-holes. I don't want Stastny's name on the Cup because I'm an irrational fan with a long memory who still holds a grudge for the way he left Sakic high and dry. That leaves Florida.

To be fair. There are clips of fans in Toronto chanting we want Boston as well.

I like Bob. Not Matthew Tkatchuk

"We want Florida"

People need to understand this was not because Leafs fans thought Florida to be the easier route to the Final Four, but because we wanted to see the Bruins blow a 3 games to 1 lead and lose a series as such heavy favourites.

This was never about Florida, but about maximizing the pain for the Bruins (who has inflicted so much on the Leafs over the last 15 years).
- bullethead7

I don't think I have ever been less interested in a potential final matchup.
- GalacticStone

It's on par with the Ligtning-Stars matchup.

"We want Florida"

People need to understand this was not because Leafs fans thought Florida to be the easier route to the Final Four, but because we wanted to see the Bruins blow a 3 games to 1 lead and lose a series as such heavy favourites.

This was never about Florida, but about maximizing the pain for the Bruins (who has inflicted so much on the Leafs over the last 15 years).
- bullethead7

In other words, "We want someone to beat Boston for us because we can't do it ourselves!"

In other words, "We want someone to beat Boston for us because we can't do it ourselves!"
- jmatchett383

"We want Florida"

People need to understand this was not because Leafs fans thought Florida to be the easier route to the Final Four, but because we wanted to see the Bruins blow a 3 games to 1 lead and lose a series as such heavy favourites.

This was never about Florida, but about maximizing the pain for the Bruins (who has inflicted so much on the Leafs over the last 15 years).
- bullethead7

Don't do that. Just own it.

Game 3 OT vs Leafs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeKiAEjQUA8
and The Rats rain

Panthers fans had some fun on the way to the exits
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sSf7kfKcX4c

Don't do that. Just own it.
- eichiefs9

Apparently the only thing they didnt want was the cup.

Flyers in 3

decades
- jmatchett383

The Flyers are 3 decades away, from being 3 decades away.

their underdog story was fun especially because it came against Boston. I think Marchand is so hated that you just have to like whoever sticks it to him - even if that guy is a Tkachuk. and I mean, who doesn't like watching people sink the Leafs? if Florida stays good for a while they will likely begin to be hated but because they haven't been a threat yet, they are easy to cheer for

Don't do that. Just own it.
- eichiefs9

his report upon re-entry into the echo chamber