Biggest Chokers Showdown: Toronto Maple Leafs VS San Jose Sharks

[Juxtaposer]

How could you possibly compare the Leafs with two playoff series wins in the last eight years to the Sharks that made the WCF four times between 2010 and 2019, including a SCF appearance? The Sharks won like eleven playoff series in the 2010’s. Winning a Cup is hard.

 

[gary559]

Didn't San Jose have a run when they only missed the playoffs twice in 20 years? We know they have made it to the SCF once, somewhere the leafs haven't been for a long time, but that's a lot more Ls than the leafs have taken.

 

[BHD]

How could you possibly compare the Leafs with two playoff series wins in the last eight years to the Sharks that made the WCF four times between 2010 and 2019, including a SCF appearance? The Sharks won like eleven playoff series in the 2010’s. Winning a Cup is hard.

This. The Sharks had some choke jobs (2009, 2014), but also went on deep runs. The Leafs have only won two - 2(!) - rounds with this core.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

It's not close

 

[Dirty Dog]

I don’t even know if leafs can be seen as chokers? For the most part, they just have not had any playoff success and their top players constantly disappear

 

[JFedol]

I don’t even know if leafs can be seen as chokers? For the most part, they just have not had any playoff success and their top players constantly disappear

That's kind of the definition of choking lol

 

[Dirty Dog]

That's kind of the definition of choking lol

Choking is having winning in your grasp, and you fail. There’s been some of that, but for the most, just a complete lack of success is just failure. Not choking imo

 

[Panthaz89]

The Sharks definitely had the biggest choke moment when they lost to LA up 3-0 in the series. They certainly were more likely to move on than the Leafs but the Leafs aren't exactly done yet.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Leafs have choked/blown ass since ‘67

So them

 

[karltonian]

The Sharks have never choked. They have only chocked.

 

[kcunac]

The Thornton/Marleau Sharks made it to the Conference finals three times (2010, 2011, 2019) and Finals once (2016). In the 15 years Thornton was with the Sharks they made the playoffs 13 times and won 14 Rounds.

In the 9 years Matthew’s has been with the Leafs they made the playoffs every year and won 2 rounds, never making it past the second round.

I’d say it’s the Leafs are worse but they can turn that around as early as this year.

 

[Barrie22]

Marleau's output in the playoffs was generally fine.

If marleau was fine then thornton was fine.

Thornton 115 points in 144 games in san jose.
Marleau once thornton showed up had 89 points in 126 games.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Low key the Caps and OV are a 2018 cup win away from making this list. Regular season hero’s to playoff 0’s if not for the cup win.

They need left out though because of the cup.

 

[kevsh]

15/16 years Capitals haven't made it past the first round.
8 times out in the first round.

I don't think winning once disqualifies a team from the choking label if in the other 15 years they constantly failed (that is, choked), with many of those loses against lower seeds they should've beaten.

Maybe that explains why Ovi was so ridiculously, over-the-top elated when they actually won: He probably knew it was the first and last time he ever would.

That's just ugly. But at least on their 10th crack at it they got over the hump, only to be out in the first round the next 5 years.

As for the Leafs, given this is only season #9 (and it's possibly not over yet) let's see how they compare 5-6 years from now. So far, not looking good but thankfully it won't take much to best the Caps embarrassingly dismal run in the Ovi Era.

 

[dirtydanglez]

the story isn't over for the leafs core yet. but its a toss up at this point.

 

[Brookbank]

What were the peak San Jose sharks ? 2006 ?

 

[matt trick]

This. The Sharks had some choke jobs (2009, 2014), but also went on deep runs. The Leafs have only won two - 2(!) - rounds with this core.

2009- Anaheim had five likely hall of famers (Pronger, Nieds, Selanne, Getz, Perry), Sharks had three (Jumbo, Patty, Blake). Then also had far better goaltending and a better bottom half off the lineup. That playoff was definitely a disappointment, but Anaheim was an excellent team and should have been better in the regular season.

The 2014 series was unforgettable, but once Vlasic played 5 minutes in game 5, and none in 6 or 7. Should have swept them and avoided the risk of losing their top dman.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Still matters that basically every season they lost in the first round it was to an older, more experienced team who was generally better than them and further into their contention window.

Leafs core running into the Bruins in the prime of their career, then the Lightning and Panthers for the most part.

It's the Habs series that really gave them the reputation they have

 

[Unbiased Fan]

To me chocking is being the favourites and losing.

Columbus and Montreal are the only 2 teams I’d say they choked against. (Leafs)

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Still matters that basically every season they lost in the first round it was to an older, more experienced team who was generally better than them and further into their contention window.

Leafs core running into the Bruins in the prime of their career, then the Lightning and Panthers for the most part.

It's the Habs series that really gave them the reputation they have

Columbus? Or were Columbus powerhouses that you couldn't expect the Leafs to beat, either?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

With regards to the topic, the book still hasn't been fully written on the Leafs quite yet because a]they're still alive and can move on with a win on Sunday and b]their core is still young enough that they could do it some other season.

However, based on body of work up to this point in time, the Leafs core have been much worse than San Jose's. At least San Jose had a few deep playoff runs to their credit. The Leafs, up to this point in time of writing this, have only ever managed to make it to the 2nd round twice in the core's existence.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Columbus? Or were Columbus powerhouses that you couldn't expect the Leafs to beat, either?

I don't really think the covid bubble is the same as a real playoff and honestly that was the season they fired Babcock and might not have even been a playoff team

 

[Skeksis25]

Instead of "choked", use the word, "underachieved".

If the Leafs win the Cup this year, then they will obviously not have underachieved as hard as the Sharks have. But, if they don't, I don't see how they are not the bigger underachievers.

To be fair, their story doesn't end this year either. Even if Marner leaves. Just like Marleau and Thornton are the poster boys for the Sharks underachieving era, Matthews is the face of the Leafs era. As long as he is there, the era continues.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I don't really think the covid bubble is the same as a real playoff and honestly that was the season they fired Babcock and might not have even been a playoff team

Tampa's Cup wins were during the weird Covid seasons. Outside of the two Covid seasons, Tampa hasn't won a thing. So if you're going to use them as examples of defending champs the Leafs had to play, you can't just dismiss the loss to Columbus because it was a weird Covid bubble year.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Tampa's Cup wins were during the weird Covid seasons. Outside of the two Covid seasons, Tampa hasn't won a thing. So if you're going to use them as examples of defending champs the Leafs had to play, you can't just dismiss the loss to Columbus because it was a weird Covid bubble year.

I'm just telling you that one doesn't bug me in the slightest. Wasn't even a best of 7