Can we please put to rest this idea of "pressure" being the culprit behind playoff failure for this team, it's insulting.

[Confucius]

I just wanna stat how INCREDIBLY f***ING STUPID Tkachuk's statement regarding the market of Toronto and it's pressure as being a negative.

Toronto is always top 3 in fan engagement, revenue and valuation. That's just what we are. We drive the revenue in this god damn league don't ever forget that. We are the goal other markets strive to get to.

Florida does not. Florida is usually bottom third in revenue earned if not bottom 5.

Now here is where I want to highlight Matt's stupidity for shitting on Toronto with regards to being in a REVENUE SHARING LEAGUE;

The average salary in 2023/24 season was 2.18M

Now I asked CHATGPT a few questions. Namely if every team had the same revenue generation as the Toronto Maple Leafs, what would the average salary be in the NHL

Answer?

$28.7M per player.

Then I asked CHATGPT to calculate the average salary per player if every market generated the same revenue as the Florida Panthers.

answer?

$94,039K per player.

I don't think I need to say more. I know Tkachuk is not known for his intelligence but someone explain simple math to the kid.

Well we can cross tkachuk off the list of players that can handle playing in Toronto.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Pressure isn't the culprit, but it will show you who is.

 

[X66]

You can't deny that pressure isn't a thing in this market.

BUT

Pressure isn't what makes them lay those eggs in big games, that's just them not having the dog in them.

 

[Tak7]

Pretty foolish to ignore pressure as a factor, when it quite clearly is.

Whether that's external, internal, or some combination of the 2, the way they play so tentatively towards the end of the season isn't a coincidence anymore.

 

[mikeyz]

Toronto and any other Canadian market really isn't that hard a place to play. Sure you get more media attention and your performances may be analyzed more and there are more fans that boo you if you play poorly, but that's about it. Outside of a few idiots like those that leak personal info about players or whatnot, Leafs fans just boo you, complain about your poor performance online and that's about it. If you want to see how crazy fans can get, just see how soccer fans behave when their teams are playing.

As I said in another post in a different thread I think complaining about media attention and 'too much pressure' are largely just excuses to not want to play in Canada because many athletes prefer to play in the US where taxes are often lower, quality of life is better, weather is often better, don't have to deal with border stuff etc.

I mean yeah if you win the cup in Toronto you'll be remembered as a legend forever in this city, but in day to day living is Toronto or any other Canadian city really that great? If you're rich and especially if you're a young, rich athlete why choose to live in Canada when there are many better places in the US to live in? Its the same reason why the Raptors have never been able to attract a huge free agent star to their team in its entire history. Same with the Jays and the same with the Leafs despite playing well these days. Everytime July 1st that rolls around, how often do you ever see the best free agents sign with a Canadian team? Very rarely and I don't think that's a coincidence.

The bolded is exactly it.

Look at what the low blow hit piece article that the Spanish media outlet published about Cristiano Ronaldo during his time with Real Madrid.

They won the championship the previous year, and the following season during just a 3 game losing streak, this media outlet published an article basically saying Ronaldo was distracted and not focusing on soccer and was going out to clubs and bars drinking heavily every night.

Now, that doesn’t sound that bad right????…………. But, here’s the kicker……….. Cristiano Ronaldo’s father died at a relatively young age due to liver failure caused by alcoholism which really affected him when it happened and he promised his family he would abstain from drinking.

You want to talk about a tough media. THAT is a tough media and a tough place to play.

 

[Drytoast]

Pretty foolish to ignore pressure as a factor, when it quite clearly is.

Whether that's external, internal, or some combination of the 2, the way they play so tentatively towards the end of the season isn't a coincidence anymore.

How does Lebron get out of bed every day?

The pressure in Toronto is just akin to what you would get playing in the NFL, NBA, MLBA and the like. Pressure comes as a result of fan engagement. If fans are engaged and you are underperforming, you will hear about it. The media wanting fan engagement - will write about it.

Fan engagement drives revenue. If hockey players are so mentally weak compared to the other sports then that says something about them, not the markets or the sport.

What I think is going on here is that players in the NHL have the luxury to go "hide away" in barren markets, enjoying the best of both worlds. Money and the ability to not have any expectations. That's not a thing in the other major leagues in the United States. It more says something as to the popularity of the NHL in the United States as being subpar.

Canada's love for the sport drives it's revenue.

By a wide margin, Americans say football – not baseball – is ‘America’s sport’

More than half of Americans (53%) say America’s sport is football – about twice the share who say it’s baseball (27%).

www.pewresearch.org

Matt should shut his f***ing mouth unless he wants the average salaries to drop to 94k a year.

 

[colchar]

Pretty foolish to ignore pressure as a factor, when it quite clearly is.

Whether that's external, internal, or some combination of the 2, the way they play so tentatively towards the end of the season isn't a coincidence anymore.

Bollocks.

There is more pressure in other North American markets (New York, Philly, etc.), and European and South American soccer markets take it to another stratosphere.

 

[Tak7]

How does Lebron get out of bed every day?

The pressure in Toronto is just akin to what you would get playing in the NFL, NBA, MLBA and the like. Pressure comes as a result of fan engagement. If fans are engaged and you are underperforming, you will hear about it. The media wanting fan engagement - will write about it.

Matt should shut his f***ing mouth unless he wants the average salaries to drop to 94k a year.

None of these guys are Lebron.

You have to be wired to embrace and enjoy that pressure and privilege .

 

[Tak7]

Bollocks.

There is more pressure in other North American markets (New York, Philly, etc.), and European and South American soccer markets take it to another stratosphere.

Which is fine if you were bringing football players from Europe or South America to Toronto and asking them to play ice hockey with this relative pressure.

But we aren't.

We are asking guys who are clearly uncomfortable with the scrutiny and spotlight, to continue performing in it, despite ample evidence that suggests they simply cannot.

I'm not really even sure it's up for debate anymore, sitting 2.5 weeks out from a supremely talented home grown winger choosing to walk away from his boyhood team because the scrutiny and pressure is too much for him.

 

[colchar]

Which is fine if you were bringing football players from Europe or South America to Toronto and asking them to play ice hockey with this relative pressure.

I notice you completely ignore other North American cities and sports.

But we aren't.

We are asking guys who are clearly uncomfortable with the scrutiny and spotlight, to continue performing in it, despite ample evidence that suggests they simply cannot.

I'm not really even sure it's up for debate anymore, sitting 2.5 weeks out from a supremely talented home grown winger choosing to walk away from his boyhood team because the scrutiny and pressure is too much for him.

Then they're p***yes who need to grow a set of balls and man up.

 

[keonsbitterness]

The pressure is adapting to playoff hockey, not the city you play in.

 

[Tak7]

I notice you completely ignore other North American cities and sports.

I don't recall saying Toronto was the only place in North America that had a pressure perception.

I'm not particularly convinced that Toronto's pressure is all that bad. However, at this point, it can't be debated that these players have failed to embrace the attention, scrutiny, and attention they get here come playoff time.

Then they're p***yes who need to grow a set of balls and man up.

What if they aren't capable ?

IMO - I don't think they are.

 

[Drytoast]

None of these guys are Lebron.

You have to be wired to embrace and enjoy that pressure and privilege .

Lebron was just an example. The point is that nobody can really hide in any of the other major league sports in the states and yet somehow...someway...they do the job.

 

[Tak7]

Lebron was just an example. The point is that nobody can really hide in any of the other major league sports in the states and yet somehow...someway...they do the job.

You really can hide though?

Somewhat/relatively speaking?

For example, even in Canada - would anyone consider Nik Ehlers to be a big time playoff performer? No one should, but how many people are aware of just how poor his playoff numbers are? Not very many, because it's pretty quiet in other markets compared to the lights and sounds of Toronto.

 

[ACC1224]

Pressure is personal to the individual.
The more you care, the more you feel it.
Those who don’t care feel no pressure at all.

 

[Tak7]

Pressure is personal to the individual.
The more you care, the more you feel it.
Those who don’t care feel no pressure at all.

Lol, that's bullshit and you know it - some people are just able to embrace and enjoy being under pressure far more than others.

Think of the great champions in any sport you may be aware of.
Lewis Hamilton
Roger Federer
Messi
Do they "not care"?
The Panthers "don't care"?

Or do you think they are just better able to handle that pressure far better than others, and that's a critical part of what sets them apart as actual legitimate champions?

 

[Drytoast]

You really can hide though?

Somewhat/relatively speaking?

For example, even in Canada - would anyone consider Nik Ehlers to be a big time playoff performer? No one should, but how many people are aware of just how poor his playoff numbers are? Not very many, because it's pretty quiet in other markets compared to the lights and sounds of Toronto.

There are really only 3-4 markets that are on par with the larger sport markets in the US.

More people in Toronto know who Matt Tkachuk is than people in Florida State.

 

[Tak7]

There are really only 3-4 markets that are on par with the larger sport markets in the US.

More people in Toronto know who Matt Tkachuk is than people in Florida State.

No disagreements there.

If you are someone who is succumbing to the pressure in a market like Toronto though, I don't think you are able to comfort yourself by telling yourself "at least it's not football in Madrid, or hockey in New York etc".

I don't think that's ever really an avenue towards some solace away from the scrutiny when it's well and truly in your head.

 

[Drytoast]

No disagreements there.

If you are someone who is succumbing to the pressure in a market like Toronto though, I don't think you are able to comfort yourself by telling yourself "at least it's not football in Madrid, or hockey in New York etc".

I don't think that's ever really an avenue towards some solace away from the scrutiny when it's well and truly in your head.

exactly. Tkachuk and every other player who needs to hide away in smaller markets are taking advantage of the unpopular situation of the NHL in those markets. And then praising it like it's a good thing.