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

[IPS]

Toronto has been toxic for decades.

I guess you are a new fan that just joined us this season.

Nice to have you on board

No more "toxic" (or whatever silly label you folks cling to) than the Yankees, Lakers, Cowboys, etc...

Quite the opposite, a lot of players actually want to go to those franchises because of the incredible opportunity to build a legacy. Obviously it comes with pressure.

 

[Craig Button]

No more "toxic" (or whatever silly label you folks cling to) than the Yankees, Lakers, Cowboys, etc...

Quite the opposite, a lot of players actually want to go to those franchises because of the incredible opportunity to build a legacy. Obviously it comes with pressure.

You can build a legacy anywhere.

Not just in toxic environments

 

[IPS]

You can build a legacy anywhere.

Not just in toxic environments

Really? You think winning the cup for the Florida Panthers holds the same prestige as winning the cup for the Leafs especially given the drought?

Don't even think it's much of a question.

 

[Craig Button]

Really? You think winning the cup for the Florida Panthers holds the same prestige as winning the cup for the Leafs especially given the drought?

Don't even think it's much of a question.

Anywhere isn’t limited to Florida

However the Players for those 2 Teams in Florida have built a legacy.

So they didn’t win it in Toronto.

Not one of those players, even the ones who grew up as Leaf fans, give a shit.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

There's no pressure to win here.

Nobody's taking out ads in the paper decrying the state of the Leafs. There's no billboards downtown knocking management and asking for heads to be rolled. The arena sells out nightly and the players are treated like gods.

None of that would be true if there was any real pressure to win.

You can tell none of the players are stressed about it. They've all developed a case of loseritis. Characterized by symptoms of accepting losing with a care free attitude.

Losers with a loser mentality.

If there was any pressure to win these players would all be run out of town by now. Instead it looks like 4/5 of them are coming back. Even Marner would still be here if he didn't wage war against team, media, and fans resulting in turning everyone against him.

At the end of the day the players and fans have one thing very much in common... everybody wants them to win but nobody really gives a damn if they don't.

 

[Confucius]

Anywhere isn’t limited to Florida

However the Players for those 2 Teams in Florida have built a legacy.

So they didn’t win it in Toronto.

Not one of those players, even the ones who grew up as Leaf fans, give a shit.

I guess only the players looking for fame would give a shit. Plenty of good players playing in Cali. Florida but they don’t have near the fans or following they would have had if they were playing in Toronto.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Toronto has been toxic for decades.

I guess you are a new fan that just joined us this season.

Nice to have you on board

Personally, I think the pressure and toxicity in this market comes from the horrible media. Leaf fans just want to see a competitive team that fights until the end most nights. The Burns and Quinn era teams didn't win, but it was an enjoyable product on the ice that is looked back on with fondness. The current iteration of the team loses like losers and they are grossly overpaid in comparison to the other stars in the league, that is where most of the fan animosity stems from.

 

[bogart]

There's no pressure to win here. Nobody's taking out ads in the paper decrying the state of the Leafs. There's no billboards downtown knocking management and asking for heads to be rolled. The arena sells out nightly and the players are treated like gods. None of that would be true if there was any real pressure to win. You can tell none of the players are stressed about it. They've all developed a case of loseritis. Characterized by symptoms of accepting losing with a care free attitude. Losers with a loser mentality. If there was any pressure to win these players would all be run out of town by now. Instead it looks like 4/5 of them are coming back. Even Marner would still be here if he didn't wage war against team, media, and fans resulting in turning everyone against him. At the end of the day the players and fans have one thing very much in common... everybody wants them to win but nobody really gives a damn if they don't.

Agreed and agreed with the OP. The other point is that pressure doesn't exist. It's a fiction that people create in their own minds, so they have an excuse to choke.

 

[Apex Predator]

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.


What if they aren't capable ?

IMO - I don't think they are.

Should have found that out earlier and traded them.

 

[MCR74]

There's no pressure to win here.

Nobody's taking out ads in the paper decrying the state of the Leafs. There's no billboards downtown knocking management and asking for heads to be rolled. The arena sells out nightly and the players are treated like gods.

None of that would be true if there was any real pressure to win.

You can tell none of the players are stressed about it. They've all developed a case of loseritis. Characterized by symptoms of accepting losing with a care free attitude.

Losers with a loser mentality.

If there was any pressure to win these players would all be run out of town by now. Instead it looks like 4/5 of them are coming back. Even Marner would still be here if he didn't wage war against team, media, and fans resulting in turning everyone against him.

At the end of the day the players and fans have one thing very much in common... everybody wants them to win but nobody really gives a damn if they don't.

This. lt's time to cut a few underperformers loose. Marner and Tavares won't suddenly improve with bigger contracts.

 

[Craig Button]

Personally, I think the pressure and toxicity in this market comes from the horrible media. Leaf fans just want to see a competitive team that fights until the end most nights. The Burns and Quinn era teams didn't win, but it was an enjoyable product on the ice that is looked back on with fondness. The current iteration of the team loses like losers and they are grossly overpaid in comparison to the other stars in the league, that is where most of the fan animosity stems from.

The pat burns era played well for a season and a half and then the losing streak kicked in and then Burns was fired.

 

[hullsy47]

The pat burns era played well for a season and a half and then the losing streak kicked in and then Burns was fired.

My intention is not to be insensitive, players are different.

However, the way I view it, if you don't embrace pressure, welcome it and enjoy it, how did you even make it to the NHL to begin with? How do you ever expect to win a Stanley Cup?

You know what is pressure? Being a single mom raising three kids on a salary that pays min. wage. How about those who cut down trees every day, one of the most dangerous jobs in Canada and knowing that if you aren't alert you might not make it home that night.

Pressure is relative. There is absolutely no self-made success without pressure.

Clearly some of these players can't handle the pressure of big games and moving away from them is the best decision. Find those who LOVE the pressure and respond with fight instead of flight.

In every major american football soccer or MLB market
Sports talk shows are way more critical
Just because leafs fans care about over paid losers the leafs get crucified
I bet the panthers parade drew maybe 100 k

 

[mjd1001]

Pressure vs being Clutch.

I'm personally an analytical person. I don't much believe in things like 'momentum' and being 'clutch' and 'pressure situations' in sports. I mean, yeah I do, but I think they are over-rated.

But then I think of my friend Phil, and I always reconsider.

No sure, he is no where near a professional athlete, but from the time we were little kids playing video games, to playing one on one basketball as teenagers at the playground, and now with us playing golf...he is an example of someone who wilts under pressure big time. He can play you close every time, but when it gets really close, he turns into the worst player in the world every single time.

So, maybe these guys in the NHL have enough experience, enough sports psychology courses, where they handle it better than us 'average joes'....but it only takes a little bit of a slip-up, just a little bit gripping the stick tighter, and that can be the difference between scoring that game tying goal or having it go 1 inch wide.

 

[Leafsfan74]

Pressure vs being Clutch.

I'm personally an analytical person. I don't much believe in things like 'momentum' and being 'clutch' and 'pressure situations' in sports. I mean, yeah I do, but I think they are over-rated.

But then I think of my friend Phil, and I always reconsider.

No sure, he is no where near a professional athlete, but from the time we were little kids playing video games, to playing one on one basketball as teenagers at the playground, and now with us playing golf...he is an example of someone who wilts under pressure big time. He can play you close every time, but when it gets really close, he turns into the worst player in the world every single time.

So, maybe these guys in the NHL have enough experience, enough sports psychology courses, where they handle it better than us 'average joes'....but it only takes a little bit of a slip-up, just a little bit gripping the stick tighter, and that can be the difference between scoring that game tying goal or having it go 1 inch wide.

Yesh. The neurons fire up and the blood flows, you sense a newfound focus. It's really a fight or flight instinct. Worse as in sports, you don't have an option to leave the situation so you do the next best thing, you choose to fail.

Consider the mother who picks up a car when their child is stuck under them or a guy fighting for his life in the winter when his car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.


Some people find that instinct within and they refuse to accept it. Sometimes you give it all but just can't get it done, in sports that's just because the other guy wanted it more and/or you both wanted it equally and they had more to give.

You can't measure it, but you can see it when the game shifts come playoffs.