Do the Leafs get more credit in hindsight for taking the Panthers to 7 games?

[NYRnine94]

If the Panthers win the Final series in 5 or 6 games, the Leafs will be re-appraised - even though the Buffalo Sabres would have won the first two games of that second round series with the goaltending Florida was receiving.

The Leafs lost lmao why should they be given any credit at all? They lost, they aren't good enough. A bunch of spoiled rich millionaires need a pat on the back for failing once again?

 

[1989]

Respect, handshake line, etc.

Rinse and repeat and you get the Maple Leafs. They didn't even tire out the Panthers enough to stop them from potentially sweeping their next opponent, and they've played the most hockey (2 Finals appearances + significant stars played in the 4 Nations) in the League in recent seasons.

 

[NYRnine94]

No. The copium from the leafs fanbase is insane

It's a habit of the world in 2025. Teams lose and people still want to say "well we almost won" but almost doesn't mean anything. Like it's supposed to change anything. Everybody gets a trophy, nobody loses today. Toronto didn't get eliminated in embarassing fashion, they went down in 7 against Florida who might win another cup but they tried hard! I mean, are people serious?

 

[1989]

It's a habit of the world in 2025. Teams lose and people still want to say "well we almost won" but almost doesn't mean anything. Like it's supposed to change anything. Everybody gets a trophy, nobody loses today. Toronto didn't get eliminated in embarassing fashion, they went down in 7 against Florida who might win another cup but they tried hard! I mean, are people serious?

Carolina didn't get swept! Brind'Amour was there.

 

[NYRnine94]

Carolina didn't get swept! Brind'Amour was there.

If Rod says "well the games were close, could have went the other way" then he's a loser and that's why his team gets destroyed every year. This mindset of "well we kept it close" is bullshit. Say it like it is and maybe your players will play with some fire instead of sugarcoating everything.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

You mean our old backup?

Yep. That series was a series the Leafs a build off of. Where they find a Tkachuk, who knows, but I was more impressed with them this year than any other.

They don't need a Tkachuk, they need to take the Marner money and turn it into at least 2 top 6 forwards, preferably with size..

I keep bringing up Mason Marchment due to Dallas's cap situation

 

[Mobiandi]

No they should have beaten the Panthers. Everyone knows the Canes aren’t real contenders

 

[kevsh]

The Leafs know how to win playoff games, they just don't know how to win playoff series.

More specifically, they look like championship material when their opponent takes too many penalties (Ottawa, game 1), or comes out flat (Florida, most of game 1 & 2), has really bad goaltending (Ott/Flo in the first few games) but once their opponent starts to play playoff hockey and/or their goalie decides to stop pucks Toronto is pretty awful.

If Florida played anywhere close to the way they did for 50 minutes in game 7 they would have swept the Leafs. In fact, if not for Ottawa's inexperience & sloppy goaltending early on they likely they would've beat Toronto in the first round.

Which is crazy because the Leafs finished 4th overall in a division that produced 5 playoff teams. In other words, they don't pad their numbers against weak teams. Their roster - regular season-wise - is as good as any team in the league (or very close).

But when $40M+ in cap space manages one goal combined in the final four games of a series, all that doesn't matter. It's just a reality for this group, they can't rely on their stars when they need them most and so they lose, every year.

As for game 7 itself, that was most of the team s***ing the bed, not just the stars, so I don't even know how you begin to address that. But to answer OP's question, no they don't deserve any credit.

 

[SirKillalot]

Yes, and for that they are getting the Little Stanley Cup.
Auston Matthews, come hoist the Little Cup.

 

[x Tame Impala]

No, the East is very weak this year. Florida’s only tough opponent will be next round

 

[Doubledose]

Not when you lose a combined 12-2 the final two games on home ice.

That's my main issue this time around. Felt different but then those two games there's just no excuse.

 

[Laus723]

They don't need a Tkachuk, they need to take the Marner money and turn it into at least 2 top 6 forwards, preferably with size..

I keep bringing up Mason Marchment due to Dallas's cap situation

He could be a good target, he has flaws, but he’s big and isn’t afraid to mix it up. I enjoyed him, I’m sure he’s less raw since he was here.

 

[Kranix]

So much respect for the leafs now. Totally different team this year

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

People are always looking for a way to make excuses for the Leafs. They played the defending champs, they took a team to 6 or 7 games, etc., etc., etc. The fact is the Leafs earned their playoff choker reputation because of YEARS of constantly failing in the playoffs, not for one single, isolated series loss.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Losing 7 straight game 7’s and failing to get out of the second round for 10 straight years now with the same core.
What are the odds?
If they want respect they need to go on a deep run and beat some of the top teams.

 

[Mike C]

Fully believe that if the Leafs were in Florida's position they would be doing the same to Carolina

I also believe that if the Leafs were in Carolina's position, Florida would be doing the same thing to them

 

[avocadosmoothie]

Embarrassing

purely logical

 

[NVious]

Honestly they do to some extent, but simultaneously the stench of all the other years is too strong for that to be a thing.

Even this year, they didn't lose respectfully and honestly it could be said they choked the series away in games 3/4/5/7.

Who do you really give credit to?

The D was good in a few games but was mostly bad-horrendous
Woll was good in a few games, but abysmal in others (Stuart Skinner level of save percentage)
Nylander came out like he was in McDrai tier and then had 0 goals/0 assists in his final 4 game
Matthews and Marner were ok, but you don't get paid the top dollars to just be ok
The depth scoring wasn't there
Tavares had one fantastic game and then did literally nothing all at the low cost of $11 million
Berube didn't make any great adjustments

Ultimately it was more of the same as a whole, as always the Leafs leave you wanting A LOT more. If this was year 4-6, you could make excuses and compliment them, but this was year 9 and the last year of the core, do or die and they didn't just die, they died in one of those medieval torture machine fashions.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

No.

 

[Fatass]

Losing 7 straight game 7’s and failing to get out of the second round for 10 straight years now with the same core.
What are the odds?
If they want respect they need to go on a deep run and beat some of the top teams.

The Leafs will be a much different looking team next year. No Marner. Likely no Tavares. Losing depth players. They might be worse?

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I think it's obvious Toronto was the second best team in the East. That said I'll bet leafs fans are tired of moral victories. You either win the cup or you don't.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Toronto was pretty clearly one of the top 2-4 teams in the East heading into the playoffs. Not much has changed on that front, imo, although I guess you can say they are top 2-3.

Toronto deserves a lot of credit for taking Florida to 7, but I think that result was also pretty fortunate for Toronto despite Florida taking some time to get up to speed to start rnd. 2.

 

[eojsmada]

For me...no. Florida took their foot off the gas for game 6.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Every playoff year it seems that the eventual Cup winner (not saying Florida wins the Cup but they’re the favourites) has trouble in at least one series. Is the team that gives the most trouble the second best team? Maybe. Or maybe they just play a style that is effective against the champs or catch the champs when they’re most vulnerable. Bob and Tkachuk in particular look to have improved as the playoffs have progressed.
It’s really impossible to say what a Toronto-Carolina match up would have looked like.

 

[RevengeOfTheDrai]

The Leafs will be a much different looking team next year. No Marner. Likely no Tavares. Losing depth players. They might be worse?

In the regular season maybe. I trust whatever UFAs/trades they get with Marner’s cap to be more impactful in the playoffs.