Fan confidence of the Leafs: Athletic article

[tmlfan98]

Mirtle pumps Athletic readers full of pro Shanaplan propaganda. I'm not surprised that an Athletic poll would produce these kinds of skewed results.

These fans are so down bad that they will overanalyze every metric and what if scenario as copium for 6 straight opening round Ls in the Shanaplan era.

 

[Trapper]

Do you have more confidence in the Oilers?

Ignorance is bliss and right now, a tale of 2 fanbases, it’s like this.

1. For the Oilers getting to the 3rd round, it’s hoping you can win.

2. For the Leafs, 0-6, it’s hoping you don’t lose number 7.

If you want to sell me a product, you have to give me more of the 1st. That’s the confidence. What confidence (right or wrong) do the Oilers have today. It’s time for us or it’s time for change.

 

[ACC1224]

Heavily skewed poll.
A poll of Leaf fans would certainly have different results.

 

[zeke]

Ignorance is bliss and right now, a tale of 2 fanbases, it’s like this.

1. For the Oilers getting to the 3rd round, it’s hoping you can win.

2. For the Leafs, 0-6, it’s hoping you don’t lose number 7.

If you want to sell me a product, you have to give me more of the 1st. That’s the confidence. What confidence (right or wrong) do the Oilers have today. It’s time for us or it’s time for change.

What does "(right or wrong)" mean?

 

[Dekes For Days]

A poll of Leaf fans would certainly have different results.

This was a poll of Leaf fans.

 

[Menzinger]

I think it's fair to say that demographically the Athletic likely draws a slightly younger and/or fans who are more inclined to follow trends in analytics than average. Though it's also fair to say that doesn't mean their entire reading base fits in those categories.

I also don't find those results particularly surprising. The average fan likes star players (which this roster has a number of) and tend to usually like whomever is in management/behind the bench. This is a team that has exciting players to watch and makes the playoffs - that fills the main requirements for most people's desire when they watch hockey.

 

[colchar]

It's behind a paywall so I'll just sum up the most relevant polls.

68% of the fanbase understood that losing to the Lightning is just a case of a good team losing to a good team.

Confidence in this core (Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Rielly) going forward on a scale of 1-10. 1-5 collectively got 16%. 6 got 9.9%. 7 got 22.2%. 8 got 31.8%, 9 got 14%, 10 got 5.8%. Confidence is high.

Sheldon Keefe from 1 to 10 - Fanbase is pretty positive on him in general. 10.2 disapprove (1 to 4), 83% approve (6-10), 7.8% are in the middle.

Dubas' approval ratings is - probably much to the dismay of many of you, is similar. 85.6% of the fans polled rated him between 6-10. 5.1% are in the middle at 5. 9.3% rated him between 1-4.

Will the Leafs win a round next year? 83% yes.

If they don't, should they clean house in the front office? This is where the fanbase is split. 52% say yes, 47% say no.

Most overrated Leaf - Tavares with 40% of the vote. Most underrated was Brodie with 30% of the vote.

91.5% of the fanbase think Sandin and Liljegren should be in the lineup next year meaning Holl would be the odd man out.

Polls are complete BS and only represent the views of those who participated so they should not be making claims about "the fanbase". Polls are also incredibly easy to manipulate.

 

[ACC1224]

Polls are complete BS and only represent the views of those who participated so they should not be making claims about "the fanbase". Polls are also incredibly easy to manipulate.

Yeah I don't think anyone takes them seriously. They may as well have polled Gramms Dubas' Bridge Club, would have the same legitimacy.

 

[zeke]

Yep, the opinions of a handful of posters here are much more objective than a poll of 4000 leafs fans there.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Mirtle pumps Athletic readers full of pro Shanaplan propaganda. I'm not surprised that an Athletic poll would produce these kinds of skewed results.

These fans are so down bad that they will overanalyze every metric and what if scenario as copium for 6 straight opening round Ls in the Shanaplan era.

Also, is this poll exclusive to Leafs fans?

 

[ACC1224]

Here is the most recent poll here.

Should the Leafs make front office changes?

This isn't Basketball, for a start that sport is more inclined to trade it's top end players and one guy isn't playing 48 minutes a night either Now Daisy I'd like you to tell me who Kawai Leonard is in this situation because I'm pretty sure Edmonton isn't going to trade us Drai for Nylander...

hfboards.mandatory.com

 

[Buds17]

Tavares is "overrated" strictly based on AAV/cap hit, IMO. I'm surprised that Brodie is viewed as being underrated. I'd probably go with a player that is situated lower in the lineup than he is when evaluating something of that sort. Finally, I don't think the problem was losing to Tampa as much as it was experiencing yet another first round loss in general. Being in control and ultimately coughing up that series lead always stings too.

 

[zeke]

Here is the most recent poll here.

Should the Leafs make front office changes?

This isn't Basketball, for a start that sport is more inclined to trade it's top end players and one guy isn't playing 48 minutes a night either Now Daisy I'd like you to tell me who Kawai Leonard is in this situation because I'm pretty sure Edmonton isn't going to trade us Drai for Nylander...

hfboards.mandatory.com

227 votes.

 

[Dekes For Days]

It's so weird. I remember the vague opinion of 5 people in a poll being incorrectly referenced for years around here, but now I've come to learn that polls are meaningless and not to be taken seriously, even if they have 4,000 participants. That's good to remember.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I think it's fair to say that demographically the Athletic likely draws a slightly younger and/or fans who are more inclined to follow trends in analytics than average.

Agreed. But I'd also say this site skews closer to the opposite crowd. Neither group is going to be a proper representation imo.

 

[Nineteen67]

Mirtle and Siegal were quite surprised to discover that Cernak was a big strong effective defencman. They should include a caveat if the readers and responders to the survey don’t watch hockey either.

 

[Menzinger]

Agreed. But I'd also say this site skews closer to the opposite crowd. Neither group is going to be a proper representation imo.

I'd agree with that. The crowd that comes to these boards definitely has their own set of biases/preferences that likely seperates opinions here from the wider fan base.

 

[hamzarocks]

Leaf fans are a different breed

Lose in the 1st round again and no changes to the core/coaching/managment

Hard to believe.

Fans are content with the way things are I guess.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Leaf fans are a different breed

Lose in the 1st round again and no changes to the core/coaching/managment

Hard to believe.

Fans are content with the way things are I guess.

It's mind boggling. Because they gave an effort this year!? Same issues however, PP, coach can't adapt, best players shut down in the final games, coach benching some and playing others etc

 

[Sypher04]

I see a lot of posts saying the ECF was played in the first round, so im assuming thats why confidence is still high in the management team, but winning 3-4 rounds is still a lot harder than winning 1 round, even if its against a good team. They playoffs are a war of attrition, not a 1 round sprint (that you still lose)

I cannot speak specifically to the posts you’ve seen or not seen, but my sense is that what’s actually been said in most of these cases has been getting misrepresented by comments like yours.

I don’t think I’ve seen many, if any, people claim that our series was the ECF. What is being said, is getting Tampa is the kind of matchup you’d like to see come in an ECF and not round one based on the fact we were 4th in the entire league

 

[ShaneFalco]

Yep, the opinions of a handful of posters here are much more objective than a poll of 4000 leafs fans there.

Objective - lol yeah not a word you should use - ever

 

[Sypher04]

How about start winning or get sacked.
That seems reasonable no?
Shanahan has been here for 8 years and hasn’t won a playoff round. Not the Cup, just a round.
Life is give and take. If you want me to believe in a process, you need to show some success. The narrative would be different if we lost in the 1st, went to the 2nd or 3rd, lost in the 1st, etc.

Even Edmonton went to the 3rd with Mike Smith, Codi Ceci and Tyson Barrie. ???????

I don’t entirely disagree but it’s worth mentioning Edmonton won zero playoff games against a team anywhere close to Tampa

 

[tmlfan98]

Also, is this poll exclusive to Leafs fans?

No it's exclusive to Athletic subscribers.

 

[sittler rules!!!]

What was the sample size? How did they control for pre-test bias? What was the specific framing of the questions?

sample size was leaf wives, girlfriends and MLE employees

 

[Nylanderthal]

sample size was leaf wives, girlfriends and MLE employees

Also, is this poll exclusive to Leafs fans?

It was literally an open poll to all athletic subscribers who would read/follow leafs content and see it, so it wouldn’t just be “Leaf fans” although I’m sure the overwhelming majority (95%+) would be.