How bad is the morale of the fanbase right now?

[justashadowof]

COVID or not the fact that MLSE needs to give out free tickets is very telling.

Is MLSE really handing out free tickets this season? I can see that season ticket holders are having trouble finding people to gift game tickets to by the number of empty seats.

 

[kesleaf]

It’s really bad. There is a huge divide between leaf fans. This is no longer that passion that unites us all.

This is basically it right here.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Most fans are in a holding pattern waiting for another shoe to drop i.e. significant changes to be made. At this point it seems inevitable.

But who knows. Maybe the organization wants to tank for a top 3 pick.

 

[budzz]

Personally I was pretty well disgusted after game 6 last year. I didn't even watch game 7 since I KNEW what was going to happen. Last time they won a cup I was 2... have pictures as a 3 year old wearing a Leaf Jersey. Not sure how long you can keep watching the same 18 wheeler off a cliff year after year.

Oh I kept telling myself they are young... Tampa had some great teams that went no-where for a few years. Washington same. Blah blah blah. I used to tune into games to see what Matthews was going to do. At this point he could score 60 goals and I wouldn't care in the least. I used to defend Marner, and he is a great player, but how can you defend anymore? 11 million and has NEVER carried the team on his back for any important game. Doesn't seem to be any "elevate your game" there. Matthews has been decent in playoffs, and Willy comes to play, after that? Still hoping Tavares has another gear left (might well have been a difference maker last year, 2 ot's but oh well). Reilly? Our number one? Ug.

For a young core that was somewhat like-able for a minute there, not so much anymore.

*edit - can't say enough about Spezza, too often the best Leaf on the ice, I'd take 3 more of those **

I won't start to care again until game 1 of round 2, then they'll peak my interest, if they ever get there. Until then, meh.

 

[JSn0w93]

Personally I was pretty well disgusted after game 6 last year. I didn't even watch game 7 since I KNEW what was going to happen. Last time they won a cup I was 2... have pictures as a 3 year old wearing a Leaf Jersey. Not sure how long you can keep watching the same 18 wheeler off a cliff year after year.

Oh I kept telling myself they are young... Tampa had some great teams that went no-where for a few years. Washington same. Blah blah blah. I used to tune into games to see what Matthews was going to do. At this point he could score 60 goals and I wouldn't care in the least. I used to defend Marner, and he is a great player, but how can you defend anymore? 11 million and has NEVER carried the team on his back for any important game. Doesn't seem to be any "elevate your game" there. Matthews has been decent in playoffs, and Willy comes to play, after that? Still hoping Tavares has another gear left (might well have been a difference maker last year, 2 ot's but oh well). Reilly? Our number one? Ug.

For a young core that was somewhat like-able for a minute there, not so much anymore.

*edit - can't say enough about Spezza, too often the best Leaf on the ice, I'd take 3 more of those **

I won't start to care again until game 1 of round 2, then they'll peak my interest, if they ever get there. Until then, meh.

I agree with a lot of this, at this point it's clear Tavares doesn't have another gear. He's on the wrong side of 30 and extremely lacks pull away speed and acceleration. Not trending well for him. Having that contract at 11 million for the next 3 seasons after this one will be extremely detrimental. I'm not sure how we get out of it, but that's up to management to find a way.

 

[ForsbergForever]

I remember the Quinn years from 1999-2004 and as a Habs fan, being genuinely worried I might have to watch the Leafs win the Cup.

I no longer have those fears...

That said, Montreal is in terrible shape too so hey, now we can commiserate together!

 

[JSn0w93]

I remember the Quinn years from 1999-2004 and as a Habs fan, being genuinely worried I might have to watch the Leafs win the Cup.

I no longer have those fears...

That said, Montreal is in terrible shape too so hey, now we can commiserate together!

Yeah those were some good teams. I had a lot of hope from, 2015-2020. It's pretty much all gone with this current group. We need a re-tool.

 

[egd27]

I don’t think so! I think regular season means nothing when they win. It will come down to the playoffs. I think a majority of leaf fans are on the same boat.

Personally, if they can show they can consistently beat teams across the entire NHL (not just Cdn teams) and show themselves to be a Top 8-10 team, I'd feel a lot better about them than I currently do.

I get the intent behind "the regular season means nothing" but I think that's an oversimplification.

 

[Vaive50]

Well, it's nice to know that we are not the only "good" team that has had a horrible season start, look at the Avs, Knights and even TB. Sure they have injuries but we also missed Matthews for the first 3 and even the Matthews we have now is not the same superstar we know.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

clearly its low its 11:21am and there still isnt a GDT thread for tonights game. owell

 

[Marshy]

Randomly found this 6 part Tweet from Peter Holland just now.

Thoughts? He is asking Leafs Nation to be supportive and not condemn Marner (and other players)....interesting not sure what to make of it but it's definitely mental for Marner and no matter how much blocking out of social media he claims he does I'm sure he feels the weight of Leaf fans expectations on him.

 

[ACC1224]

clearly its low its 11:21am and there still isnt a GDT thread for tonights game. owell

Pre-Game Talk: - Leafs @ Chicago - Wednesday 7:30

 

[ITM]

Hahah thanks. Laughter can be the best medicine and it's a prerequisite toward raising a child...or making it through Leafs fandom, for that matter.

Oh, don't I know it. Our son is huge. He's just turned 5 months and wears clothes for one year olds. He would be considered 50th-60th percentile for a one year old in weight! When he drops them, invariably it's in threes. He stares at us when he does it. Smiles in between and throughout, defies our previously held conceptions about how much an infant can dump and how loud it can be. He's outgrown a number of normal aged baby stuff, so there's always comedy. But it's his arse, which basically is just an extension of huge back that <pun intended> cracks us up. Beautiful big baby boy that sounds like a middle-aged man over fed from chili when he farts and poops, lol.

Leaf fan, father of children, overworked, no time to self for all intents and purposes (My "morning walk" is taking the bins in or checking the gate.)....You're post was a perfect curveball that did me a world of good.

POTY! Make it so!

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Oh, don't I know it. Our son is huge. He's just turned 5 months and wears clothes for one year olds. He would be considered 50th-60th percentile for a one year old in weight! When he drops them, invariably it's in threes. He stares at us when he does it. Smiles in between and throughout, defies our previously held conceptions about how much an infant can dump and how loud it can be. He's outgrown a number of normal aged baby stuff, so there's always comedy. But it's his arse, which basically is just an extension of huge back that <pun intended> cracks us up. Beautiful big baby boy that sounds like a middle-aged man over fed from chili when he farts and poops, lol.

Leaf fan, father of children, overworked, no time to self for all intents and purposes (My "morning walk" is taking the bins in or checking the gate.)....You're post was a perfect curveball that did me a world of good.

POTY! Make it so!

Best wishes for you and your family, my man. My daughter was born light (unsurprising, as both my wife and I are thin) and at one point 1st percentile in weight. We were doing everything to help her gain weight to little effect and it was an emotional roller-coaster. One day she just figured it out and went from 1st, to 4th, to 19th, to 37th and is now somewhere around the 40's.

This is now a child-rearing thread and I would argue it's on topic because child-rearing basically describes the Toronto Maple Leafs. The one exception is that raising children is highs and lows, while cheering for the Leafs is lows and ice-core-drilling-deep lows.

 

[LeafSteel]

Bad.

I don’t look forward to games anymore and my kids have tuned out too.
They used to get so excited to watch the games on tv and would put on their jerseys. None of that this season.

I find it telling that this is the 1st year their Christmas lists (yes Christmas) don’t have anything on it relating to the Leafs, just Blue Jay’s and Raptors stuff…..

 

[ShaneFalco]

Bad.

I don’t look forward to games anymore and my kids have tuned out too.
They used to get so excited to watch the games on tv and would put on their jerseys. None of that this season.

I find it telling that this is the 1st year their Christmas lists (yes Christmas) don’t have anything on it relating to the Leafs, just Blue Jay’s and Raptors stuff…..

Hearing this a lot - fans are tuning out and finding more entertaining things to do. Well done Dubas

 

[ITM]

Best wishes for you and your family, my man. My daughter was born light (unsurprising, as both my wife and I are thin) and at one point 1st percentile in weight. We were doing everything to help her gain weight to little effect and it was an emotional roller-coaster. One day she just figured it out and went from 1st, to 4th, to 19th, to 37th and is now somewhere around the 40's.

This is now a child-rearing thread and I would argue it's on topic because child-rearing basically describes the Toronto Maple Leafs. The one exception is that raising children is highs and lows, while cheering for the Leafs is lows and ice-core-drilling-deep lows.

Spot on! lol.

And re: percentiles...Our boy tracked big and then didn't in the last couple of months. He was born under seven pounds. At his four month he was 21 lbs 2 oz. And that's all wonderful, he's most certainly passed 23 pounds (the wife thinks over 24 pounds!, lol), BUT...his sleep...the wife nearly went completely bonkers the first three months. Then, as you note, he started sleeping more than 45 minutes a pop. They figure it out.

Best wishes for you and yours, TheGreenTBer!

 

[Enga Olly]

The bitter game 7 losses following up the wretched years of JF Jr/Burke/Nonis, have taken their toll. Just as bad as the worst of the Ballard years. We will lose some people just like we lost fans in the eighties.

Been a fan since I was a small child, my earliest Leaf memories go back as far as 1970/71. Right now - it's bad, losing to Montreal has left a mark. I think things will be fine in a months time but I understand the bitterness

 

[Tak7]

I've found this season really hard to pay attention to - I just can't muster up the energy or care to watch them right now.

I'll probably watch tonight, because tonight feels significant.

But it's been quite a while since I derived any joy from watching them. That 2016-2017 season seems like such a long time ago

 

[Throw More Waffles]

COVID or not the fact that MLSE needs to give out free tickets is very telling.

I think the causal fans don’t really care till they start winning. The diehard fans are generally less invested than ever. I live in Vancouver and this is the first year I sold my Leafs tickets bc I would rather make some money than watch them play.

When the leafs didn't sell out their opening night, it got blamed on covid. Then the Raptors immediately sold out on opening night...

Yeah, the vast majority of leaf fans are somewhere in between apathetic and furious.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Well, it's nice to know that we are not the only "good" team that has had a horrible season start, look at the Avs, Knights and even TB. Sure they have injuries but we also missed Matthews for the first 3 and even the Matthews we have now is not the same superstar we know.

Tampa won the cup last year. The avs a round. The Knights 2 rounds.

We're not angry at the rough start. We're angry that every game so far this year, they look like Columbus game 5 and Montreal game 7. We know those other teams can step it up and win rounds. The leafs look too much like more of the same.

 

[Mike1]

Randomly found this 6 part Tweet from Peter Holland just now.

Thoughts? He is asking Leafs Nation to be supportive and not condemn Marner (and other players)....interesting not sure what to make of it but it's definitely mental for Marner and no matter how much blocking out of social media he claims he does I'm sure he feels the weight of Leaf fans expectations on him.

I agree. Picking on one player for a team's follies is ridiculous & shouldn't be encouraged by anyone. I've never liked when that has gone on in the past. Mitch(along with many others) has to get his game back.

 

[Leafs87]

I’ve never hated the team on and off the ice more. Dubas is toxic af on and off the ice. We go from such a straight edge no talking to media, suits, no beards and long hair to Marner showing up in a Mickey Mouse shirt….. Both extremes have downsides but the latter is just so much worse.
On the ice I don’t even wanna get started tbh….

 

[DarkKnight]

I’ve never seen our fan base this disillusioned. And that’s sure saying something. I bet it’s starting to hit then MLSE bottomline too and they won’t stand for that.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Tampa won the cup last year. The avs a round. The Knights 2 rounds.

We're not angry at the rough start. We're angry that every game so far this year, they look like Columbus game 5 and Montreal game 7. We know those other teams can step it up and win rounds. The leafs look too much like more of the same.

I think this is a very good point to make.

On the surface it looks like we're overreacting to a 7 game bad streak coming off of a bad playoffs from a very strong regular season campaign. I get that.

But there are two factors, IMO, that justify the reaction:

1) This isn't an isolated problem. The play has been this way for a long time, strong regular seasons included. The team doesn't want to play for each other, they float, they don't go into the hard places, they give up on plays. It's not a new problem, the streak is just shining a microscope on the same problems of years prior that were mostly masked by talent...until they weren't.

2) The offseason. We just watched the Leafs shed any semblance of depth they had and replace it with bargain bin contracts, and this AFTER an incredibly disappointing playoffs. Fact is, they had to...and it's only going to get worse, not better.

Most of the time, teams that have hope going into the next season either attempted to shake up the team or address holes they had (even the Leafs teams of prior years did this to a certain extent), so there is some hope. This offseason? They did nothing except make those same holes even bigger. Where is the hope supposed to come from?

If anything I wouldn't classify it is an overreaction, rather a delayed reaction to an atrocious offseason.


Now I honestly believe they aren't THIS bad and they will turn it around to a certain extent... but if they keep on the path they are going we are stuck in mediocrity slowly bleeding to death.

I don't know how we right this ship without attempting something drastic and I don't know if management does something drastic without drama.




TL;DR it's bad and it's only going to get worse. Even if they start winning to mask the pain, it's only a matter of time before it's crushing again at this pace. Something needs to change, but I don't know what.

TL;DR was TL;DR bad, and you should feel bad.