In How Many Series Would You Say The Leafs Have Choked?

[GlitchMarner]

The narrative seems to be that they're major chokers who regularly lose series they should win. But I think they're more a good regular season team that hasn't had much playoff success but hasn't been upset in the playoffs that often.

IMO, the series they lost to MTL was really the only one in which they've pulled a choke job since 2017. CLB wasn't exactly a juggernaut in 2020 but neither was TOR that year (I think the teams were tied in points percentage that year).

 

[Fledgemyhedge]

I’d agree its less choke and more that they fail to get the job done. Some people will just view being a very good regular season team and constantly losing in the first round in itself an overall choke and there’s merit to that.

TLDR: looking at each individual series isn’t bad, it’s looking at the track record in its totality

 

[Incognito]

They were clearly outmatched in 2017 and 2023 against Washington and Florida respectively. In all the other series mentioned here, they were competitive but just couldn’t seal the deal. The only one that they monumentally collapsed in to the point where they deserved to be tarred and feathered for it was against Montreal in 2021.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

I'm not great at remembering every specific year. That year against Montreal, definitely. Just because of how bad they were in G7.

One year against Boston where they led the series 3-1, just to lose 4-3 and where they were leading that G7 3-1, only to lose 4-3. I think that applies as a choke also.

Florida was a really good team two years ago, so it may not be a choke, but they didn't look good at all in that series...

So it's hard to say, sometimes it may not be a choke per say, but they haven't proved to be a good playoff team yet. And that's kinda the point of this game, championship wise.

 

[Aashir]

We’ve choked every year apart from 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023

2018: we were up 4-3 going into the third against Boston. Krug and Debrusk scored 2 of the worst goals I’ve ever seen on a goalie and we folded.

2021: up 3-1…

2022: up 3-2 headed into the third ij game 6. We take two penalties for a 5 on 3, get scored on and then give up an incredibly badly played GWG. Game 7 we can’t convert (again)

2024: up 1-0 in the third with like ~10 minutes left. Blow it and then blow the series on an awful coverage of a set dump in play

 

[Isaac Nootin]

We’ve choked every year apart from 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023

So not every year?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

2017 and 2018 the Leafs weren’t contenders.

2019 they signed Tavares and acquired Muzzin, were up 3-2 in the series with a chance to win at home and they blew it. Choke.

2020 Leafs had bigger names on their roster but they and Columbus were essentially even. Each team blew a 3-0 lead in back to back games and it was the only qualifying series that went the distance. Not a choke.

2021 biggest choke in franchise history.

2022 better record than Tampa, Leafs best goal differential I think in franchise history. Another 3-2 series lead, blew it. Choke.

2023 Florida was just on one and in their wake victimized not only the Leafs but the best regular season ever Bruins and swept a great Carolina team.

2024 Leafs team wasn’t very good and Boston was in control the whole way, not a choke.

So 3/8 series they’ve choked I’d say as a long time fan.

 

[Aashir]

So not every year?

sure focus on that instead of the rest of the post lol

 

[Voodoo Child]

3.5

Boston 2019, Montréal and Tampa 1. Sort of choked but not really last year against Boston.

All series where they could have won but lost twice instead. The Montréal choke was or should have been a take a look in the mirror moment.

They were just happy to be there against the Caps, the same Caps who won the Cup a year later.

Not even close to favored Boston 1, Boston 2024 they came back down 3-1 and couldn't close.

The CBJ play in series was a meme (like Covid was), sure on paper they may have been the better team and no disrespect to CBJ...but playoff hockey - in August, after 8 months of no hockey?

Florida just straight outclassed them, went to the finals, won the next year, plays heavy, nasty playoff hockey.

 

[hamzarocks]

2017 --> we choked after the series began. The 2017 caps were not doing well. Leafs up 2-1 and have a chance to take the series but crumble next 3 games and lose 4-2. I still give em a pass for this one

2018 --> we got whooped this series. Itwas like 2013. We were down 3-1 and then bruins go on their patented game 5 and 6 choke job giving leafs hope after some great goaltending from andersen. Game 7 leafs blow a 4-3 lead in 2 mins on a 4 v 4 with shit goaltending and defenseive play. Still leafs should have lost this in 5

2019 --> choked hard, we were the better team through 5 games and had 2 chances to knock them out and came up short both times

2020 --> horrific chokejob

2021 --> even worse choke job

2022 --> similar as 2019, we are better through 5 games and then fail to win both g6 and g7. Offense dies in g7 and leafs lose

2023 --> Panthers we get outplayed and dont look competitive to win the series. We sucked but were not in the series so not a choke job

2024 --> choke job, letting marchand torch us for 4 games and PP/PK being so ass cost us.


We choked 5 of the 8 options

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Voted all because I’m a hater

 

[Boreal01]

2021 is the most obvious selection

The only other series where it feels like they really “should” have won and didn’t was 2019

2020 having the 2nd most votes is bizarre, the Leafs were only even the higher seed in that series because they had a few more regulation wins before the shutdown and the series was as competitive as you’d expect between two teams with the same points %

I still maintain that loss wouldn’t be criticized nearly as much if they had lost to someone else, there was almost a sense of entitlement amongst some fans that the hockey Mecca would just steamroll one of the league’s lesser markets

 

[Moncherry]

I'll give them a pass for 2017 and 2018, since they were still a newer playoff team establishing themselves. 2019 onward is when the real failures began, but they weren't necessarily all 'chokes'.

-In 2019, they were probably the better team and failed to close out the series up 3-2. Lost to Boston again.

-2020 is kind of a weird one given the Covid situation and all that, but on paper they still lost to a team they probably should have beat.

-2021 was an absolute catastrophe and a monumental chokejob. Game 7 in particular was pathetic.

-2022 they should have won. You might say losing to Tampa in 7 isn't that bad, but they again failed to close out a series up 3-2. They should have ended it in Game 6 OT, just like with Montreal.

-2023 was more of a disappointment than a chokejob after finally managing to advance.

-2024 was somewhat of a chokejob considering the way it ended. They failed to advance against a very beatable Boston team, conceded right after going up late in Game 7, and then gave up a really weak OT goal almost immediately after it started.

Not all of the losses were clear chokejobs, but I voted 5/8.

 

[Caps8112]

imo choked is used incorrectly on the boards unknowingly or purposely to crap on another teams fanbase. The only choke the leafs did was whatever season they blew the 4-1 lead in game 7 to boston. Choking is suppose to be something along the lines of a team has put themselves in the greatest position to win and then doesnt.

 

[GlitchMarner]

imo choked is used incorrectly on the boards unknowingly or purposely to crap on another teams fanbase. The only choke the leafs did was whatever season they blew the 4-1 lead in game 7 to boston. Choking is suppose to be something along the lines of a team has put themselves in the greatest position to win and then doesnt.

I agree with the first paragraph.

It seems some don't know the definition of the word and just use it to disparage teams that have good seasons but don't have much playoff success. Losing to a better team isn't choking in and of itself. However, if you go up, say, 3-1 and then lose three in a row, it can be argued that that's a choke job.

I do think they choked against MTL any way you look at it. They were the higher seed and the better team on paper and blew a 3-1 series lead. But often they've been the lower seed in series they have lost or lost to a team that has gone on to reach the SCF.

 

[Mrb1p]

Id say the only one they didnt choke was against the Habs. Price was just better. He made Matthews his bitch.

That pokecheck coming out of the corner is an all-time sit the f*** down kid moment.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Voted all because I’m a hater

I like you because you're consistent lol

 

[bobholly39]

I voted Montreal only, but honestly considered voting none.

I'm a Habs fan and followed that one super close....and to me this was less about them choking, then Montreal (and Carey Price in particular) being outstanding. Leafs played crazy good (especially games 5 and 6, game 7 not so much) but Price was insane. But still - huge favorites, up 3-1, you have to call it a choke job I suppose.

But I think that's it.

The problem with the Leafs isn't so much that they choke - they're always competitive in their series. The problem is they don't have the killer instinct to close out series. Always close, yet end up losing.

Tampa choked against Columbus in 2019, big time. Leafs don't really have those types of showings.

 

[Strangle]

The two real chokes were 2013 in Boston and 2021 against montreal

But I added the Columbus series because there really wasn’t a reason the leafs shouldn’t have won that series

 

[LightningStorm]

The narrative seems to be that they're major chokers who regularly lose series they should win. But I think they're more a good regular season team that hasn't had much playoff success but hasn't been upset in the playoffs that often.

Bolded is correct. They are a talented team who's flaws catch up to them in the playoffs. Though starting in the 2018 playoffs, you'd expect them to have more than one playoff series win. 2021 was by far their worst choke. 2020 was the only other one I voted. Yes they underachieved that season, but I still thought they were better than CBJ.

The bigger issue though is no team has been screwed by the current playoff format more than the Leafs, and I'm far from a Leafs apologist. Funny that their two biggest chokes IMO occurred in the pandemic playoff formats. Here's a look at it starting in 2018 looking at who they faced in reality vs who they would've faced with 1-8 seeding, and speculation about how many more playoff series they could've won:

2018: #4 in the East, but had to face #2 Boston in R1. Would've faced the #5 Pens in R1. The Pens were the better team and had the experience, but they were running on fumes from their B2B cup wins. Tough to say how this series goes, but the Leafs at least would've had home ice and not a lot of pressure at this point. Tampa beat NJ in reality (this would've been the 1v8 matchup), and I think Boston beats CBJ (just like the next year) and the Caps beat the Flyers, meaning the Leafs play the Bolts in R2, and I think they lose that series should they beat the Pens in R1.

2019: #5 in the East, but had to play #2 Boston again in R1. Talk about a juicy matchup of the #5 Leafs vs #4 Isles in Tavares' first season in Toronto in 1-8 format. I do think the Isles win this series, as the matchup was favorable to them. In 1v8. CBJ beat TB in reality, same for Boston over Carolina in 2v7 (albeit in the ECF). I think the #3 Caps beat the #6 Pens for the 2nd straight season. So they would've faced the Caps or Pens, and I think they beat either had they upset the Isles, but lose to the Bruins in the ECF just like in R1 in reality.

2022: Returning to the regular playoff format. this was a loaded Eastern Conference, with 6 teams finishing with at least 107 points. The #3 Leafs would face the #6 Bruins, and I feel comfortable picking the Leafs this series. The #1 Panthers beat the #8 Caps in reality, as did the #5 Bolts to the #4 Rangers in the ECF. I also think the #2 Canes beat the #7 Pens. I do think the Canes beat the Leafs, though the Leafs would stand a chance. But they definitely lose to the Bolts in the ECF (they beat the Panthers in reality in R2, and the Leafs in reality in R1). One thing I will say about the real life R1 series they lost to the Bolts as a Bolts fan is the Leafs took us to 7 and were the only team who had to face Brayden Point, our leading goal scorerer from our B2B cup wins. He got injured early in game 7 and missed the rest of the playoffs, yet we beat the Panthers and Rangers by an even wider margin. The version of the Bolts the Leafs took to game 7 might've three peated against the Avs in the SCF had Point been healthy, so it's worth pointing that out about the Leafs when discussing this loss. One could even open up a can of worms of Point still getting injured in R1, and them still getting to the ECF since they beat the Rangers and Panthers without him anyway, but now having to face the Leafs without him instead of with him in reality. The Leafs would definitely have a better shot at winning this series and getting to the finals. But in the finals I think the Avs definitely beat them.

2023: The #4 Leafs face the #5 Rangers, who I think they beat. I also think the #3 Devils beat the #6 Bolts. The #8 Panthers upset the #1 Bruins, and the #2 Canes beat the #7 Isles, just like in reality. I think the Leafs beat the Devils, but lose to the Panthers in the ECF. Basically, the Panthers swap which rounds they beat the Canes and Leafs from reality.

2024: #5 Leafs lose to #4 Bruins, just like in reality.

2025: Still pending, but the #2 Leafs would face the #7 Devils instead of the #6 Sens.

2018 and 2019 are tossups, and I'll split the difference saying they beat the 2018 Pens but lose to the 2019 Isles. 2022 they win in R1, and reach the ECF in 2023. With all this speculation my predicted playoff wins since 2018 in a straight 1-8 playoff format are 4 series wins, 3 more than the single one they have in reality. For those who disagree, this is pure speculation on my part.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

They were clearly outmatched in 2017 and 2023 against Washington and Florida respectively. In all the other series mentioned here, they were competitive but just couldn’t seal the deal. The only one that they monumentally collapsed in to the point where they deserved to be tarred and feathered for it was against Montreal in 2021.

I really don't agree they were outmatched in 2023. They, like most of Florida's opponents, outplayed the Panthers. They weren't the 2024 Panthers

 

[SlapJack]

8 years in playoffs with 10 games where they could have clinched a series. One win. 0-5 at home. That's the definition of choking.

Even if they go to the conference finals this year, until they show they can win the biggest games, they'll never lose that label. Only way to erase it is to win it all at this point

 

[Machinehead]

Only really Columbus and Montreal.

The others were close series against teams that were probably favored going in, or should have been. I know Florida didn't have a great 2023 regular season, but we know who that team is in retrospect.

Being up in a series is nothing. 3-2 is nothing. 2-0 with both wins at home is nothing. You gotta be up 3-1 or 2-0 on the road for me to start worrying about a blown lead in a series.

 

[Toby91ca]

The narrative seems to be that they're major chokers who regularly lose series they should win. But I think they're more a good regular season team that hasn't had much playoff success but hasn't been upset in the playoffs that often.

IMO, the series they lost to MTL was really the only one in which they've pulled a choke job since 2017. CLB wasn't exactly a juggernaut in 2020 but neither was TOR that year (I think the teams were tied in points percentage that year).

I agree, the Montreal year, even though it was a weird COVID year, was a bit of a choke job....somewhat downplayed by the fact that was the year Tavares took that huge knee to the head.....must have shook the team.

Voting results seem super odd to me....maybe it's just general view that Leafs suck and choke all the time, who knows, but perhaps how people define choking as well. For example, if my team is the better team and we don't win, it's not necessarily a choke, but also, if I'm the underdog and lose, basically can't be a choke. Going through each year:

2017 - Huge underdogs, not a choke
2018 - Underdogs, not a choke
2019 - Underdogs, not a choke (again, by my definition, impossible for this to be a choke, but 41% suggested so?). Though, if I team is up 4-0 in game 7, 5 min to go.....going into the series as underdog or not....perhaps you call choke....but none of that happened in these years.
2020 - Teams were basically even, finished tied in the standings and weird play in series....hard to call this a choke (61% voted this a choke though)?
2021 - as noted above
2022 - No choke, fairly even teams, went to game 7, 1 goal game
2023 - No choke....lost to Cup finalists
2024 - Underdog, not a choke, went to OT in Game 7, but 42% think choke? I don't get it.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

5/8 of those series
17, 18, 19, 21, 22