[Matthew Tkachuk] Leafs would be unbelievable if the team wasn't in Toronto

[SharksFan1992]

I don't believe that argument. Being in a big, high-pressure market hasn't hurt other teams win titles: Yankees, Lakers, Celtics, Red Sox, NY Giants. The Leafs' lack of success comes down to decades of poor ownership and management. Dubas wanted to go against the grain and run a finesse team in the postseason regardless how inadequate it was for postseason play.

When your league has 30+ teams, some teams will go decades without winning anything. In a highly competitive league with so many teams, not every team can win it once in a 30-year period:

Ongoing:
Leafs - 58 years (0/0 Finals)
Canucks - 55 years (0/3 Finals)
Sabres - 55 years (0/2 Finals)
Jets/Coyotes/Mammoth - 53 years (0/0 Finals)

Past:
Rangers - 54 years 1940-94 (1/4 Finals)
Capitals - 44 years 1974-2018 (1/2 Finals)

There are "Leafs" in all of the 4 major sports, too:
NBA: Hawks (No Finals appearance since 1961)
NFL: Jets (No Super Bowl appearance since 1969)
MLB: Mariners (No World Series appearance since they began in 1977)

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Locker clean out today. The big, bad, media in the pressure cooker market did not ask a single, difficult, question. Matthews wasn't asked about what he meant by passengers, Marner was allowed to punt on FA, and no one pressed Berube on tactics.It's sports, they don't need to be put under a swinging light bulb in a dark room, but anyone from a mid-tier European club football team would snort at the idea that team faces undue pressure from fans and media if they watched today.

 

[Blazing Saint]

Its also a cultural and mental thing. Majority of hockey players grew up rich and have been told they are the best their whole lives. Football and basketball players, for the most part, had very different upbringings and have dealt with far more adversity

What about baseball players?

 

[NobleSix]

I don't think the market made them soft and mentally weak.

 

[JFedol]

The NHL honestly would be in a way better place if Toronto in another hypothetical universe, had all the historic best players playing for their franchise history.

Imagine if Howe or Orr were Leafs. Maybe the culture would be better instead of the half ass BS you see now.

 

[RevengeOfTheDrai]

The NHL honestly would be in a way better place if Toronto in another hypothetical universe, had all the historic best players playing for their franchise history.

Imagine if Howe or Orr were Leafs. Maybe the culture would be better instead of the half ass BS you see now.

Imagine if a Crosby or Ovechkin played for the leafs and Habs…as much as they’re talked about, we’d have 3 threads about them everyday

 

[behemolari]

The highs are also higher.

If you win, you would want to win in Toronto because you will live like a king for the rest of your life.

no, its just pressure and no one wants it

 

[GKJ]

Whenever you hear about stuff around the league about the pressure and attention being too much in Toronto, even if the perception is greatly flawed, we’re seeing tacit admissions that the belief exists. And in society today, it doesn’t matter what is true, it matters what people think. And clearly, they think it to be true because evidently the Leafs have been victims of ‘well, that’s hockey,’ and they get far too much heat for Things Happening.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Sounds like projection because Tkachuk couldn't cut it in a Canadian market to me

 

[Stephen]

I take these anti Toronto fanbase and media comments as sabotage and defamation. Create a belittling, toxic cloud around a division opponent and hurt their chances with players considering the market.

Not appreciated, Matthew Tkachuk, Paul Maurice and Brad Marchand. Stay in your lane.

 

[Fatass]

Sounds like projection because Tkachuk couldn't cut it in a Canadian market to me

His comments make no sense unless viewed through the lens of him being a loser to Canada at the Four Nations.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

The media pressure thing has gotta be the lamest excuse in sports. Plenty of players have thrived in big cities.

 

[Pucklington]

He's right. They are unbelievable outside TO. Just ask Hyman, Brown, Kapanen, and Klingberg.

 

[Fatass]

I take these anti Toronto fanbase and media comments as sabotage and defamation. Create a belittling, toxic cloud around a division opponent and hurt their chances with players considering the market.

Not appreciated, Matthew Tkachuk, Paul Maurice and Brad Marchand. Stay in your lane.

Yup. Could be considered tampering to say such negative things publicly about another market.

 

[Fatass]

He's right. They are unbelievable outside TO. Just ask Hyman, Brown, Kapanen, and Klingberg.

How great are Eichel, Reinhart, and ROR out of Buffalo? Each soon after leaving lead their new clubs to Cups. It’s not the market that’s the problem.

 

[Number8]

Florida players doing a master class of messing with Toronto.

Marchand basically saying that Game 7 pressure is kind of pressure, but not really. If you've been there before and won, it's kind of your job.

Tkachuk saying "it's hard for those guys" -- tough environment to play in -- "I feel bad for them".

It's all pretty funny.

If Marner, Tavares, and Matthews carried even the slightest tinge of "playoff warrior mode" I'd buy into it. But they don't and anyone who says they do is deluding themselves.

Tough to play in Toronto? Yes, I'm sure.

Reason this team has consistently failed when it's most important? I think not.

 

[Number8]

If Leafs players cannot handle playing in Toronto then they are mentally weak. Ignore social and mainstream media and the pressure is gone.

I agree completely.

But in terms of bolded above, it's really hard to stay away from Social when you're trying to keep track of Biebs and Drake and what latest fashion is calling for.

Gotta keep up with the fly outfits in play.

By the way, Haley Bieber is going to look more like her father and uncles than her mother as she ages. Those eyes. OUCH.

 

[sampollock]

After a decade of failure, us Leafs fans get:





15 minutes of soft ball questions and CYA LATER, thanks for the moolah!!

EPIC PRESSURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INSANE MEDIA!!!!!!!!!!!

nostrils is a loser

 

[sampollock]

I take these anti Toronto fanbase and media comments as sabotage and defamation. Create a belittling, toxic cloud around a division opponent and hurt their chances with players considering the market.

Not appreciated, Matthew Tkachuk, Paul Maurice and Brad Marchand. Stay in your lane.

or your 34 capt stand up and say something.

 

[Stephen]

or your 34 capt stand up and say something.

Toronto isn’t on trial.

 

[sampollock]

Toronto isn’t on trial.

the city was. core 5 said nothing
like they play defend the trolling

 

[Stephen]

the city was. core 5 said nothing
like they play defend the trolling

The city isn’t on trial. A bunch of assholes came into town and made slanderous remarks.

No one asked for Paul Maurice’s comments. He couldn’t cut it as Leafs coach 18 years ago and got turfed and it hurt his narcissistic bloviating pride and he needs to come here and perform on the big stage. His delusional comments about having middle schools named after you.

No one asked Matthew Tkachuk. Check his playoff history in another Canadian market.

No one asked Rat Brad Marchand about pressure. And let’s talk about how his Bruins choked Game 7 at home to St. Louis in 2019. How his Bruins choked 2013 to the Blackhawks at home in Game 6 to lose a Stanley Cup in 30 seconds. Let’s talk about the Bruins blowing a 3-0 lead to Philadelphia in 2010. Let’s talk about the Bruins with Marchand as captain m posting 135 points in a regular season and choking a 3-1 lead to Florida. Let’s talk about Marchand getting turfed from Boston only to bandwagon with a team who punched him in the head out a series.

Why talk about Toronto as a city when you’re no stranger to failure and pain yourself?

Hell I’ll stand up for Toronto. What other sport has athletes shying away from being an LA Laker so they can go win on the New Orleans Pelicans?

 

[sampollock]

The city isn’t on trial. A bunch of assholes came into town and made slanderous remarks.

No one asked for Paul Maurice’s comments. He couldn’t cut it as Leafs coach 18 years ago and got turfed and it hurt his narcissistic bloviating pride and he needs to come here and perform on the big stage. His delusional comments about having middle schools named after you.

No one asked Matthew Tkachuk. Check his playoff history in another Canadian market.

No one asked Rat Brad Marchand about pressure. And let’s talk about how his Bruins choked Game 7 at home to St. Louis in 2019. How his Bruins choked 2013 to the Blackhawks at home in Game 6 to lose a Stanley Cup in 30 seconds. Let’s talk about the Bruins blowing a 3-0 lead to Philadelphia in 2010. Let’s talk about the Bruins with Marchand as captain m posting 135 points in a regular season and choking a 3-1 lead to Florida. Let’s talk about Marchand getting turfed from Boston only to bandwagon with a team who punched him in the head out a series.

Why talk about Toronto as a city when you’re no stranger to failure and pain yourself?

Hell I’ll stand up for Toronto. What other sport has athletes shying away from being an LA Laker so they can go win on the New Orleans Pelicans?

your press asked them all
Paul M is a cup winning top coach. just cause TO fired him he is bum

 

[SavBigMoneyAtBedards]

Sounds like projection because Tkachuk couldn't cut it in a Canadian market to me

2021-22 as a Calgary Flames player:

82 games
42 goals (6 gwg)
62 assists
104 points

 

[um]

The NHL honestly would be in a way better place if Toronto in another hypothetical universe, had all the historic best players playing for their franchise history.

Imagine if Howe or Orr were Leafs. Maybe the culture would be better instead of the half ass BS you see now.

Leafs do have a history of waiting. They didn't have the generational player, but they had a lot of superstars.