[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