When did you know it was over for this group?

[Nineteen67]

Because they will just keep believing it. And they might very well win a round this year, than they will all beat their chests. However, anything less than ECF should be considered a fail at this point.

I fully expect them to win a round this year, but anything beyond that is gravy.

 

[Mess]

I fully expect them to win a round this year, but anything beyond that is gravy.

It has been 18 years and counting since the Leafs won a playoff series.

I also believe this is the year that Leafs finally end that streak.. If they don't then that would be more shocking then winning for me.

However, I'm taking a far more casual approach to the regular season, and investing less emotionally on a game to game basis. knowing that the regular season results simply don't matter except for qualifying for the playoffs, and don't dictate playoff success.

I've seen #3 offense Leafs team lose to the #3 lowest scoring CBJ, The heavily favoured Leafs lose to the lowest ranked team entering the playoffs Montreal and even when Leafs have home ice advantage, they still lose to TB and walk away proudly because of a handshake respect.

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me" .. I'm simply no longer going to get fooled by regular season results, into believing the final results will be different.

 

[Byron Bitz]

I’m surprised more of you arnt understanding of the pessimistic fans and where we are coming from. You’ve all seen first hand what we have been through. Losing in game 7 of the first round every year has been extremely painful for passionate fans like myself.

 

[DragoGrizzly]

I’m surprised more of you arnt understanding of the pessimistic fans and where we are coming from. You’ve all seen first hand what we have been through. Losing in game 7 of the first round every year has been extremely painful for passionate fans like myself.

Everyone is hurt and disappointed in this team’s playoff failures the past few years. Everyone. Most of us are WAY too emotionally invested in this team, myself definitely included. It’s fine to be pessimistic, it’s the calling other fans of our own fanbase foolish for wanting to cheer for this itineration of the Leafs that seems a bit silly. The juvenile “Dubasite” insult and such, as if fans that want to cheer are just blind idiots. I like watching the regular season. Moments like Marner’s point streak run and Matthew’s 60 goal run are fun to watch. Fun. The purpose of watching sports. It’ll be a hell of a lot more fun when they win a playoff round. Let’s hope they do it.

 

[GoonieFace]

I fully expect them to win a round this year, but anything beyond that is gravy.

So you are content with this team winning one round?

 

[The Iceman]

You have to simply believe the law of averages odds of eventually winning a round has to be in the Leafs favour. That is where my Leafs hope reside.

If you flip a coin 10 X and its tails every time, eventually if you keep flipping it will come up heads as the law of averages suggests its inevitable.

0-10 in elimination games is already setting records across multiple team sports.

PS. I said that last year, and was wrong and the streak continued, so this must be the year

Nobody beats my Leafs 11 straight times in elimination games!!

 

[Judas Tavares]

Honestly, the air in here is really turning into, "If you believe in them once again after the year before and the year before that, you are stupid, foolish and childish."

Honestly, I have no idea why some of you are still here, other than to be the Grinch that thinks the hope that comes with fandom is stupid.

It's ok to be critical, but some of you seem like you're too embarrassed to ever hope and believe again. Like a friend, family member or the frothers on the main boards will think you're stupid and laugh at you if you get caught hoping and believing in a team that ends up losing again. That's fandom. It might be more useful and even healthier to cheer for another team that wins more often instead of lingering here, waiting (and even some hoping) to say "I told you so idiot, believing was stupid and so are you."

My goodness. The team owes you nothing, it's on you if associating yourself with them makes you miserable.

 

[Jeffrey Pedler]

Yes The Zamboni incident/accident was very embarassing.

Before that was the blowout in the third to Boston and I recall Chara going back to the bench mumbling."It's over" which got me giddy thinking We were actually going to step into a round two playoff. BUT....nope we choked,...then did the same only in a more embarrsing situation against the Habs. That was a total embarrasment of being a fan of the Leafs.

This team and their egos (especially Mitch) has been thouroughly dissapointing and most likely it is because of the way of what happened after Lou left.

We all were waiting for the boys to grow to men,..Lou supplied some protection, laid out his rules, Now when Dubas takes over, he aims at the Souix, takes away the dress code and now we are left with a bunch of entitled brats who think they already paid their dues to the NHL and probably think they are men. (which they are not)

The boards and corners prove it as we need real men to go into the corners fearlessly.

This soft team under the direction Of Dubas which thinks speed and puck possesion is the only tools they need which makes Dubas a tool! This team would be the best on an open lake where there are no boards.

We need to shake the sugar tree in a big way in order for the rest of the league to feel some sort of panickness when they play us and unfortunately Dubas doesn't get it and probably never watched "tin cup" the movie before in his life but we as fans have watched it over, and over, and over again with this team.

Of course like most of you, we have to wait until playoffs to see if we could bust throught the first round,........BUT.......with this team,....Getting out of the 1st round would be a celebration like they won the Stan and a 2nd round exit is more than likely to prevail.

This is all stemming from a poster who has a dog named Wendel.

The only other dog I would name after a Leaf player is a hot dog because most of them are weiners.

Go weiners go!

Shanny just take over...fire Dubas, trade Mitch, coach the team like Lou would have (unless you can get trotz) and find a replacement for yourself if you feel like bowwing/tapping out...Show some friggin tenacity!

Are you talking about the Boston collapse from the shortened season? If so, non of the current Maple Leafs were on that team.

Lou wouldn't have saved this team. He is no longer the GM he was during his New Jersey days.

Marner would be the last one of the big 4 to trade.

Matthews can fetch a kings ransom,

Nylander's price tag is very easy for other teams to swallow.

Tavares is getting older and should never have came to Toronto. Kadri was the perfect second line centre and would've cost much less.

Marner is easily marketable, plays well 5on5, PP and PKs(Kucherov, Rantanen and Pasta don't even do that).

 

[Sypher04]

This is one of the worst premise threads I’ve seen posted here in quite some time, and consequently a lot of the replies have gone the same direction.

 

[keonsbitterness]

OK

But been there done that. Remember November 2021?

View attachment 615997
View attachment 615996

Leafs go 12-2 !!!

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Leafs go 11-1-3 !!!

Leafs were 16-5-1 last year [22 games & 33 points] after Nov and they're 15-5-5 this year [25 games & 35 points].

What do you think makes this year different than the last one that the ending will be different?

The Leafs lost 10 in a row in Jan/Feb 1967 to sink below .500 (the real kind, not today's fake .500) yet still won the Cup. 2022 playoff success or lack thereof will depend entirely on the 2022 playoffs, not this regular season or prior years.

It's not a crime to enjoy regular season success during the regular season. We all get that the playoffs are a different animal.

 

[saltming]

I knew the moment I say this thread. I just thought there is no way this site will survive posting this shite

 

[Crosscrease14]

The Columbus series was when major changes needed to happen. The Montreal series the following year was just confirmation.

I still think this team can potentially win a round but are they contenders? I'm not sure this team is built to win. It's highly experimental.

 

[Notsince67]

I knew the moment I say this thread. I just thought there is no way this site will survive posting this shite

Why even infract other teams trolls for coming here when the so-called fans do a far better job tearing this team down

 

[willmma]

So for the ones that know it's over for this group, if you could indulge me...

Who and how would you change this group to make it successful in the playoffs? Serious question.

 

[The Podium]

So for the ones that know it's over for this group, if you could indulge me...

Who and how would you change this group to make it successful in the playoffs? Serious question.

It seems like they forgot the years of a perpetual rebuild. It’s better, and more likely to lead to success, if they double, triple, quadruple down on this group and hope they can overcome the mental barrier than tear it down and start all over.

People seem to take for granted how difficult it is to be a perennial playoff team in this league, the success will come.

 

[Enga Olly]

It has been 18 years and counting since the Leafs won a playoff series.

Technically true but more accurately, this group has lost 6 years in a row. Not happy about it, very disappointing and frustrating and certainly nothing to defend but this whole 18 years narrative is only technically true and is more hyperbole perpetuated by haters than it is reflective on this particular team. And really it's been so close most of those years, some stupid brain cramps, some bad calls and definitely no clutch goaltending.

All super frustrating but cleaning house would be the wrong move

 

[Gary Nylund]

So for the ones that know it's over for this group, if you could indulge me...

Who and how would you change this group to make it successful in the playoffs? Serious question.

I've asked this before, IIRC the only answer I get is fire Dubas. He was stupid to sign JT and now we're top heavy and therefore doomed since he's doubling down etc.

I don't agree, I still say we're one of the favorites this year to win it all and other than Colorado, there's not a team in the league who's chances I would say are better than ours.

 

[mikeyz]

So you are content with this team winning one round?

Of course bot, but, at least it’s some form of progression from what weve seen in the last 6 years.

Thats how low the bar is. Lol.

 

[saltming]

Why even infract other teams trolls for coming here when the so-called fans do a far better job tearing this team down

Honestly no team is perfect but the team we have had rediculous potential and deservedly is a top team in the league.
I just they should be Sens fans to see what it's like to cheer for a team that is bottom feeder year after year

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Honestly, once Dubas took over and paid these guys big money. The Kadri trade and Tavares signing was the final nail

Again most fans loved the JT signing when it happened. Funny how we bail when things go south. Keeping positive as this team is now playing great.

 

[Jojalu]

Again most fans loved the JT signing when it happened. Funny how we bail when things go south. Keeping positive as this team is now playing great.

I am pretty sure Matthews and Matner signed after Tavares signed and the Kadri trade so I am not sure how they can be final nail

 

[thusk]

This will be met with a rolled up nose but the eye test maybe backed up by analytics that I don't spend time with.

In watching all the games with a finger on the rewind button I watch the games carefully.
Quite frankly the teams defenseman are well below league average, but the forwards played different this month once the injuries hit on the back end.

Much more attention to the D side and a sense of urgency not previously on display. Literally the d-zone filled with Leaf jerseys, in shooting lanes, not blowing the zone early.
Very much a flash back to me to the Burns era with more talent available up front.

IMO there is a reason certain teams/coaches goalies always look good. It is the way the team plays in front of them.

Kallgren is back with the Marlies and I think Leafs fans are happy with his results.
Truth is he had a save % that starts with a .8 and a 3-6 W-L. But the team slowed the game down and still allowed us to get 10 points in 9 games with Kallgren in.
I believe this was a concious effort by the coaches and the team with a comprimised backend.
IF the team continues with this style of play they have a chance come Spring.

Just getting a goalie able to make key saves at key time... Campbell had been trash during key game and key moment.

Game #6 vs tampa

Palat goal yes it was a great scoring chancr but was not a great shot... he was cheating in his left and get caught in his right ... was a save goalie need to make... you need your goalie being able to make hard saves not just easy one...

Second goal of cirelli, no reason to let that puck goes in weak shot who staying in the ice....

2 bad goal and leafs trailing already 2-0

They came back and took a lead and it was his chance to repair those 2 goal and yes on kucherov goal he was screen but i didn't like how he was fighting to track the puck... just played soft moving in his right and get caught in his left...

OT an other chance to make difference and help his team who was easily the best team on the ice... an othet low shot to campbell pad you allowed a juicy rebound and an other weak goal

Game #7

1st goal again an other shot he have to control but unable and gave up an other time 1st goal of the game...

Leafs came back and like 2min later allowed an other goal... no it was not an easy save but you need your goalie being able to save you at time...

Game #5-6-7 vs habs 2 years ago was the same thing if you watch carefully. Bad goal again and again at the worst time possible...

Thats also why i was pretty happy to see dubas going in a other direction than Campbell... Goalie is the most important player on the ice, matthews/ marner/ JT nylander and whatever can play a real huge game but if you goalie suck and dont make save he have to, you will loose almost everytime

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Is bipolar the best way to describe everything to do with this team?

 

[rojac]

Again most fans loved the JT signing when it happened. Funny how we bail when things go south. Keeping positive as this team is now playing great.

The COVID-caused flat cap has made the JT signing look worse. If not for COVID, the cap would likely be about $4-5M (or more) higher.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Is bipolar the best way to describe everything to do with this team?

The team or the fans?