Is It Curse Or Culture?
The Logical Leafs Fan
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I don’t…
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hmmmphf…
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This is just….
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!
This is pain. This is devastation. This is heartache. This is not the outcome I was hoping for. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been eliminated in round 1, game 7, of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the 2-time reigning defending Stanley Cup champions.
But the Maple Leafs did not do what they normally do. They did not fall apart. They did not break down. They did not blow a massive lead. They went toe-to-toe with the Tampa Bay Lightning and they almost won it.
This series has been absolutely even since the very start of the series. One could argue that if John Tavares’ goal wasn’t turned over, the outcome may have been different.
It was only a one goal difference. The Tampa Bay Lightning won 2–1.
But the Leafs never gave up. To the dying minutes, they played strong and hard. They had great opportunities but couldn’t capitalize. Plenty of Leafs fans gave up. As soon as they lost game 6, it was “here we go again” and hope began to die.
In game 1, Sheldon Keefe, coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, stated that he felt that the fans were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd stars of the game. That their intensity helped the Leafs win 5–0. Where did those fans go by game 7?
They gave up. Their hearts sank. Traumatize by previous years, that familiar feeling returned.
“The big boys need to show up!” many said. And they did. But the fans didn’t show up when the Leafs needed them most. They’re not going to see this as the Leafs going 12 rounds with the back-to-back champs and almost taking this. They’re going to see this as a failure and typical of this team. They’ll be calling for everyone’s heads.
And I think that’s a mistake. This team did not fail because it wasn’t good enough. They did not fall apart. They did not collapse. No matter who won this series, a great team was getting knocked out in the 1st round. This team is good. This team is really good.
I may be in the minority but I believe Kyle Dubas has done a great job as General Manager. He’s improved the team every year while juggling cap issues through a pandemic. It’s not the time to blow things up.
But I’m also not sure what the solution is. These wounds are still too fresh to look at everything objectively. This is pain. This is devastation. This is heartache.
This is the end of a great playoff series. This is the end of another Toronto Maple Leafs year.
This one is difficult to write. It’s taking me additional time to process this loss.
I am happy to see that there will be no significant changes to the management group. Kyle Dubas will remain the General Manager and Sheldon Keefe will remain the coach. I would not be surprised, however, if some of the pieces surrounding them change.
I think Keefe could benefit from a veteran NHL coach on his team. The Leafs had the right idea last year when Kyle Dubas tried to woo Bruce Beaudreau to join the coaching staff. But you can’t blame an NHL coach for choosing a job as an NHL head coach instead.
So what next for the Toronto Maple Leafs? I think that’s a great topic of discussion for the next episode of… The Logical Leafs Fan.
Once I’ve had time to ponder the season in its entirety, along with the postseason, I’ll provide my forecast as to what could very well be next for the Leafs and what I’d like to see.
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Love you all !!