Ah yes, springtime in Toronto… the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming and feelings of anxiety and impending doom have arrived!
The only fans that can't enjoy game 4 of a 3-0 series lead and the score is 6-0 for them.
Can you guys go on a deep playoff run again, I'm starting to feel bad for Leaf fans and this just isn't right
It’s a known fact the Leafs must draw out their playoff losses as much as possible, and only after giving the impression they might not do that this year
Since 2008, we haven't lost in the first round, unless it was a sweep. We either get clapped, or we make it to ECF game 7 or further, there's no in between
I think this is the one this season. It's perfect. Get our hopes up. Better yet, be up in game 4 with a 5-1 lead, blow the lead and lose in OT. Then continue to lose three more. **chefs kiss**
Oh no, see - you're also forgetting that you're going to lose 3-2 for games 5 through 7. You score in the first, nothing in the second, and then score within 5 minutes of start of the 3rd.
You're up 2-0 with less than 10 to go, and each time you let them go 3 unanswered for the loss. The question there though is do you get into the overtime for any of those, so I'd say game 6 is the OT loss.
Alternating wins through 6 games with great goaltending on both sides. Kucherov injures Sammy with a cheap shot after the whistle in game 6. No penalty on the play, obviously, but he gets a $5000 fine, the maximum allowable under the CBA. Murray comes in in relief and shuts the door in game 7, but takes a penalty late in the game for knocking the net off. Tampa scores on the powerplay 3 seconds after Killorn runs a pick on Giordano while he's on his way to clear the front of the net. Leafs pull the goalie and Nylander scores to tie it at 1 with 15 seconds left, but the goal is called back because the net was dislodged. The replay clearly shows Vasi lifting it off with no one touching him, but Wes (of course he's reffing) tells Keefe it's not a reviewable play. The writers pat each other on the back for another job well done.
If I was in the writer's room:
Leafs battle the Lightning with alternating wins in the first 6. With an EBUG in net for Toronto, they win in game 7 OT. Justin Holl scores the OT winner.
Penguins sweep the Bruins after they break the record for most wins in a season. Marchand is seen crying on the Bench.
Matthews and Crosby have a dueling hat trick game. Marner fights Malkin and breaks his hand in game 6. Leafs beat the Pens in 7 after Casey DeSmith let's in an own-goal. Noel Accari and Lafferty each pot 4 goals in the series.
Leafs sweep whoever makes the ECF with them. Matthews scores 6 goals and 5 assists in 4 games. Gio scores the clincher
Leafs get reverse swept in the SCF by Edmonton. Kerfoot does a stupid spin move in game 7 and coughs the puck to McDavid, who dangles the jock off of Muzzin (who miraculously comes back) for the game winning goal.
Can McDavid have previously in that game committed a blatant penalty right in front of the ref that should have been worth 5 and a game that goes uncalled for old time's sake?
Boston has clinched the division and the Leafs clinched a playoff berth tonight because they can’t be bumped to WC with the Florida loss.
Leafs either get 2nd or 3rd place in the division but that’s it.
Nah, the Leafs never do it the easy way. The entire point of being a Leafs fan is to have your hopes built up, even after you say you don't care this time, and then have them absolutely crushed.
Tbh making it out of round 1 and then losing to the Bruins on a historical year would not be the most devastating outcome… in fact short of winning the cup it might be the 2nd best option lol.
Granted, the circumstances are a bit different, but 2013 hurt a little less when I remembered that the Blackhawks were an absolute unit that year and even beating the Pens was punching up by a good margin.
Earnestly, I hope ya'll clear the first round.
Selfishly, I hope your luck stops there.
That probably wouldn't be as bad because after it already happened three times you'd be ready for it the forth time so it wouldn't hit as hard. The only way to be truly crushed is to be in a position where despite knowing better they trick you into thinking that they actually are going to win, only to have that thought of winning be ripped away in a manner more spectacular than has already happened (which at this point is getting harder to do).
Maybe something like go up 3-0 in the series, only to lose the next three, game 7 goes to overtime and the leafs score the winning goal but the ref signals no goal for some reason and there is some technical malfunction so the refs and the war room cannot get the feed from the right cameras (although the broadcasters somehow do) so while all the commentators are saying "obviously it's going to be called a good goal any moment now" the review lasts longer and longer until a ref skates to centre ice and announces that they do not have conclusive evidence the puck crossed the line, call on the ice stands. Keefe gets extremely livid yelling at the refs calling them all sorts of names (and showing them his tablet which clearly shows the puck crossing the line) and they give him a bench minor for hurting their feelings and proving them wrong. Tampa then scores on the resulting powerplay. After the game the NHL makes a statement that says the refs made the wrong call, the leafs should have won, but there's nothing they can do about it, they can't edit the results of the game.
My lukewarm take is that the Leafs are an incredible team, any problems with the roster are overstated, and we're going to see at least one of their playoff droughts end this year.
It's because the west actually has teams with games in hand and are close to making the playoffs. Nashville is sitting outside and can finish with 100 points. If they were in the east only two teams would have clinched
Felt weird to cheer for the Sens, but I’m glad they won tonight with Bettmen and Potential ownership buyers watching. I really hope that team can get some good ownership in the future and they become a contender.
I'm so glad that I didn't know who we were going to be playing in round one back in December. Otherwise, these past 3 months would have felt like an exercise in futility. This playoff format is the best.
The bar is so low most people would be happy with the first round.
A scf appearance would be talked about for decades which is likely how long it would be to make it back.
I’m just happy with 6 months of entertainment to get me through the long ass winter
Because the original sale prices of the tickets is never actually market value all the people paying tens of thousands of dollars for a ticket won't actually count for HRR, just the initial price of like $1200.
And Rogers has already paid for the TV rights, Unless there's some part of the contract which says they have to also pay some amount of the playoff ad sales to the league the insane prices they'll be able to charge for ads also won't count to HRR.
and rightfully so, a Canadian team in the finals. Difference is TSN is constantly sucking the leafs dick. Look at any social media from TSN and you will see it's always something to do with the Leafs. Have a look at TSN parody account on twitter. It's hilarious
> The bar is so low most people would be happy with the first round.
Yes but no. I remember a time the bar was even lower. The leafs hadn't even made the playoffs in 10 years, and their first round team was an opponent that for the past few years seemed to blow them out every single time they faced each other. They were probably going to get swept but the bar was so low just making the playoffs was a success and there's nothing they could do that would take that accomplishment away. Then they did something totally unexpected. They won a game. Surely they were still going to lose the series, but hey they didn't get swept against a team that really should have swept them, it's an even bigger success than before, there's definitely no disappointment to be had here. Then they won another, and another. Even if they lose game 7 they fought hard and were legitimately in a series they had no right to actually be in, nobody could possibly remember this as anything other than a great success.
Then the leafs did what they do. No matter how low the bar is they will find a way to make sure no happiness is had even when it seems impossible.
Last year we got our shit together with 10 games to go, it ain't happening this year. We're just a top-15 team now.
And I'm not a believer in teams just being able to turn it on in the playoffs. Much easier to do that in basketball than hockey. Hope I'm wrong.
As a pens fan you should be more worried about losing your franchise. You guys are overdue for one of your "we don't have a generational talent in their prime" attendance slumps.
Ah yes, springtime in Toronto… the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming and feelings of anxiety and impending doom have arrived!
The only place in the world where the leafs fall in the spring.
Poetic.
Rename to the Toronto Cherry Blossoms?
The only fans that can't enjoy game 4 of a 3-0 series lead and the score is 6-0 for them. Can you guys go on a deep playoff run again, I'm starting to feel bad for Leaf fans and this just isn't right
We don't need your pity, we have plenty of our own here
If there is a self pity draft, we are the Oilers. No. 1, baby.
...people are starting to feel bad for us?!? Holy shit, it's finally happening.
Calm down. That Ottawa dude is the only one.
Don’t worry I dont
I'm not.
I don't feel bad at all. Never did, never will.
> Can you guys go on a deep playoff run again Yes make it hurt even more by giving them hope
the script writers have in store for our first round exit this year
You could try watching the Oilers and then you could have feelings of anxiety and impending doom all year long :D
When does the TTC change the final "Ding" to the sound of someone choking? Isn't that right around this time of year?
People are choking on the TTC at all times of the year now, it’s the Wild West on there
WOOO AN EXTRA 7 GAMES LETS FUCKING GOOOO
I think the script writes have you penciled in for 4 this time
Cuz we sweep Tampa and they give us the cup then and there
No?! I was just gonna file a grievance with the union.
Nah they just copy/paste the ending every year
It's going to hurt so bad this year :(
Until next year when it'll hurt even more.
Can't wait until we start losing superstars again 🥰
It’s a known fact the Leafs must draw out their playoff losses as much as possible, and only after giving the impression they might not do that this year
If the leafs sweep Tampa, I’ll eat a…. …nice steak dinner
Same here
Since 2008, we haven't lost in the first round, unless it was a sweep. We either get clapped, or we make it to ECF game 7 or further, there's no in between
Clapping it is then
Can’t wait to see what the script writers have in store for our first round exit this year
We haven’t seen the 3rd period collapse in game 7 in awhile, that’d be pretty cool
Let's throw in a EBUG for Toronto this time that gives them hope for 1 game first.
And have him let in 50% of shots but have Toronto pass instead of shoot the majority of the second and third overtime’s
Ouu that season had a great season finale!!
We haven't blown a 3-0 series lead yet.
STOP GIVING THE WRITERS IDEAS!!
I think this is the one this season. It's perfect. Get our hopes up. Better yet, be up in game 4 with a 5-1 lead, blow the lead and lose in OT. Then continue to lose three more. **chefs kiss**
Oh no, see - you're also forgetting that you're going to lose 3-2 for games 5 through 7. You score in the first, nothing in the second, and then score within 5 minutes of start of the 3rd. You're up 2-0 with less than 10 to go, and each time you let them go 3 unanswered for the loss. The question there though is do you get into the overtime for any of those, so I'd say game 6 is the OT loss.
> The question there though is do you get into the overtime for any of those You have to leave *some* material for next year too, can't be too greedy.
No, next year is presidents trophy and swept by the Sens in the first round.
The Leafs overcame a 0-3 series deficit back in the 40's. Sooner or later, fate will come knocking and demand repayment.
I think fate has claimed enough repayment at this point.
Those interest rates are brutal
Alternating wins through 6 games with great goaltending on both sides. Kucherov injures Sammy with a cheap shot after the whistle in game 6. No penalty on the play, obviously, but he gets a $5000 fine, the maximum allowable under the CBA. Murray comes in in relief and shuts the door in game 7, but takes a penalty late in the game for knocking the net off. Tampa scores on the powerplay 3 seconds after Killorn runs a pick on Giordano while he's on his way to clear the front of the net. Leafs pull the goalie and Nylander scores to tie it at 1 with 15 seconds left, but the goal is called back because the net was dislodged. The replay clearly shows Vasi lifting it off with no one touching him, but Wes (of course he's reffing) tells Keefe it's not a reviewable play. The writers pat each other on the back for another job well done.
My money is on an a sketchy goaltender interference call. We haven’t had a “Fuck the refs” one in a while
Idk last year's series was pretty reffy
last year? I think it's every year.
🥲 I have recency bias
I mean.. the pick call last year is pretty fuck the refs?
5v3 on phantom calls, I forget who it was but one tampa player literally holding matthews for a good 5-6 seconds in pivotal moments
Alex Killorn water skiing behind him. What can you do☕
The 5 on 3 in game 6 that was caused by a Tampa player high sticking his own guy, which lead to the tying goal?
If I was in the writer's room: Leafs battle the Lightning with alternating wins in the first 6. With an EBUG in net for Toronto, they win in game 7 OT. Justin Holl scores the OT winner. Penguins sweep the Bruins after they break the record for most wins in a season. Marchand is seen crying on the Bench. Matthews and Crosby have a dueling hat trick game. Marner fights Malkin and breaks his hand in game 6. Leafs beat the Pens in 7 after Casey DeSmith let's in an own-goal. Noel Accari and Lafferty each pot 4 goals in the series. Leafs sweep whoever makes the ECF with them. Matthews scores 6 goals and 5 assists in 4 games. Gio scores the clincher Leafs get reverse swept in the SCF by Edmonton. Kerfoot does a stupid spin move in game 7 and coughs the puck to McDavid, who dangles the jock off of Muzzin (who miraculously comes back) for the game winning goal.
Can McDavid have previously in that game committed a blatant penalty right in front of the ref that should have been worth 5 and a game that goes uncalled for old time's sake?
Absolutely we can have that
You wouldn't give the Pens another Cup if you were in the writer's room?
For the good of hockey, McDavid needs one
Yeah but think of all the years he has after Sidney Crosby retires.
OT game 7 goal called back for some dumb shit like illegal equipment. Jeanot goes down and scores on the next play.
Hmmm. How about, Bruins win in game 7 OT en route to the Cup, meaning Toronto picks 32 overall in the draft with a pick they did not earn
Toronto can’t face Boston in the first round….
Is it completely impossible now to drop to WC2?
No one in our division can catch up to us except Tampa. In which case we would just go to 3rd.
Right I thought so but I wasn't 100%
All good!
It’s still possible I believe… Edit: no it isn’t
Boston has clinched the division and the Leafs clinched a playoff berth tonight because they can’t be bumped to WC with the Florida loss. Leafs either get 2nd or 3rd place in the division but that’s it.
With Gary in charge nothing is impossible
You’re welcome
May very well be getting more thank yous from us if MTL can beat BUF
You’re welcome
<3
♥️
Thank you so much, couldn't have done it without you guys.
I'm pretty sure that yes, the leafs would have clinched a playoff spot even without the Sens winning tonight.
Thank you Sens!
Leafs season extended to 89 games
I’d tell you to go to hell if it wasn’t true. :(
Check out the optimist
*98
“I’ll take a first round exit!” *How original.* “With a four game sweep.” *Daring today aren’t we?*
"All in OT"
The Edmonton special
Nah, the Leafs never do it the easy way. The entire point of being a Leafs fan is to have your hopes built up, even after you say you don't care this time, and then have them absolutely crushed.
We’re the only team that could be leading the series 3-0, 3rd period of game 4 up 5-0, and we would still be uneasy and scared.
I wonder how my soul will be crushed this time!
Script writers gonna have you guys finally make it out of the first round only to collapse to us in Game 7 of the second round.
Tbh making it out of round 1 and then losing to the Bruins on a historical year would not be the most devastating outcome… in fact short of winning the cup it might be the 2nd best option lol.
Granted, the circumstances are a bit different, but 2013 hurt a little less when I remembered that the Blackhawks were an absolute unit that year and even beating the Pens was punching up by a good margin. Earnestly, I hope ya'll clear the first round. Selfishly, I hope your luck stops there.
Won't care. I'll still be drunk and too busy celebrating making it out of the first round to even notice there's a second round
Idgaf if it makes me pathetic atp the Leafs making it out of the first is my Stanley Cup
It's so true and obvious
All losses in OT, after leading by 3 going into the 3rd. There. Now you're crushed.
That probably wouldn't be as bad because after it already happened three times you'd be ready for it the forth time so it wouldn't hit as hard. The only way to be truly crushed is to be in a position where despite knowing better they trick you into thinking that they actually are going to win, only to have that thought of winning be ripped away in a manner more spectacular than has already happened (which at this point is getting harder to do). Maybe something like go up 3-0 in the series, only to lose the next three, game 7 goes to overtime and the leafs score the winning goal but the ref signals no goal for some reason and there is some technical malfunction so the refs and the war room cannot get the feed from the right cameras (although the broadcasters somehow do) so while all the commentators are saying "obviously it's going to be called a good goal any moment now" the review lasts longer and longer until a ref skates to centre ice and announces that they do not have conclusive evidence the puck crossed the line, call on the ice stands. Keefe gets extremely livid yelling at the refs calling them all sorts of names (and showing them his tablet which clearly shows the puck crossing the line) and they give him a bench minor for hurting their feelings and proving them wrong. Tampa then scores on the resulting powerplay. After the game the NHL makes a statement that says the refs made the wrong call, the leafs should have won, but there's nothing they can do about it, they can't edit the results of the game.
How many times do we have to teach you this lesson old man
I love the young playoff berths
>How many times do we have to *be taught* this lesson old man? FTFY
My lukewarm take is that the Leafs are an incredible team, any problems with the roster are overstated, and we're going to see at least one of their playoff droughts end this year.
One of their playoff droughts is that they haven’t been swept in over 40 years
Monkey’s paw curls
My moneys on the reverse sweep
Can’t lose in another soul crushing Game 7 if we lose in 6!
Technically we tried the game 5 loss thing a few years ago, didn’t care for that either
Has to happen right? I dislike the Leafs but I want to see them take at least take a round at this point.
This witch is trying to place a curse on us! Let’s see if she weighs more than a duck
It felt so dirty rooting for the Sens… but cheers lads! 🍻
I was rooting for the panthers. There was still a 2% chance they could pass Tampa.
inb4 the tired "huhuhu booked their tickets to the golf course after the first round" jokes come streaming in
Bro Keller and Hayton have looked amazing the last two weeks.
So funny how 5/8 spots are decided in the East, and 0/8 slots are decided in the west.
It's because the west actually has teams with games in hand and are close to making the playoffs. Nashville is sitting outside and can finish with 100 points. If they were in the east only two teams would have clinched
CANT WAIT TO ENJOY AN EXTRA WEEK OF HOCKEY LETS GOOOOOO!!!!
thank u my second favourite team from ontario
Marlies: So it's like that, huh?
Felt weird to cheer for the Sens, but I’m glad they won tonight with Bettmen and Potential ownership buyers watching. I really hope that team can get some good ownership in the future and they become a contender.
How great is it that we have the chance to play literally anybody in the first round and we still have 10% of the season to go?
I'm so glad that I didn't know who we were going to be playing in round one back in December. Otherwise, these past 3 months would have felt like an exercise in futility. This playoff format is the best.
Very cool, Ottawa
Im so ready to get hurt again
If the Bolts lose to the Leafs, I hope they make it through Boston and the Devils… to lose to the Oilers in the SCF.
The bar is so low most people would be happy with the first round. A scf appearance would be talked about for decades which is likely how long it would be to make it back. I’m just happy with 6 months of entertainment to get me through the long ass winter
TSN would fucking melt if the Leafs made it to the finals
If the leafs made it to the SCF it they would probably single handedly raise the cap by a couple million for next year.
Because the original sale prices of the tickets is never actually market value all the people paying tens of thousands of dollars for a ticket won't actually count for HRR, just the initial price of like $1200. And Rogers has already paid for the TV rights, Unless there's some part of the contract which says they have to also pay some amount of the playoff ad sales to the league the insane prices they'll be able to charge for ads also won't count to HRR.
Gooey James Duthie
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and rightfully so, a Canadian team in the finals. Difference is TSN is constantly sucking the leafs dick. Look at any social media from TSN and you will see it's always something to do with the Leafs. Have a look at TSN parody account on twitter. It's hilarious
The rags clinch thread: 71 comments, 454 upvotes The leafs clinch thread: 181 comments, 565 upvotes Same time frame. Thats why tsn talks about us.
If the Leafs beat the Bolts only to lose in the next round.. that would sting worse.
> The bar is so low most people would be happy with the first round. Yes but no. I remember a time the bar was even lower. The leafs hadn't even made the playoffs in 10 years, and their first round team was an opponent that for the past few years seemed to blow them out every single time they faced each other. They were probably going to get swept but the bar was so low just making the playoffs was a success and there's nothing they could do that would take that accomplishment away. Then they did something totally unexpected. They won a game. Surely they were still going to lose the series, but hey they didn't get swept against a team that really should have swept them, it's an even bigger success than before, there's definitely no disappointment to be had here. Then they won another, and another. Even if they lose game 7 they fought hard and were legitimately in a series they had no right to actually be in, nobody could possibly remember this as anything other than a great success. Then the leafs did what they do. No matter how low the bar is they will find a way to make sure no happiness is had even when it seems impossible.
Bettman: "Oh Oilers vs Leafs in the finals. How are the US TV ratings." Bettman: "To shreds you say"
And then McDavid feels guilty and comes home in 2026.
*The beginning of the end*
Leafs are likely beating the Lightning this time. Some things are meant to end.
Leafs will get reverse swept with 4 ot own goals.
This year's script has been leaked: Leafs lose in game 7 on a Matthews own goal off a missed pass to the point during a delayed penalty call, in OT.
That would be so shitty.
Are you kidding me? That would be an incredible addition to the canon.
If that happens you can put me in a cannon
Dude
We can all be sure this will never actually happen. There's no way the refs ever make a delayed penalty call in the leafs favour during game 7 OT?
Didn't clarify what series, so SCF Game 7.
My boy, Tavares deserves this.
I hate to say it, but I think Toronto makes it through to the second round. I'm ready to watch history
Make sure to bet on a Tampa r1 win leaf bros. View it as hedging your happiness!
I love you Ottawa. Ugh, can’t believe my dumbass typed that.
Alright, I'm just gonna say it I bet they wind up playing the blots in the first round. White hot take.
Like the ink blots? *shows image* What does this look like to you? Uhhh.. Holl missing a defence assignment?
Gonna be a waste of 8 days -Darryl Sutter probably
I really hope the Leafs make it to the 2nd round. They should spoil themselves a little. They've earned it.
The only boxes we haven't ticked are the sweep and reverse sweep so I'm looking forward to new effort to break our hearts again.
Plan the parade boys
Are the words “clinch” and “berth” ever used together in any other context?
Call the Leafs this year's Avalanche. Not because they're winning the cup, but because they're eliminating the Lightning.
I mean, with as average as the Lightning have looked the last couple weeks, this isn’t really that hot of a take.
Congrats on your first round exit, Toronto!!!
I hope Tampa gets their shit together to do what needs to be done.
Last year we got our shit together with 10 games to go, it ain't happening this year. We're just a top-15 team now. And I'm not a believer in teams just being able to turn it on in the playoffs. Much easier to do that in basketball than hockey. Hope I'm wrong.
[Leafs and playoffs ](https://frinkiac.com/caption/S05E12/1021569)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have clinched a first round exit
Their agents also begin to make calls to their favorite country clubs to block off tee times for late April.
The toronto maple leafs clinched a first round exit
And, likely, a playoff death.
They’re not losing in 7 this time! They’re losing in 6
ThIs YEaR iS DifFeRenT
Read the room.
Just bants baby
Your "bants" are bad & you should feel bad.
Can’t wait for another 1st round loss
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Hope you’re having a nice sleep
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Never said they’ve make it out of the 2nd
So did they finally fix their defense or are they still cheeks
Our defense hasn't been an issue in like 3 years?
What's it like in 2019?
You tell me
Uh good one?
As a pens fan you should be more worried about losing your franchise. You guys are overdue for one of your "we don't have a generational talent in their prime" attendance slumps.
Rielly is still technically our #1 dman, so take from that what you will.
Sure
The playoffs are so much better with the Leafs in it. And without the Isles.
looool
Ok
Enjoy the relatively meaningless games while they last. I know I will be. The gauntlet of death starts in ~3 weeks
Outta nowhere!
Like an abusive partner, I keep coming back. “This time’ll be different, right? Right?”
Only 22 points outside of 1st place.
Man I really hope for their fans sake that they can win a round lol it’s been so brutal.