The Cries of a 'Leafs' Nation

In the Big Smoke, sports media can ruin a winning team

At some point over the past 20 years, hockey journalist and pundits started to refer to Maple Leafs fans as Leafs Nation. In the hockey crazed southern Ontario market, where one team is three teams too few, the pent up frustrations of 60 years amounts to a Superman-style laser beam death stare.

Let’s really piss off Leafs fans off by comparing the Toronto fans and media to Montreal Canadiens fans and media, and see where it leads us.

Montreal vs. Toronto

In Montreal, the fans cheer louder for a rush up the ice than Leafs fans do for a goal. In Montreal, the end of a players goal scoring slump is a post game standing ovation. In Toronto, an up and coming rookie with potential sits in the minors so a goon can ride the pine with the big club.

In Montreal, if a goalie has a bad game the press leave them be, as if it were confession. In Toronto, the press ask the goalie if he thinks he will ever play again.

Maple Leafs Media Can Be a Menace

Recently, on the always underwhelming Overdrive, the regular gang mused and noodled on about an early March slump as the Maple Leafs’ season was rounding out. The glass wasn’t just half empty…it had been thrown in the face of Auston Matthews like a Desperate Housewife of Arizona. Ye ol’ father figure once pointed out that Matthews never played Jr Hockey - CHL style - and thus has never played a full four rounds of seven-game series. Not to mention the Memorial Cup Tournament after, just for bragging rights and the honour that comes from winning the grandest of Jr hockey trophies — that honours the greatest of our fallen, in the Canadian Armed Forces.

At some point in a game full of superstitions you’d think the Leafs’ media would realize they’re making winning in Toronto harder than everywhere else. Stepping on the blue line. Shooting the puck in the net after the whistle. Throwing a Maple Leafs sweater on the ice after a mid season loss, even if they are a winning team.

Fans in Toronto Sure Don’t Make It Any Easier

Fans burning their Maple Leafs jersey after a playoff loss and posting a video of it, with pride. Is there a Habs fans that even in the most dismal of moments would even consider burning a Habs sweater. Just the thought of such a thing is sacrilegious. Sacré rouge, blanc et bleu!!

The Habs are a point out of a playoff spot and Montreal is full of joie de vivre at even the potential of another chance at the Stanley Cup. A young hot goalie, a playoff bracket that falls in their favour, timely scoring from up and coming players, a small French Canadien former player, now coach, who preaches discipline and creativity. Amen to that. To have won, is to know how winning happens. What is possible. Where potential silences criticism.

1993 Montreal Canadiens The last Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup.

On Overdrive the O-Dog is lost. Mathews lacklustre. Marner scorned. Goalies inconsistent. Defensemen injured. Skies falling. First round playoff exits predicted. You have to talk about something because you have to talk about it everyday.

In Montreal there are the ghosts and legends, calling out from past to remind the players of what might be. Magic in the air. ‘To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high.’

In Toronto there is only failure even when they are winning. From whining hands they throw off glass, and burn bridges by night.

Good old Gord Downie, being from Kingston and all, preferred the Bruins. Courage and 50 Mission Caps.

But Gord also knew how to be the proudest of Canadians and not let pride turn your heart black.

‘Isn’t it amazing what you can accomplish, when you don’t let the (Leafs) Nation get in the way.’