Praise the Toronto Maple Leafs Despite Their Loss to the Bruins…
This time, the Toronto Maple Leafs shouldn’t be criticized for their playoff loss to the Boston Bruins this past May.
As is often the case, the Leafs were ridiculed by outsiders, and their own fans harshly criticized them. The coach was fired, promises of change were made and then retracted, the GM played it safe, and some fans, influenced by social media, tried to blame Mitch Marner, a future Hall of Famer, for vague reasons, including unfounded criticism of his attitude and unfair comments about his family.
In reality, the only thing Marner could be faulted for is his taste in bucket hats, but that’s not the focus here.
The Leafs deserve recognition, not criticism, for their loss to Boston.
Set Aside Your Emotions and Appreciate the Leafs’ Effort
While the Leafs have consistently fallen short of expectations, it’s important to look at the circumstances that led to their losses rather than reacting emotionally.
When the Leafs lost to Montreal, the situation was different. John Tavares was injured, and despite dominating in overtime of a crucial game, they lost on an unlikely goal. In hindsight, they should have been criticized for losing three straight games to blow the series.
However, the loss to Boston is different.
Firstly, the Leafs pushed the series to overtime in Game 7 against a team they were expected to lose to, which is a noteworthy achievement.
Secondly, they managed this while Mitch Marner played on one leg after returning from a high-ankle sprain sooner than expected.
Thirdly, Auston Matthews was dealing with a mysterious illness that caused him to miss two games and limited his performance to just four points in five games. In Game 7, he played on a third line, clearly not at full strength.
Fourthly, William Nylander suffered from migraines that affected his availability and effectiveness.
How can a team be expected to win when their top players are far from their best and they’re already considered underdogs?
Fifthly, the GM’s lack of action at the trade deadline, aside from minor moves, showed a lack of confidence in the team. Despite this, the team fought hard and came close to winning.
Sixthly, the GM stuck with a starting goalie he had placed on waivers earlier in the season, a decision that might be one of the worst in the franchise’s history.
Seventhly, just when Joseph Woll appeared to be the answer in goal, he got injured and couldn’t play in Game 7.
Given these challenges, the Leafs deserve credit for a hard-fought series. They played excellent defense, and players like John Tavares stepped up in unfamiliar roles, limiting the Bruins and nearly pulling off the01- win despite their offensive struggles.
This series against the Bruins was the best the Leafs have played in the Auston Matthews Era. They should be commended for their effort, as any knowledgeable hockey fan knows that playoff outcomes can be unpredictable and that the best team doesn’t always win.
The Toronto Maple Leafs deserved to win that series and should not be criticized for losing it.
