Toronto Maple Leafs fans are still reeling from Sunday’s crushing loss but there are still many Canadian players they can cheer on during the NHL playoffs.
The team’s promising playoff run came to a bitter end Sunday after a 6 to 1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Scotiabank Arena, ending yet another season.
Despite pulling through Game 6, playing Game 7 on home-ice and making a valiant comeback effort in the third period, the team wasn’t able to see a win against the defending Stanley Cup champions – making this the seventh consecutive Game 7 loss for the Leafs since 2004 and 23 years without reaching the conference final.
Six of these consecutive losses include Captain Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly, and William Nylander in the roster. Since they began playing together in 2016, the group has collectively had a record of 2 to 9 in the playoff series.
“I don’t know how it really got away from us. I think, you know, just not on the same page in different areas of the game,” Matthews said of the team’s defeat in a press conference.
As the game angst came to settle, Leafs fans took to social media to share their thoughts about their team’s dramatic loss.
“Winning Game 6 in FLA and giving hope to all TOR fans and media only to get curb stomped at home in Game 7 two days later is probably the leafiest move possible,” one Reddit user said.
“Man I thought y’all really deserved to be in the 2nd round. Brutal way to go out,” another user responded.
“The Leafs have made a lot of progress since last year with Berube and the new defenceman. But by now it’s clear the snore 4 has 0 clutch and will never win the cup. It’s time to move on,” another user added.
“Some people need to take a deep breath. It’s a game. The outcome really doesn’t change your day-to-day,” another user said.
Meanwhile, Toronto Rapper Drake appeared to have also felt the sting, losing more than a million dollars after betting on the Leafs to win Game 7 on Sunday – further cementing discussions about the “Drake curse.”
One user took to social media to share their disappointment with the team, snapping pictures of their Marner jersey in the trash.
As fans recover from Sunday’s devastating loss, questions about the fate of the team’s core lineup remain uncertain as longtime forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares become eligible unrestricted free agents on July 1.
MANY CANADIAN PLAYERS STILL IN THE PLAYOFFS
While dissapointed, Canadian hockey fans still have reason to cheer. The Edmonton Oilers remain alive in the playoffs, advancing to the Western Conference Finals. The team will begin their skate to the finals with a decade-long anticipated rematch against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
The Oilers went on to eliminate the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5, and the Stars beat out the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 – earning a rematch with Edmonton who took them out in six games last season.
Canada’s influence on the NHL stretches beyond its borders as many of the American-based teams still competing for the cup feature Canadian-born stars. From Jonah Gadjovich on the Panthers to Jordan Staal on the Carolina Hurricanes, Canadian talent continues to make its mark on the ice.
Despite the fact that the cup will not be coming to Toronto this year, there may still be hope of it coming home.
