Disgusted Leafs fans burn jerseys after Game 7 nightmare loss
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Hopes were raised, then dreams were dashed for Toronto Maple Leafs fans at about the midway mark of Game 7 of their second round spanking by the Florida Panthers.
The last few days have been a roller-coaster ride of emotions for fans, all starting with the Game 5 debacle last Wednesday.
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Two days later, the Leafs did the unthinkable and shut out the Panthers in Florida, and dreams of an Eastern Conference final became a real possibility.
Then Sunday night happened.
Game 7 seemed like a nightmarish mirror image of Game 5, from the lackluster play and lack of offence to the identical crushing score, an abominable 6-1, when the whistle blew — this time for good. For this season, at least.
And just like last week, Leafs Nation once again showed its displeasure with the team — by joining the chorus of boos and departing Scotiabank long before the game ended.
“Maple Leafs fans booing with four minutes left… in Period 2,” Sportsnet writer Luke Fox noted on X.
And for those who remained a little longer, they witnessed others throwing jerseys onto the ice as Toronto skated off with heads hanging as Florida advanced to the next round.
“Maple Leafs fans throwing jerseys, hats and beers on the ice watching their team getting outscored 11-2 in final two home games of the season,” Fox added.
Things took an even more dramatic turn as former Leafs supporters showed their disappointment by burning jerseys and flags after the team’s latest devastating post-season showing.
“So done with this team,” said one heartbroken former fan in a video obtained by 6ixBuzzTV, who made it a double jersey burning — one of captain Auston Matthews, the other of former Leaf Joe Nieuwendyk.
“I don’t give a *f***,” he told the camera, adding in another low blow that he is now “a Montreal fan.”
One guy outside Scotiabank Arena was also filmed burning a team flag.
A disappointed fan opined: “The Leafs found the most unique way to hurt their fans. Game 5, make them despise you. Game 6, make them apologize. Game 7, make them despise themselves for apologizing.”
One person added: “This morning stings. Proud of the team one moment, absolutely irate with them the next. Not sure how to feel.”
A second fan agreed: “That stung. End of an era.”
End of an era, indeed.
What lies ahead for the Leafs is an uncertain offseason as Mitch Marner and John Tavares will become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Two players, along with Matthews and forward William Nylander, make up the expensive Core Four, which our Terry Koshan writes needs to be broken up if the Maple Leafs have any hopes of getting it done in the playoffs.
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Leafs president Brendan Shanahan — a staunch supporter of the club’s Core Four and the man responsible for the direction of the team for the past decade — is also without a contract beyond this season.
Former Hart Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champ Chris Pronger wrote in an X post:
“Changes are a coming. This listless effort should put an end to this team’s run in its current roster construction,” Pronger noted.
“What and where do they go from here? A lot of questions to answer before they figure that out.”
After the epic loss, Marner spoke about his time playing in Toronto, that he has “always enjoyed,” and isn’t ready to think about his impending free agency.
But he should, Steve Simmons wrote in his column.
Coach Craig Berube said after the game, “We just didn’t handle the pressure. Obviously that (effort) wasn’t good enough … I can’t explain Games 5 and 7 at home.”
He added: “To me, that’s the disappointing part.”
Toronto is now 0-7 in Game 7s, and 0-6 with Marner and Matthews dating back to 2018, in the NHL’s salary cap era.
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