The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost in the first round yet again.
For the third straight season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have failed to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs.
Right now, it seems bleak.
If, however, you consider that the Leafs first two opening round losses occurred when they weren’t even supposed to make the playoffs, it doesn’t seem so bad. Last night’s loss was their first post-rebuild. It sucks, and I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but it is part of the process.
Winning is hard, and losing is what makes it matter. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a great young core and the future is bright. Doesn’t change the fact that this was a winnable series that they blew, but it relives it somewhat – at least in my eyes.
What Went Wrong
The tendency to place blame is strong after losing two in a row, and you can make a case for complaining about Babcock’s ice-time allotments, the team’s ridiculous breakout strategy that over-relies on the long-bomb stretch pass, or any individual player you feel like.
But the truth is, the Leafs lost because they let in two goals that had no business going in the net (the first and third goals) and because Tukka Rask played like a maniac in the second period.
Also, full credit to Boston for putting on a clinic of how to protect a third period lead.
I think the complaints about team strategy and ice time are legitimate problems. Surely Auston Matthews and John Tavares should have played more. Surely the coach should have shortened his bench.
But in light of the fact that the Leafs almost certainly win the series if Nazem Kadri doesn’t get himself suspended, or if Freddie Andersen saves two pucks which are nearly routine for him, it’s probably not fair to completely blame the coach.
The fact is that the Toronto Maple Leafs have a good team, and they played an equally good team in a coin-flip series and the coin just happened to come up tails.
It sucks, but remember, this is the beginning, not the end.
There will be talk about how the Leafs are supposed to improve – the answer is internally – and their will be idiotic blame on Jake Gardiner.
Let’s be clear: whoever was responsible for panning to Gardiner after the first goal is a jerk. Andersen owns that terrible goal 100%. Defenseman – all of them – give the puck away, every game. The goalie has to make that save.
As for the second goal – which the camera man also panned to Gardiner immediately after – Gardiner did a reverse, which is a set play the Leafs make every night, and his partner or centre was no where to be found. Matthews and Dermott both deserve the blame on goal #2 – not Gardiner.
In fact, the best thing the Leafs could do this summer is re-sign Gardiner.
So yeah, losing game seven is a punch in the gut, and it will be a long summer, but the fact is that next year and the year after, this series and last night’s game will be foundational in helping the Leafs win.
If winning was easy, it wouldn’t matter so much. This is a team and a core and a management group I believe in.