Repulsively Incorrect Narrative #56: The Toronto Maple Leafs Loss to Columbus

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost a series in which their goalie saved almost 94% of the shots.

The Toronto Maple Leafs played a team that was so devoid of talent that they had to just collapse towards their own net, forgo offense, abuse the rulebook and receive some of the best goaltending in NHL playoff history just to win by one goal over five games.

You would think that the course correction of hiring a new coach earlier in the season, the insane amount of injuries the team had, and the five month layoff would give the team some breathing room if their loss could be mathematically proven to be a complete and total fluke, one so improbable as to be meaningless.

You’d think that, because it is logical, mature, and, also, the correct thing to think.  But come on, this is sports, so throw that stuff out the window.

Reality vs Results

Going into the playoffs, the people who hate Kyle Dubas for trying to run the NHL’s premier franchise based on the principles of science and not the whims of an ex-player obsessed with tradition, said that the Leafs were too soft, had bad defense, were cursed with make-up and style that ‘couldn’t win in the playoffs,’ was too top heavy etc.

Not a single one of these were the cause of the Leafs downfall.  That didn’t stop Brian Burke from saying I Told You So 30 seconds after the final buzzer sounded.

And it didn’t stop nearly every media outlet and vocal fan of the team from parroting the same false I-Told-You-So Narrative.

Forget the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs lost a series in which they overcame ever single objection about their team, and were just dummied by a pair of goalies who combined, over five games, to save over 98% of 5v5 shots.

Facts, and logic, apparently, have no place in the analysis of sports teams.

The dishonest analysis and retrofitting of a result to fit a previously defined narrative is sickening.  I find it far more offensive than the fact that the Leafs lost.

If you spent 20 years making poor financial decisions and then happen to win the lottery, it doesn’t prove that you’re great with money.

If you get struck by lightning on the way to dinner, a normal person isn’t going to say “well this fits into a pattern of you always being late.”

And if you lose to a goalie who saves 98% of the shots when you ice a team featuring four elite scoring options and one of the most offensively dangerous teams in recent memory , it probably didn’t have much to do with your defense, roster construction, lack of grit, lack of character, coach, GM, drive to win, experience or whatever else you can think of.

The Leafs failed to score in game five and lost the series.  Can someone  please explain to me how a gritty, hard hitting defenseman who is “tough to play against” would have made any of the three posts they hit into goals?

Yes, the Leafs lost.  Sure, its frustrating.

But if you can’t see the potential of a team built around a 22 year old who is already the league’s best goal scorer, and who is better at the same age than every player in the NHL save Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, I don’t know what to tell you.

I have watched Leafs for over 30 years, and this is the best team they’ve ever had.  It is unfortunate that some bad luck has given volume to the worst kind of analysis.

But the good news is that in order to get their current positions, the Toronto Maple Leafs GM and President sold their bosses on the idea of process  over results.

They sold their bosses on the idea that making big, media demanded, moves in response to fluke events is the exact reason the team hasn’t won since the league expanded beyond six teams.

Thankfully, the team will stick to the plan.  And hopefully, when it succeeds, it will  silence the Brian Burkes of the world.