Realistic Expectations From a Life-Long Toronto Maple Leafs Fan

If you’re reading this, you’re more than likely a life-long fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Nobody choses to become a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. Instead, you’re born with it. Whether you’re from the Greater Toronto Area or have a family member that bleeds blue-and-white, you don’t look at this struggling franchise and say “hey, let’s jump on that bandwagon!”

Every year, from as long as I remember, there’s always a buzz around this time of the year. When you’re tied for first place with the other 31 NHL teams in September, expectations are a lot higher than they are in April.

Whether you’re talking to friends, family or co-workers, if you’re a Leafs fan, everybody always asks you the same question: “So, what do you think of the Leafs this year. You think they’re going to win a Stanley Cup?” And every year, my answer is usually the same, “Low expectations and I hope so!”

However, this season is completely different.

Toronto Maple Leafs Expectations

After last year’s devastating loss to Montreal, my expectations are lower than ever. Although I’m excited to watch Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews rip up the league, we all know that nothing matters until the playoffs. Getting amped up about this season is so hard because even if the team goes undefeated and Matthews scores 100 goals, nothing matters.

Nobody will throw a parade if the Leafs win the division or even win the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s best regular season team. Instead, they will only have more expectations and the stress of winning will be even higher.

It would almost be better if Toronto barely makes the playoffs and is on a huge losing streak as they get there, so that we don’t have any expectations at all. The anxiety/stress of watching this team year-over-year is too much, because it feels like they’re never going to win, no matter how good they look.

The Leafs are a toxic relationship or a bad habit you can’t kick. Whether your vice is smoking, drinking or junk food, you may go a few months without it, but you always come back to it because it tastes so good.

It’s incredibly weird that a group of people you don’t know who skate around shooting pucks into a net can make you feel so many things, but it’s more than a game. It’s a religion.

No matter how many times they lose, you’ll always keep watching because that euphoric feeling when they win will feel like heaven on earth.

The Toronto Marlies, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors have all won a championship in their respective sport in the past 30 years. Even, the Raptors 905 and Toronto FC, whose franchises are less than 20 years old have a won a championship.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are due and whether it happens this year or in another 20 years, we’ll be watching every game and can’t wait.