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Toronto Maple Leafs Apparently Playing Most Important Game Ever

By James Tanner

May 8, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs eighth game of the season comes with strange circumstances.

Not only are the Toronto Maple Leafs mired in in a horrible slump while simultaneously seeming to have used up all the goodwill their fans had to offer over the last 54 years, they will be taking on the winless Blackhawks, who are reeling from one of the worst scandals in NHL history.

In case you’ve been sleeping under a rock, the Blackhawks have been fined $2 million dollars by the NHL and fired their GM for one of the most horrendous things that has ever happened in the NHL.

It is amazing to me that Joel Quennville and Kevin Cheveldayoff are still employed with NHL teams today, but I suppose that is an entirely different article.

Tonight its Leafs vs Hawks in the battle of a losers. Some are making this game out to be a really big deal for the Leafs, but honestly, it’s just another game.  You just gotta work your way through a slump, you can’t be seeing every game as a massive test or measuring stick.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Chicago Blackhawks

What else can possibly be said about the Toronto Maple Leafs last week of play? Amazingly, last Friday, entering the game against San Jose, I think everyone was cautiously optimistic.  Even the hardest hearted Leafs fan had to admit they deserved to beat the Rangers last Wednesday.

Then, it’s 1-2-3 and suddenly people are calling for a change in management….which definitely is not warranted. I’m sorry, but the entire problem with the Toronto Maple Leafs over the last five decades is that every time there is a setback, the fans and media demand blood and ownership complies.

No one is ever given enough time to correct mistakes and overcome the randomness that occurs when every player on the ice is the better at hockey than almost anyone watching is at anything.

If the Leafs were losing despite great play from Marner and Matthews, then we would be concerned.  However, when those two start to resume their roles as top five NHL players, the Toronto Maple Leafs will outscore a lot of their problems.

You should be upset if don’t have good players, or if the players you thought were good turn out to be bad.  This is not the case.  Going back to the three loses to Montreal last spring, Auston Matthews has one goal.  If he has his normal seven goals, the Leafs advanced in the playoffs and started the season 5-2 or better.

Next. The 10 Worst Things People Blamed the Leafs Bad Start On. dark

So even if the Hawks – who I don’t think have even had a lead this year yet – win tonight, it doesn’t matter.  If Marner doesn’t pick it up tonight, he’ll pick it up tomorrow. Or Saturday.  Either way, as annoying as it is to hear this, the team is fine. This is just an early season game, and not a huge deal.

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