Watching Toronto Maple Leafs hockey used to be an escape from the real world, but instead, it’s just a reminder of the lockdown and another year of Covid.
Whether you’re the biggest Toronto Maple Leafs fan or a casual viewer, watching hockey is a joyous time, where you can curl up on the couch and unwind. Win or lose, the outcome doesn’t typically change your life, but those few hours can bring memories that last a lifetime.
A typical regular season game in January isn’t usually filled with unbelievable moments that you remember forever, but sometimes it is. Sorry for the reminder, but remember the David Ayres game a few seasons ago?
Imagine that without fans.
Or, Auston Matthews scoring four goals to open up his career? Imagine that game without fans too? The camera wouldn’t have had the opportunity to highlight Auston Matthews’ family crying in happiness, and the Ayres memory would have been a sad story in front of nobody.
Toronto Maple Leafs Games Are a Sad Reminder of Pandemic
As we watched the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Ottawa Senators last Saturday night, it was another empty reminder of the world around us. With empty seats, the game seems sterile. There were no fans, and hardly any excitement.
The atmosphere without fans is almost unwatchable and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who turned off their TV after the first period last Saturday night.
The NHL already postponed some games because of government restrictions, and they should continue to do so at every opportunity until those restrictions are lifted. It’s not just about the lost revenue – the games are bad without fans in attendance.
The Toronto Maple Leafs play the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night, and watching Auston Matthews vs. Connor McDavid should be the highlight of the NHL’s schedule, and a game that fans make a huge night out of. It’s supposed to be a jammed arena that is filled with excitement, but it’s instead only going to be Carlton the Bear with his “Go Leafs Go” sign sitting all alone in the stands.
Not only that, but with players continuing to test positive for Covid, Matthews and McDavid may not even play in this game, which makes the product even worse.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have already had a lot of games postponed, but if it is at all possible, the NHL should postpone as many Canadian dates as they can in order to play the games when fans can attend.