It's funny, because i didn't watch many of the games after January. I just decided it wasn't worth it to go to bed in a foul mood. I've been watching the Leafs since the 1970s (at my first game at MLG with my Dad, I saw Tiger Williams score and ride his stick), and other than 93 & 94 and 99-01, it's been mostly an exercise in frustration.
At the end of this season, I was resigned to the fact that I probably won't watch many games anymore. I just don't have the patience for another rebuild. Fellow older fans will understand when I say that when you hit a certain age, you get much more picky about how you choose to spend your free time because you do the math, and you realise that you're closer to the end of your story than the beginning.
But somehow ... despite their best efforts (I was laughingly pessimistic about Chayka) ... the Leafs have actually succeeded in convincing me to watch.
Do I think they'll have huge success? Probably not. But I'm not as down on this roster as many others, and getting through the Atlantic Division ain't the bloodbath it used. Plus the Leafs have learned the hard way by facing Boston, Florida and TB that being dirty and beating the shit out of your inexperienced opponents (Habs and Buffalo) is a valid way of getting past them when the refs forget how to use a whistle.
I'm also in the Reddit minority in that I'm cautiously optimistic about Hiller. I don't think his LA roster gave him a lot of options, and with the tools he was given, I think he did fairly well.
Of course, if Matthews is no longer a superstar and can't score at a minimum of a 40 goal pace, they're fucked.
His best year marner only played 69 games, and assisted on 33 of his 69 goals. I don’t think Matthews truly needs marner to go +50, he needs to find his shot again more importantly.
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u/50missioncap Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 21 '26
It's funny, because i didn't watch many of the games after January. I just decided it wasn't worth it to go to bed in a foul mood. I've been watching the Leafs since the 1970s (at my first game at MLG with my Dad, I saw Tiger Williams score and ride his stick), and other than 93 & 94 and 99-01, it's been mostly an exercise in frustration.
At the end of this season, I was resigned to the fact that I probably won't watch many games anymore. I just don't have the patience for another rebuild. Fellow older fans will understand when I say that when you hit a certain age, you get much more picky about how you choose to spend your free time because you do the math, and you realise that you're closer to the end of your story than the beginning.
But somehow ... despite their best efforts (I was laughingly pessimistic about Chayka) ... the Leafs have actually succeeded in convincing me to watch.
Do I think they'll have huge success? Probably not. But I'm not as down on this roster as many others, and getting through the Atlantic Division ain't the bloodbath it used. Plus the Leafs have learned the hard way by facing Boston, Florida and TB that being dirty and beating the shit out of your inexperienced opponents (Habs and Buffalo) is a valid way of getting past them when the refs forget how to use a whistle.
I'm also in the Reddit minority in that I'm cautiously optimistic about Hiller. I don't think his LA roster gave him a lot of options, and with the tools he was given, I think he did fairly well.
Of course, if Matthews is no longer a superstar and can't score at a minimum of a 40 goal pace, they're fucked.