This season, and it’s probably always been like this, being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan has been an emotional roller coaster ride. Despite the brilliance of Auston Matthews, who’s on pace for a historic goal-scoring season, and the revelation of William Nylander, who has set a franchise record for the beginning of the season scoring, there’s tons of frustration with being a Maple Leafs fan.
If you read the comments of Maple Leafs fans on Facebook pages and at the end of posts written on The Hockey Writers and other venues, it’s easy enough to circumscribe the issues that are making fans crazy with frustration.
A Current General List of Maple Leafs Fans Frustrations
Here’s my summary of what is a current list of things that frustrate even the most avid of Maple Leafs fans.
First, the team’s defensive woes are overwhelming them. Fans continue to express frustration with the Maple Leafs’ defensive performance. The goalies have a hard time keeping the puck out of their net, and it’s pretty clear that it isn’t entirely their fault. The team’s defense seems to fans that it helps very little. One comment on a Facebook page suggested that the defense was “pretty much crap.”
These concerns include the total team defense, which is low-lighted by poor defending. Fans/readers continue to mention the team’s poor defense, with specific examples that point fingers at soft goals and missed defensive plays.
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Second, fans express concerns about key players on the team. Regardless of how much Matthews scores, every game he doesn’t score, someone seems to mention his lack of success in “crucial moments.” He can “undress” opponents, but he doesn’t always convert. Both Matthews and Marner “miss open opportunities.” And these are the team’s star players.
Third, the fans are frustrated with the team’s newcomers. Right now, John Klingberg is getting the Justin Holl treatment, as he’s described as consistently underperforming. Max Domi hasn’t scored a goal yet, and similarly, Tyler Bertuzzi has struggled despite three goals. Expectations are high for all three players.
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Fourth, the fans are frustrated with the team’s management decisions. There’s a deep dissatisfaction with general manager (GM) Brad Treliving’s decision to sign Ryan Reaves for three years, with all the inherent salary-cap implications that brought to the team. Also, now with the team losing, fans are showing their frustrations with the team’s overall direction and highlighting the need for change and accountability.
Even the Betting Sites are Weighing In
In a video today, VSiN The Sports Betting Network discussed the Maple Leafs’ struggles, despite Matthews’ incredible scoring performance. In the video (seen below), the conversation focuses on the dilemma that Matthews has been productive (with 13 goals in 13 games), but, as a whole, the team is underperforming.
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The conversation on the video highlights three reasons the speaker (who is a Maple Leafs fan) is personally frustrated with the team. His three reasons for being frustrated mirror the reasons that I’ve been reading from other fans who are also frustrated.
Reason One: the Maple Leafs’ Defensive Woes, Especially the Klingberg Conundrum
In the offseason, the team made a significant move by signing defenseman Klingberg. However, instead of fortifying the blue line, Klingberg’s play has left fans wondering what he brings. Once considered among the NHL’s elite defensemen, his play has fallen to new lows.
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In the video, the speaker even described him as more of a liability than an asset. His defensive lapses not only contribute little to the offense but also open the floodgates for high-danger scoring chances against his own team.
The frustration considers the defensive metrics, where the Maple Leafs rank as an average to below-average team. Despite offensive juggernauts like Matthews, Marner, and Nylander, the defensive foundation is shaky. This imbalance between offensive production and defensive frailty has created exasperation for Maple Leafs fans, who want a winner.
Reason Two: The Two Team Goalies Are Stumbling
Everyone knows Ilya Samsonov’s struggles. However, young Joseph Woll, who had a promising start to the season and was seen as the solution to the team’s goalie issue, has struggled in recent games. He’s fallen into the same hole as the remainder of the team.
In Woll’s last three starts, he’s let in a whopping 15 goals, putting up a save percentage of just .778. Even worse, some of those goals are attributed to defensive lapses. Neither Woll nor Samsonov are entirely to blame; however, both need to elevate their games.
Ironically, the Maple Leafs’ frustration intensifies in the light of Matthews’ goal-scoring spree. With the goalies’ struggles, the stark contrast between the team’s offensive brilliance and defensive failures becomes even more apparent. These redundant inconsistencies have plagued the Maple Leafs for so many seasons, and until a reliable solution emerges, fans’ frustration won’t be going away soon.
Reason Three: The Misalignment Between Expectations and Reality
According to the speaker in the video, Maple Leafs fans are caught in a perplexing situation. They’re expected to be a top-tier Stanley Cup contender. That perception creates a misalignment between expectations and on-ice performance, which leads to frustration.
Fans expect their team to consistently win, or at least until they get to the postseason. The mantra around the team has been that “it’s all about the playoffs.” Except these days, it’s become about the regular season because the postseason is far from promised.
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Maple Leafs fans have witnessed their team’s inconsistency so often that it’s just getting too old and too much the same old thing. Fans’ optimism is waning.
The Bottom Line of Being a Maple Leafs Fan
Being a Maple Leafs fan has always, at least since I started to cover the team six seasons ago, come with its share of highs and lows. However, I can’t recall seeing the frustrations outlined so specifically during the regular season before.
But that’s what happens when the team has defensive struggles and goaltending inconsistencies, and the gap between expectations and performance widens. The brilliance of Matthews and Nylander aside, the sentiment of the fans these days is one of overarching frustration.
Where do we go from here?