Leafs fans turn on the team's new identity after another loss
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs fans love their team but hate to lose, and with a collapse against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, they are getting tired of the same results.
Toronto Maple Leafs fans are not against voicing their frustrations when it comes to their team's failures.
Their most recent loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night seemingly tipped the scale and what was once a patient fanbase waiting to see what was changed has turned into one that is getting very tired of the same old story.
Winning 4-2 in the second period, the team was dominated pillar to post, and if it weren't for a shaky start from Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi, the scoreboard could (and should) have looked a lot worse.
That's when Leafs Nation snapped.
Why last night's loss pushed fans over the edge
It would be hard pressed not to think we're in February as it's feeling a lot like Groundhog Day for the Maple Leafs. The same defensive miscues, inability to defend the rush, and apathetic awareness is costing them dearly.
Carolina had 84 shot attempts on Sunday; Toronto had 34. That's a differential of minus-50. You are inevitably going to give up more goals the more shots you give up and it doesn't help that the replacements for Chris Tanev have been less than stellar.
This comes off a lacklustre effort against the Bruins where they pulled Anthony Stolarz, had their former top prospect score against them, and lose a game against a shorthanded Bruins team missing some critical pieces.
All of this on home ice too, and fans who paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars have a right to be furious.
Why fans are questioning the Maple Leafs' new 'big and heavy' identity
Fans were sold this offseason on a team that was nasty to play against but these recent losses show they are anything but and Leafs Nation is furious.
That fury has spilled over into social media where fans vented their anger towards another brutal effort and pointed to the so-called 'identity change' as nothing more than fluff:
It's time to panic btw. This team is not good, Woll will likely steal us a few games, but I don't care. This team sucks.
At least the bag heads got what they wanted! Big slow ass team lmao.
At least the bag heads got what they wanted! Big slow ass team lmao.
Other fans were less than polite when it came to directing their ire towards the Maple Leafs, and it feels like we're reaching a boiling point:
They certainly got bigger, with Nic Roy, Dakota Joshua, Brandon Carlo and even waiver pickups like Sammy Blais.
But that made them sluggish, and mixed with being caught out of position is creating a lot of odd-man rushes for opponents and headaches for the fans.
While there is plenty of time to turn it around, if Toronto doesn't get their act together then the next time fans lose their mind it won't just be online, but in the confines of Scotiabank Arena.
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