Since a devastating Game 7 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the punching bag for criticism from nearly everybody outside of their own fan base, and on Tuesday another high-profile individual joined in.
Stephen A. Smith, who is one of the most well-known sports personalities on the entire planet, roasted the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, referring to them as the «Dallas Cowboys of the NHL». Though Smith has been on record recently saying he knows next to nothing about hockey, this is a pretty spot on comparison. Both teams seem to have very high expectations every year, are talked about by media non-stop, yet seem to disappoint on a regular basis.
While losing to the Habs in the first-round was a disappointment, it was the way they lost the series which has resulted in so much chatter. After having a 3-1 series lead, it looked as though they were going to advance past the first-round for the first time since 2003. Instead, they proceeded to lose the next three games in what was yet another major collapse. Given the lack of success in recent years, as well as the heat they've taken in the last 24 hours, it will be interesting to see what types of changes general manager Kyle Dubas makes this offseason.
