Boston or Toronto: Who are you rooting for/against?

[Corson27]

Poll added.

Where's the "f*** them both" option?

 

[JianYang]

I want to say Boston, so that those leaf fans in the summer can be brought down a peg. But the reality is that they will ramp up the hype train again in a couple months regardless.

I'll still say I want boston to win though, so that there can be more balanced coverage from Sportsnet.

What makes it an easier descision is that I don't expect the bruins to last much longer either.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Where's the "**** them both" option?

Very positive...

 

[b in vancouver]

Bruins fan:
I understand how distasteful it must be for some of you to vote Bruins but if the shoe was on the other foot I'd vote Habs. Your team has broken my heart more times than... and when it finally started evening out are some of my favourite hockey memories of all time.
But at least the rivalry is real. And I respect the hell out of your franchise and fans. (and am disappointed you couldn't catch them for third)
but this new breed of Leaf fan is just... silly... like they just joined the league or something.

 

[Runner77]

We have near consensus on how annoying Leaf fans are. Of course, there are always exceptions and recall a few coming in here who were reasonable and respectful.

I’ve had the misfortune of reading several arrogant posts from Leaf fans so this is an easy choice for me. And of course, their center of the universe media coverage does nothing to make them endearing.

 

[THE HOFF]

Well put. There's a resemblance between both franchises. We're conditioned to hate each other due to the passion in fighting for the same piece of cake and while you often see the worst side of both parties, deep down you have to respect each other's history and dedication to win. I'm not really rooting for the Bruins, but we have more in common with them than the Leafs and I'd pick them over the latter any day of the week.

Boston is a fun city with plenty of sports culture, which is respected by a lot of people over here (plenty of Sox, Pats and Celtics fans in Montreal). Toronto is just plain boring. And Leafs fans and media are just insufferable.

Yeah I mean the pride we feel when we win or the shame we feel when we lose to the bruins is directly connected to how worthy an adversary they are, especially in the playoffs. 1rst vs 8th seed ... It doesn't matter. Its habs vs bruins. Its a thing in itself.

Also I personally respect them for not "tanking" and for trading away players like kessel and seguin because they didn't fit the mold. Fans in awe of toronto or edmonton are losers to the core. Rotten hearts. They tanked and never won ANYTHING . so until they do, tune your shit down.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Rooting against both

 

[NotProkofievian]

Rooting against both

So, what happens when one of the teams scores? Some sort of a Howard Dean scream? Yeeaaawwwwww

 

[Scintillating10]

Won't be watching. Probably Leafs. Canadian team, never won before

Great suggestion by a Bruins fan (thanks, @rfournier103): Which of our rivals are you rooting for in the Leafs/Bruins series?

I'm on the Boston train for this one. As much as I can't stand the Bruins, at least it's a mature hate. Both the Habs and Bruins have given as well as they've got over the years, so there's a measure of sanity and respect in the mix. Toronto fans, on the other hand, are like a swarm of religious zealots at the airport who won't shut up or listen to reason. Any team that allows insipid taglines like "Leafs Nation" and "Johnny Toronto" to pollute social media deserves to be booted out of the playoffs as fast as possible. Shut 'em down, Bruins.

 

[PhysicX]

Leafs ainefc

 

[Tuna Tatarrrrrr]

I'd like neither but I pick Boston. Leafs fans all act like if the Toronto Maple Leafs are the Montreal Canadiens, they think Toronto is "ThE cEnTeR oF hOcKeY" when Montreal is actually the mecca of hockey.

 

[Stive Morgan]

Not rooting for either but I'd prefer the Maple Leafs win just cause they're Canadian

 

[holy]

My co-workers who are Leafs fans are super nice dudes so I'm gonna feel kinda bad really enjoying myself if/when Toronto loses.

 

[Edgy]

I'm wishing for a 7 game series where they both batter each other into oblivion and whomever emerges victorious crawls and limps into getting swept in the 2nd round. Preferably that team would be the Bruins, because Leafs fans are as ignorant as they are insufferable. They're like the nouveaux riches couple moving into a classy neighborhood, too crass but acting like they belong.

The Bruins fans hate us and we hate them, but their team isn't built on tanking and drafting high, throwing stupid money at free agents (looking at you Mr. too good to meet with Montreal Tavares"), you have to respect the way they develop their prospects, the way they played through injuries and kept finding ways to win, and they know the pain of suffering under CLODE!

Ultimately, I want the Jets to bring the cup back to Canada. But for this series, or any series, or just for the fun of it on a regular non-hockey day, screw the Leafs.

 

[Morbo]

Finally, some real honesty.

bravo, HFBoards.

 

[CDN24]

Last year I was kind of not sure who to cheer for before the series started. I looked at the positive, One of my teams hated rivals is losing in round 1 and the other gets Tampa in round 2. I guess that still applies this year.

In reality it is easy though. While I hate the Bruins, I respect the Bruins, their fans and their players (have been a Marchand and Bergeron since day one.) Our Toronto-centric media makes the decision easy, giving updates everytime Tavares had a shit in the summer or scored a goal in a scrimmage. Then the arrogance and lack of knowledge of most of the fan base. I haven't even mentioned Kadri (the real RAT) yet.

I'll give Toronto some credit though. They are entertaining, nothing makes me smile like seeing Dubas screw up repeatedly. Maybe making a fanboy GM is not the best route to success.

 

[HomeAndHome]

Hoping the Leafs get swept or a classic game 7 heartbreak... and then Bruins get swept by Tampa.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I just want drama and for both teams to beat each other up. Think I want the Bruins to win. If the Leafs get past the 1st round, their fans will act like they already won the Stanley cup. Most annoying fans in the league right now. "Nylander is not worth $6M AAV in contract negotiations but when you talk trade, he has $9M AAV value"

 

[Fergy22]

So who did Don Cherry vote for?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Hoping the Leafs get swept or a classic game 7 heartbreak... and then Bruins get swept by Tampa.

Blue Jackets will give Tampa a test IMO. There is always upsets and this is my potential 1st round upset pick. Both teams allowed 77 goals against since Feb which matches Tampa. Since the deadline, Blue Jackets have 3 less points vs Tampa and allowed less goals. If the Blue Jackets can play sound D with good goaltending (which they have done for a while now), I think they are going to test the Lightning.

Lightning have a deep team but so does the Blue Jackets (after the deadline). I don't consider this a David vs Goliath as much as most do.

 

[HomeAndHome]

Blue Jackets will give Tampa a test IMO. There is always upsets and this is my potential 1st round upset pick. Both teams allowed 77 goals against since Feb which matches Tampa. Since the deadline, Blue Jackets have 3 less points vs Tampa and allowed less goals. If the Blue Jackets can play sound D with good goaltending (which they have done for a while now), I think they are going to test the Lightning.

Lightning have a deep team but so does the Blue Jackets (after the deadline). I don't consider this a David vs Goliath as much as most do.

Let me clarify, I want Toronto out as quick as possible, then Boston out as quick as possible, and the team that took the last spot in the playoffs over us out as quick as possible. So in my mind there'll be a bunch of sweeps. Yes, I'm salty about missing

 

[Tuna Tatarrrrrr]

This is why I don't want the Maple Leafs win it all. I just can't stop making fun of Leafs fans.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Supporting Boston. I despise everythig Toronto-related including the city itself.

Hey, I love my city! There are a good amount of publically proud Habs fans here as well as Bruins fans.

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

I might be wrong, but I feel the French side of the fanbase care less for the Toronto rivalry than the English side does.

So I have no ill toward the Leafs, can't say the same about the Bruins.

 

[pepperMonkey]

There is an amount of respect that allows Bruins-Habs encounters to become classics. We did damage, they did damage. As much as they mutually hate each other, there is a sense of acknowledgement that this is a worthy opponent. Past, present, and future, before the old gods and the new. The eternal foe. every series against the bruins is like a thing in itself, like a mini-stanley cup. You hurt them more when you can, they do the same. Vengeance without an end. There is something utterly romantic in that, under all that hate.

Well, that is only because we actually played them in the playoffs recently. If we consistently played the Sens in the playoffs, we would rightly have a rivalry with them as well. The Leafs, on the other hand, have been bad a long time so we never met, and those years when they were actual playoffs teams, well, we have been bottom feeders.

The leafs are only some sort of paper champions and their arrogance has been laughable for such a long time. They are playstation fans. They look at their lineup and they mouth breathe heavily. They finished what 5 pts in front of us and yet all I can hear is how other teams can't compete with them. Respecting your opponent is what made Ovy lift the cup. He finally got in ''the zone''. I would love Toronto to get spanked because that's what they deserve wholeheartedly. I really like marner, but I can't stand the rest of that lineup.

Err...real Leafs fans have been in a depression for a long long time with absolutely no hope in sight (sounds like us doesn't it?) until management finally woke up and did something. Then they bottomed out, won the lottery, stocked up in a huge pile of elite players and also picked up JT...what fan would not feel a little overly excited?