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

[donghabs98]

I gotta say, it feels totally wrong cheering on Boston. I wanna see Toronto lose but it still feels weird cheering on Boston.

 

[Guns n Roses]

I hate Boston, I hate Toronto much more right now. No f***ing way they are winning a cup before we do. f*** that.

 

[holy]

Near perfect?! They didn't adequately address a top-pairing right shooting defenseman and allowing Curtis McInhney (so) to go to Carolina only to be replaced by the erratic Garret Sparks.

Honestly the more I watch them the less I'm jealous of their team. They finished with 4 more points than us and instead of having 1 albatross contract are about to have 3. And if two of those guys start trending towards being playoff no shows, then yikes.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

Leafs are a poorly-built team. i might hate the bruins but at least they're a good hockey team. lots of experience too.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Leafs are a poorly-built team. i might hate the bruins but at least they're a good hockey team. lots of experience too.

what are you talking about "poorly built team"? boy genius has a plan and everything is going according to plan...

there is **no** no difference between regular season and playoffs. none. babcock is just a dinosaur for mentioning it

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Matthews with the yearly playoff disappearing act!

 

[Forum93]

I don't care who wins and won't be cheering for either one, let them kill themselves and have the next opponent finish the one who advances.

 

[sandviper]

For me, I don’t mind Toronto the team. I like their management structure, and generally like their team in terms of talent. What I hate is the media and their social media fans. Some fans I work with are overbearing as well, but it’s really all the TSN, Sportsnet and Twitter worshipping that drives me nuts.

Boston, I hate everything about them. I hate the team, the players, their history, their fans... just everything. Many of my all time hated players are Bruins; Bob Sweeney, Neely and freaking Galley.

Even when I fire up NHL 19 and beat the Bruins, I feel good about it... a VIDEO GAME! God, I just hate them soooo much.... grrrrrrrrrrr!

Honestly, there’s just so much hockey history between Boston/Montreal during my formative years. Toronto was terrible for so long plus they played in the Norris division.

When I first moved to Toronto, a co-worker told me how much he hates Montreal and how we’re such a rival.

I responded that’s cool... we never think of you guys.

Of course, this was years ago and they were still terrible then. I think if we ever get to the point where we play each other every year in the playoffs, this will change.

 

[Habs10Habs]

For me it's the fact that I live in and around Leafs nation. Everything here is Toronto based. I could not handle it if they won. A friend of mine asked if my feelings would be different if say I lived in Montreal. Or if the Leafs had recently won a Cup instead of the Bruins. I thought it was a very good question, I honestly don't know, but I doubt it would change things.

 

[CaptCrunch]

For me its all about the narrative.

I'm rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs just so they can get eliminated in Long Island while a crowd chants "We don't need you!" at Tavares.

Also, somewhere down the line Jumbo Joe wins the cup in Anaheim. It's about time... he's so old he looks like Gandalf.

 

[Habs10Habs]

For me its all about the narrative.

I'm rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs just so they can get eliminated in Long Island while a crowd chants "We don't need you!" at Tavares.

Also, somewhere down the line Jumbo Joe wins the cup in Anaheim. It's about time... he's so old he looks like Gandalf.

Haha...I think I'd be okay with that outcome.

 

[CaptCrunch]

since when did we start hating the Leafs more than the Bruins? anybody remember 2011? the time Chara almost killed Pacioretty?

That's what the Debrusk hit on Marleau reminded me of. Very similar hit. Thank god they put padding on the stanchions.

 

[CaptCrunch]

he also stayed at his bedside that night, while we were all (rightfully) calling for his head.

I didn't know that. I only remember the dirty hits on our players. Chara on Pacioretty, McLaren on Zednik...

 

[McGuires Corndog]

For me it's the fact that I live in and around Leafs nation. Everything here is Toronto based. I could not handle it if they won. A friend of mine asked if my feelings would be different if say I lived in Montreal. Or if the Leafs had recently won a Cup instead of the Bruins. I thought it was a very good question, I honestly don't know, but I doubt it would change things.

That’s where I’m at too. A lot of my friends are Leafs fans and it’s nauseating...

 

[CaptCrunch]

This is also a great series to watch for the all the ones who want Jake Gardiner signed this summer ( I'm not a fan of his )
See if he is better than that brutal game 7 last spring

Was thinking the same thing. Watching game 2 and, while the whole team wilted under pressure, I found Gardiner had a hard time going in traffic. And we want to replace Mete with him? I mean, Mete might lose the 50/50 puck battles along the board because he gets outmuscled but at least he goes there.

 

[Habsawce]

Can't cheer for Boston. Just can't do it.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

I'm rooting for both team to destroy each other to the point they don't have any more roster players to continue in the playoffs

My wish is off to a good start.

 

[sandviper]

For me its all about the narrative.

I'm rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs just so they can get eliminated in Long Island while a crowd chants "We don't need you!" at Tavares.

Also, somewhere down the line Jumbo Joe wins the cup in Anaheim. It's about time... he's so old he looks like Gandalf.

Isles eliminating Toronto would be a fitting storyline.

 

[Lshap]

For me its all about the narrative.

I'm rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs just so they can get eliminated in Long Island while a crowd chants "We don't need you!" at Tavares.

Also, somewhere down the line Jumbo Joe wins the cup in Anaheim. It's about time... he's so old he looks like Gandalf.

Pretty good storyline. I could live with the Leafs winning a single series if it meant being schooled by the Islanders. Only problem is I think Boston's more likely to take them out than NYI. And frankly, the sooner those smarmy Leafs-centric TV commercials stop, the better. The stench from the Leafs media pandering and overhyping is obnoxious.

 

[Spirit of 67]

I love Canada and would pull for a Canadian team to end the slump BUT the Toronto Sports Network and torontoSportsNet media did this sooo $%# the leafs and go Bruins for 1 round .

I want to see the Toronto Media implode after another 1st round exit after bringing in Johny Toronto

No implosion.

They're rooting for it.

 

[holy]

For me its all about the narrative.

I'm rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs just so they can get eliminated in Long Island while a crowd chants "We don't need you!" at Tavares.

Also, somewhere down the line Jumbo Joe wins the cup in Anaheim. It's about time... he's so old he looks like Gandalf.

I'm a narrative guy too, so the way I see it I'd prefer they lose in Rd 1 again and then face us in Rd 1 next season and lose again.

Them not leaving the first round in how long is simply too hilarious.

 

[Lshap]

No implosion.

They're rooting for it.

Curious how it looks from your angle. On the one hand, it must be nice to see your players pushed centerstage in so many TV commercials. But on the other hand, you're probably aware of the resentment it breeds in the rest of the country.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Curious how it looks from your angle. On the one hand, it must be nice to see your players pushed centerstage in so many TV commercials. But on the other hand, you're probably aware of the resentment it breeds in the rest of the country.

So much of the media coverage of the Leafs is negative. Fans don't see that. They just see the Leafs being talked about.

Every Saturday night (pretty well anyway) and sometimes during the week we get a national broadcast. Every other team get (except Vancouver) basically it's home broadcase. What do we get, Vancouver's openly Leafs hating PxP guy.
And a guy who once told the Leafs not to draft him.

The TO media loves to roast us.

You have to keep in mind, so many of them come from elsewhere.

Last night the game was atrociously officiated. No hue and cry from our media though. Just pile on Kadri.
Not defending Kadri btw. His actions last night are indefensible. But so was the officiating.

 

[Astormynight]

I wanted to cheer for the Bruins... but I just can't after two games I'm rooting for the leafs even if I think Bruins will win this round...

 

[jedimyrmidon]

So much of the media coverage of the Leafs is negative. Fans don't see that. They just see the Leafs being talked about.

Every Saturday night (pretty well anyway) and sometimes during the week we get a national broadcast. Every other team get (except Vancouver) basically it's home broadcase. What do we get, Vancouver's openly Leafs hating PxP guy.
And a guy who once told the Leafs not to draft him.

The TO media loves to roast us.

You have to keep in mind, so many of them come from elsewhere.

Last night the game was atrociously officiated. No hue and cry from our media though. Just pile on Kadri.
Not defending Kadri btw. His actions last night are indefensible. But so was the officiating.

^ This response is a prime example of Leafs fans' "poor us/pity us" attitude. I'm of the opinion that many members of the media are negative because they are fans of the Leafs and desperately want them to succeed and grow frustrated when there are difficulties just like any other fan.

Fans of other teams like Montreal, Ottawa or even Winnipeg wonder why only one Eastern team gets a national broadcast as if it were the only team in existence in Eastern Canada. Obviously the answer is market size, but it's still ridiculous that only one team gets national exposure throughout the entire season (all or nothing broadcast situation). In the West, there's a variety of teams on HNIC. EDM, CAL and VAN all have games throughout the season.

As for playoff officiating, yes, it can be really bad at times. Welcome to the playoffs. When the calls go against the Habs, you don't see many Leafs fans sympathizing so you can't expect others to have sympathy for them.