How much do you hate the Leafs?

[schnapshot]

My question: how much do you hate the Leafs (if you do)? And if so, why exactly?

Personally, I hate them with all my heart. One of the reasons is the classic Montreal-Toronto rivalry. The other one would be Toronto knocking the Habs out of a playoff spot in 06-07 despite the Leafs being way out of a playoff picture. I remember it because I was a kid and it was my birthday lol...

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[Kobe Armstrong]

Not a lot, they have nothing going for them

 

[Nashy]

Not as much as the Bruins, but more than the Flyers. I almost have a twinge of pity for Leaf fans.....almost.

 

[Pierre Dagenais]

My question: how much do you hate the Leafs (if you do)? And if so, why exactly?

Personally, I hate them with all my heart. One of the reasons is the classic Montreal-Toronto rivalry. The other one would be Toronto knocking the Habs out of a playoff spot in 06-07 despite the Leafs being way out of a playoff picture. I remember it because I was a kid and it was my birthday lol...

The Leafs weren't really out of the playoff picture, they finished 1 spot above the Habs and only missed out on the playoffs because the Islanders won their last game of the season.

And I don't hate the Leafs that much. I find their team pretty entertaining in terms of failures and off-ice drama. I kinda feel bad for them sometimes.

 

[BLNY]

I don't hate the Leafs. I hate the media wh0re$ that cover them like there's only one team north of the border.

Don't get me wrong, it's a little sweeter beating the Leafs than say the Panthers. But, that's as far as it goes.

 

[JuicyHam]

Not as much as the bruins. Even the senators I might hate more than the leafs.

 

[waitin425]

In the past, say pre-lockout, if the Habs were eliminated from the playoffs, I would cheer for the Leafs. Being a southern Ontario resident, it was easy to always follow the Leafs as my second team. I know, I know it sounds crazy, but I liked players such as Stumpy and Nieuwendyk and Domi and Mogilny and even Mats when they played during that era. I would also attend several Leafs games per year, as I was lucky enough to know someone with seasons tickets.

But..... this Leafs team is different. I can honestly say that I despise a number of their players with such a burning passion, that I would never want them on my team, regardless if we stole them for nothing. The only players I like on the Leafs are JVR, Bernier and Rielly. Everyone else is just a different degree of hate with Kessel, Phaneuf and Kadri warranting a special kind of burning hate.

I have been a Habs fan since 86 and they will always be my number one, but I honestly wouldn't mind if the leafs dumped some of those bums and did a proper rebuild.

 

[hototogisu]

The Leafs weren't really out of the playoff picture, they finished 1 spot above the Habs and only missed out on the playoffs because the Islanders won their last game of the season.

Yeah. If the Habs won they were in, if the Leafs won and NYI lost they were in.

NYI winning the next day to squash the Leafs' hopes was the only saving grace of that terrible, terrible time. I still get angry thinking about that game.

 

[Habitant#1]

It's hard to gauge given how irrelevant they have been the last 10 years. I'd say I currently hate the Bruins more but I think I'd prefer them to have success over the Leafs. If that makes any sense!

 

[schnapshot]

Yeah. If the Habs won they were in, if the Leafs won and NYI lost they were in.

NYI winning the next day to squash the Leafs' hopes was the only saving grace of that terrible, terrible time. I still get angry thinking about that game.

My bad, I thought they were lower than us like they usually are. I remember the Habs had played like crap and me saying I would never watch them again...

 

[Subban signed e5]

i Dislike the leafs and hate the bruins. i don't really care a whole lot about them tbh.

 

[George Clooney]

Not enough

 

[MtlBoxFan]

If I had to claim to hate the leafs, I'd be quick to point out that I can't stand leafs coverage bias and the ideology that "truculence" is a legitimate NHL strategy.

Media Bias: The amount of coverage this team gets, it completely undeserved. It's true, they are in the largest market in the country, but they aren't the only market in the country. Consistently, year after year, they are mediocre and yet Bob MacKenzie only has a chubby for them.

Canada's Team: Really? Who is really cheering for the leafs west of the 519? In Quebec? Maritimes? Not so much.

Leafs complacency: Fans CAN'T keep rewarding this club for having terrible players, terrible GMs, terrible coaches and ownership. How can they sell out that barn every night when they don't deserve it? Ownership takes leafs fans for granted.

Monopolizing the largest hockey market: Greater Toronto area, whether it's Hamilton, Markam, anywhere nearby could easily support a second team. While Balsillie is hardly a good prospect as an owner, MLSE was very active in blocking that possible expansion. GTA should have 2 teams, minimum.

Truculence: When you can't draft talent, sign muscle. It's an old idea and while the leafs have moved away from this, the Burke years were a complete waste of time. It was boring hockey and the results were indicative. Anyone still feel great about the Dion signing?

Rich Leafs fans that sleep at the AC center: Biggest fan base in the league and their arena is the most quiet. I sometimes wonder if the players are feeding off the deadly silence in the stands.

All of these things bother me about the leafs franchise because the non-Bay Street leafs fans are among the best and most loyal fans in the NHL. They deserve a much better team and it begins by dumping Nonis, and somehow changing the culture at MLSE. Leafs fans, stand up for your rights. There shouldn't be more than 13,000 in the stands until they start playing the way the fans expect.

 

[Gally11]

Don't really care about the Leafs to be honest

 

[habamillions]

I hate them more so to do with the media. Leafs talk everyday all the time. They shove the leafs down your throat. Other than that there really isnt a rivalry between Toronto and Montreal. Boston is Montreals rivalry. So in closing I hate the media more than Toronto I guess. Media just wants Toronto to be good, which they clearly arn't

 

[Habs 4 Life]

I hate them just as much as I hate the Bruins. Both those teams I can't stand

 

[Frankenheimer]

moderate

 

[LaP]

Not as much as the Bruins

 

[missthenet]

I don't hate the Leafs. I hate the media wh0re$ that cover them like there's only one team north of the border.

Don't get me wrong, it's a little sweeter beating the Leafs than say the Panthers. But, that's as far as it goes.

I actually like the Senators less than the leafs, followed by Pittsburgh then Tampa.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Very little. I hate so many other teams before them. "Hate" is too strong. They are our divisional rivals and I'd hate them more if they beat us in a playoff round because we'd never hear the end of it but other than that...I don't care if they win the cup even, as long as they don't eliminate us to do it.

 

[Ezpz]

Indifferent. I live in Ontario and it's more sad to see the optimism their fans have for that team.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

I used to hate the good old Mats Sundin teams. They had a lot of success vs the Habs. Ever since he left I've been mostly indifferent toward Toronto.

 

[Blind Gardien]

They need to have a re-spicing game or something. I don't hate them at all lately. They've never been in the same category as the Bruins, of course, but at least in the "truculent years" you could find some reasons to hate them a little, aside from just the off-ice media reasons.

 

[Fire Everyone]

I don't care about the Leafs. They're one of the most irrelevant franchises in the NHL.

The only thing they're good for is making money.

 

[LaP]

Team i hate the most currently : Bruins
Second team i hate the most : NYR