this is how i see it -
You have a franchise that makes zero sense. They have done nothing for 50 years and yet still they are the team that drives the needle. It doesn't matter what Forbes says re: valuable franchises, or what the NHL thinks the darlings of the league should be . this franchise drives everything. If you wanna be talked about - link it to Toronto. If you want action - do it playing Toronto. The are the Evil Empire, but literally had no bite. like. Imagine being a franchise in the league and you never have to advertise on television about this team. you don't have to market the stars, because everyone KNOWS already.
No matter where the game, you have 50% Leafs fans minimum. For some teams, you don't even have home ice advantage, because when you score, you get booed.
And they sucked. so it never. ever made sense.
And now... now there is actual substance behind all that passion. which actually justifies everything... and it makes it worse. because before you could chirp how much the leafs suck, and had no future, had no real legit talent, were dysfunctional, and the passion was a salve to make us numb to the fact that that's all we had. Hope.
Now hope has a name, has two friends, is coached by someone awesome, has a great goalie in net behind him, and has a chance to end a drought and make this franchise really amazing.
and everyone knows it, can't accept it.
so thus. eat the hate sundae, and enjoy the ride.