Most who follow hockey have their team and they're usually sticking with their team until the end of times. But some fans change teams over time. And people who are newer fans of hockey might not yet have found the team that they would like to support. Or maybe you're like Mulletman, a lone wolf who really enjoys hockey, but for a long time just wanted to be a true independent fan that doesn't need a team to follow. Well no matter who you are and why you're looking for a team to support, I'll give you 10 good reasons to why you might want to become a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
1. The Maple Leafs is an original six team with a proud histororic legacy
For many who choose a new team to follow it's important to look at what kind of history the team you choose has. The Maple Leafs is one of the original six teams in the League and have won a total of 13 Stanley cups during it's 100+ year run in the NHL. And The Leafs have historic great players like Darryl Sittler, the record holder for most points in a single game with 10, the greatest Swedish player of all time and to many the greatest Leaf player of all time Mats Sundin and now Auston Matthews, the record holder for most goals in the first NHL game with 4. And many don't know this, but the legendary Conn Smythe led the Leafs and was resposible for 8 Stanley cup wins.
2. Toronto is basically the mecca of Hockey
Toronto has many times been called the mecca of Hockey and that's kind of true. Toronto has the biggest team in the League with the most fans. The Hockey Hall of fame is in Toronto. And the hockey news media is basically centered in Toronto. That's why a lot of hockey talk is also centered around the Toronto Maple Leafs. So being a Maple Leafs fan will make it seem like you're always the center of attention.
3. The future looks bright
The Leafs have had a few roung seasons lately but things are looking better. Toronto is currently one of the teams with the most potential and Toronto now has a nice mix of talented youth players and grizzly veterans to go for a run. Especially adding Joe Thorton was a good move as he'll be a good mentor for Matthews, Marner and Tavares and hopefully will help them find a new gear to their game. Plus with the Raptors winning the NBA title it gives hope that winning in Toronto is possible despite the enormous pressure that comes with it. Plus there's also the fact that Boston might not be in the same division this upcomming season.
4. You get to watch Matthews build his legacy
Few players over the last decade have seen as much hype as Auston Matthews and the hype is real. As a Leafs fan you'll see him build his legacy and get to follow a player that will go down as one of the all time greats. Most likely Auston Matthews will be the guy to break Mats Sundin's Leaf goal record and point record and become the first player in history to reach 1000 points with the Toronto Maple Leafs. And there's a really good chance Matthews will win a few Rocket, Art Ross and Hart trophies along the way...
5. Great management
Many teams struggle with a bad management, but it seems like the Leafs have finally been able to put together a good managemnet team. Lou Lamoriello build a good foundation and Brendan Shanahan has been good as the president. Seems like having a retired power forward in that position is pretty much always a good move. Sheldon Keefe seems like a pretty decent coach too, even if the jury is still out on him. I wasn't a big fan of Kyle Dubas as he has that weak look. But besides getting bent over by Nylander and his agent, Dubas has made some really good moves that have improved the team.
6. The Leafs have the deepest pockets in the League
It really helps to have the monetary resources when it comes to the hockey team you follow. As a Leafs fan you get the clear edge as the Leafs are able to offer big money deals that other teams simply can't afford. Plus we have all the best laywers that can bend the rules and structure the contracts so that we get a competetive edge compared to most other teams. That's why it's really interesting to be a Leafs fan during free agency.
7. The Leafs haven't won the cup since 1967 so winning the cup as a Leafs fan will be extra sweet
It's been almost 54 years since my Leafs won the cup last time. It's currently the longest cup drought in the League. This has really humbled a lot of us fans. Some may look at this like the Leafs are cursed and will never win the cup again. But we all know that if the Leafs win the cup it will be more sweet than winning the cup with any other team. It will be the closest thing to winning the powerball as you're going to get as a hockey fan. So if you yearn for winning the Stanley cup to be a truely special moment, become a Leafs fan
8. The Leafs will probably be the team that can benefit from Covid the most
Covid is ruing hockey right now as we hockey fans are missing out on McDavid's absolute peak and what could be Matthews', MacKinnon's, Laine's, Marner's, Aho's and other great players peaks as well. Plus we're being robbed of one more potential 50 goal season by Ovechkin. But the team that will probably benefit the most from this whole Covid mess is the Leafs. We have the best financial situation and can help out other teams when they need to unload good players they can't afford to keep anymore. If the management plays their cards right, the Leafs might become a new potential dynasty within a few years.
9. Being a Leafs fan is kind of like turning heel
There's no hiding the fact that as a Leafs fan you're not going to be particularly popular here on HFBoards. So if you grew up watching Star Wars and rooting for the empire, or watching pro wrestling and rooting for Ric Flair and Scott Steiner, or watching Harry Potter and rooting for Voldemort, you'll feel right at home. Other fans will come at you hard and they'll celebrate when your team fails, but you'll still find much support amongst other Leafs fans here on HFBoards.
10. As a Leafs fan there's more to hockey than winning the cup
To many fans of contending teams it's all about winning the cup and for teams at the bottom it's all about winning the draft lottery. But as a Leafs fan hockey is more than just winning the cup. As a Leafs fan the draft and free agency is one of the most exciting times since you know your team will be able to do some big money deals. And the hype for the next season is always incredible with lots of exciting discussions about how it will go. And the actual regular season is such a roller coaster ride with each win looking like a giant victory and each loss looking ike the end of the world. It's such a great emotional ride to be a Leafs fan.
So how about you and your team? What are 10 great reasons to become a Stars fan, Rangers fan, Sabres fan, Canucks fan and so on...?
