Objectively speaking, the Leafs are one of the NHL’s best teams.
A 60-goal scorer in Auston Matthews. One of the best pure passers in the league in Mitch Marner. John Tavares as the second line center. Steady playmaking veterans like William Nylander and Mark Giordano on the third line and third defensive pair, respectively.
And yet, it never seems to matter come playoff time.
On Saturday night, the Leafs (-125) lost 3-2 to the two-time defending champion Lightning in another first round Game 7. A tough matchup aside, everything was, once again, in Toronto’s favor. That mentioned talented roster. A once 3-2 series lead. Home ice!
And yet, none of it mattered. The Leafs are cursed, right? They have to be cursed.
The Leafs have lost a winner-take-all final game in five straight playoff series.
The probability of that having happened? 0.0036%, or 1 in 27,778.#LeafsForever
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) May 15, 2022
The Maple Leafs have now lost 10 straight opportunities to clinch a series, dating back to Game 7 of the 2004 Conference Quarterfinals.
Only the Jets/Coyotes from 1990-2012 have lost more consecutive series-clinching games in NHL history (13). pic.twitter.com/ycg50wNwxl
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 15, 2022
Oh. My. Goodness. Yeah, the Leafs are definitely cursed.
We’re watching historic failure in the clutch unfold right before our eyes. Until Toronto can win a single (emphasis: SINGLE) playoff series with all that talent and all those advantages on their side, it’s the only logical conclusion.
Of course, these are the playoffs, and spite reigns supreme. NHL fans couldn’t wait to revel in the latest Leafs’ playoff fiasco.
