The art of a playoff collapse: Looking back at the Leafs’ recent first-round failures
Can the Leafs shatter their playoff curse? They’ll have to beat the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning to do so.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs —hardly a surprise given the historic season they’ve had — the jokes quickly came pouring in.
Chokers. First-round failures An inevitable letdown.
It’s no secret that the Leafs appear to be cursed with first-round exits. How else can one explain this storied franchise not having won a single playoff round in 18 years? For fans, it’s been a carousel of heartbreak. For management, it’s been numerous moments of long sighs and head-scratching.
Are the playoff failures actually a curse? Is it a byproduct of the reworked divisions following the 2012–13 lockout season? Is the team just not capable? It depends on who you ask. Either way, on paper, this is one of the best teams in franchise history. They finished with a franchise-best 54 wins and 115 points. So this has to be the year they at least get past the first round, right? Right?
They’ll have to beat the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning to do so.
And the odds are in their favour. As of Saturday, the Leafs had a 67.5 percent chance of getting past the Lightning and making the second round, according to MoneyPuck.com. The only other teams with higher chances were the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames.
Like it or not, when it comes to exorcising playoff demons, it’s important to look at the history, including all the ups and the many downs.
