As yet another Toronto Maple Leafs playoff run ends in turmoil, a familiar narrative has emerged: It's just too hard to play in this pressure cooker. According to some, the Leafs' real problem is the loyal supporters and the longstanding media contingent that have somehow cursed the team. That under the blinding lights of hockey's mecca, it is no wonder the players continue to crumble every spring.
After dominant 6-1 win that lifted them to their third Eastern Conference in three years, members of the opposing Florida Panthers took to the podium to voice their opinions on why this iteration of the Maple Leafs continues to fall flat in the biggest moments. Veteran Brad Marchand, who now can say he has not only haunted the Leafs as a Bruin but now as a Panther, implied that the real issue is how the players are treated.
"When you see the pressure Toronto faces," Marchand said, "they just beat the pressure into this team."
Similar quotes from Florida head coach Paul Maurice and winger Matthew Tkachuk echoed Marchand's sentiments. Now, this could be an epic trolling job on their part, and it would not be the first time someone poked fun at the Maple Leafs with the same pitying tone. But regardless of the reason why, a narrative has been spun and hijacked a conversation that should revolve around examining what Toronto needs to do to get better on the ice.
Blaming 'pressure' just lets the Maple Leafs off the hook
All in all, it is a lazy narrative that not only lets the players off the hook, but also takes away from how Toronto's front office has allowed this to go on for almost a decade. We know hockey players love cliches; what happened to "pressure is a privilege"?
Rather than viewing it as a burden, pressure can and should be seen as a reflection of the progress and potential that this team should welcome. It means people believe in them, that they are being counted on, and that they hold a special place within the bedrock of their supporters' lives. It reframes pressure from something to fear into something to value. After all, the absence of pressure often means the absence of obstacles. When you feel pressure, it’s because you’ve earned the right to be in that moment. That is a privilege.
It seems counter-productive to want your fans, ones that have shown unwavering loyalty with little in return, to care less. When Craig Berube joined as the new head coach of the team, the word "accountability" was thrown around. If your own fans and media are not allowed to question this era of repeated playoff failure, then who is? Now, this is not to say that everyone who has criticized the team does so in good faith. Like any large fanbase, there will be bad apples who take things way too far.
But there are far bigger concerns for the Maple Leafs to look at than outside noise. Is this the end of the core four? Will Matthew Knies be re-signed to a team-friendly deal? Is this the end of Brendan Shanahan's time as pesident of hockey operations? Will the front office be bold over the offseason or try to once again run things back? All of these questions will hopefully get answers as the offseason is just around the corner.