As a fan of both Steve and the Blues, I've been waiting for this video since... well, the last LFR featuring us. Also, I love your impression of St. Louisans. You have a surprisingly decent following down here, and not just among the Toronto natives living here!
Steve I was born in 1964 I don't remember them winning the Cup in 1966 67 but I'll tell you this, this team back then was formidable nobody wanted to play them in the playoffs they were always in the playoffs they still competed tenaciously throughout the seasons even throughout the early 70s and it was in 1972 that I began sitting in front of the television with all of my hockey cards laid out before me with Hockey Night in Canada treating me two exemplary hockey, but yet still no Cup. Oh I've suffered a hell of a lot and I'm not the only one. I had a little brother that never saw them raise that cup either and he passed away wearing a Leaf jersey and a Leaf scarf in 2010. YES, I know this pain as well as any Leaf fan and it fucking hurts. I only wish I could go back in time because my time is running out as many Die-hard Leaf fans have ,already. And like the many that have worshiped this team without ever seeing a championship, well I too will go down that road and take this team to my grave because I love my City and I love my Leafs, regardless. That devotion is priceless but I can only hope and pray it's timeless too. I can only keep this hope alive in my living years.
The Blues get my hopes up all the time... Then I remember they have the Capitals curse for the playoffs... Also I'm very grateful to Naz for assisting my boy Magnus Paajarvi on his 2nd goal. Maybe he won't get waived for a 3rd year in a row. Great video... Now the Leafs need to get back to winning!!!
Haha I meant this as a joke. But I agree with you. The depth on the offense has definitely improved and you can't forget how great Schwartz is playing right now with Tarasenko. Plus the defense has been dangerous in the offensive zone like Joel and Peitro. This would be the year for the Boys in Blue to win the cup.
You hit the nail on the head with the "hope" chat. The Leafs will get better, they will continue making smart moves, and they will eventually be a contender. We have the right management and a good young core. Lots to work with.
I am an immigrant to Canada. I arrived at Toronto International Airport on February 29th, 1968. The customs doctor immediately implanted a Leaf chip into my frontal lobe. I was 3 years old. The Leafs were still Stanley Cup Champions, but that was shortly to change, as they did not qualify for the playoffs, in this, the first post-original six season. I am now 52, and the pain is starting to get to me. The hope that has been sown this autumn is the sweetest hope I can remember ever tasting. I don't know if I can handle yet another serving of bitter despair.
Agree with all those saying you shouldn't have taken 'This team is ruining my life' out of your intro. That was a great, and perfectly appropriate line.
Im a blues fan and am thinking they could win this year. The blues have never had a goalie such as Jake allen being consistently good. Vladimir Tarasenko in past years has been the only real goal scorer. Jaden Schwartz Schenn and our defense have been terrific so far and seem to be consistent, so when the Leafs lose to them, don't use not winning cups as a good team as a debate. Many times we have had good players but Tarasenko didn't provide enough or goaltending wasn't great. The blues haven't won the cup, but this could be the year
Austin Wille I agree Jake allen wasn't consistent the whole year and the second goal scorer on the blues was 19 goals away. Our defense is insanely good and can score. The blues had their first playoffs with Mike Yeo and did not play horrible. This season is a much different team then last year. They might be only a little different, but they are streaking with Schwartz Tarasenko Schenn Pietrangelo and Edmundson Stastny Paajarvi Allen Steen Gunnarson Jaskin Hutton pretty much our whole team is consistent
William Munny The Lightning have horrible injury luck. Steven Stamkos has a weak groin tearing and pulling it. He is a good player who pushes to just get the puck. He will more than likely get hurt again causing Kucherovs numbers to go down assists wise, and Vasilesky is not an all star either
Foxyman 923 just my guess for this season. I'm aware of how the lightning were injured last year and how the ducks are this year. I'll more then likely be wrong.
Honestly that second period was one of the most brutal examples of hockey I have ever had the displeasure of watching. I had just come back from reffing a Local League Peewee game and throughout the abysmal effort the Leafs gave during that period I was wishing I was watching that Peewee game instead.
That impression is pretty accurate... I work at a fast food place and people will literally take 4-5 minutes just to order even though there is a preview board
I'm 18, and you're right. I'd just found the Pens, which is my favorite animal, so logically I'm a Pens fan. It's that fav animal=fav team approach that's sorta a safe bet.
Wow, as a Blues fan that little speech just hit me straight in the heart. We don't hate hockey though, we're just kinda numb to the whole thing. I don't get "hope" or "excitement" anymore. I just kinda expect them to fuck it up in the playoffs.
As a Blues fan from St. Louis....A) we don't sound like that, and B) the fact that the Blues have never won a Cup only motivates me to buy into the team more every year, something I end up regretting when we get bounced in the playoffs every year but I still stupidly keep coming back which is why hockey is so great
I'm not crying... I'm a rangers fan and yeah we're struggling but there's a lot of hockey left to be played and that goes for the leafs too there's a lot of hockey to be played
Was walking beside mike babcock while exiting the tfc game today. He was trying to be discrete but my cousin got excited yelled BABCOCK and grabbed him to take a picture. He quickly got away because he was surrounded by thousands of drunk Toronto sports fans
You are right on Steve, im 28 years old and this “hope” you speak about has haunted me also. Not to mention a decade of terrible defenceman ( Brian McCabe, luke schenne, jake Gardiner) drew doughty was right about us.
My first Leafs memories are beating the Pens in the 99 playoffs. Not sure if that puts me in the "new people" who don't know pain or among the older guard who have suffered more
If you can live through the Big M trade, the detestable treatment of Keon, the Roger Neilson saga, and the return of Punch Imlach, this October is not even noteworthy as far as disappointments go.
I'm a fair bit older than you, Steve. I remember too much - much more than you. Yet I still look to you for optimism. But as an older & wiser (?) person, let me say - it never stops hurting. Probably never will. Sorry, but you need to know. Still gonna look to you for optimism, though.
If you want to know about a hurt fan base, look at the Caps. One of the best teams in the league every year, but never being able to get past the second round. That’s pain. So much hope every year (I’m a little biased, as I am a Caps fan)
Eric Williams they can learn how to make the smart passes, stay in position, cut down angles in front of Andersen, but they'll never have a good defense, they're very offense heavy. They have no one on defense capable of keeping stability and that's not a learning curve issue that's a talent issue.
They won't be an amazing team defensively until they do get that talent, you are right. But they can be a lot better than what they are. I think it will take a definite upgrade to the bottom six pair as well as moving some skill in exchange for defensive minded forwards up front.
well any team can be good if they get that many powerplays per game. Let's not pretend for a minute like they have the talent to draw that many penalties. Its a joke but it always has been with that team, squeaky wheel gets the grease, as they say
Sooo I wasn't a Leaf fan until last season and probably wouldn't be now if it weren't for a friend religiously linking me your videos. Now I am emotionally attached so I BLAME YOU for my pain!!!!
You can keep putting star players on the 4th line all you want but that Chip and chase system don't work and It didn't work for Pat Burns either. I take my hat off and my facial hair for sleepy Lou for getting us Boyle, Fehr, Moore.Thank you Lou.
I think the pipe dream of kadri as a defensive forward is just that. He has some good moments but overall cannot be relied upon in this roll. Leafs need to find their staal or kesler or Bergeron. In some way shape or form.
Mhm I think the guy on instagram who wanted to trade Jake and Mitch for a D man is totally right tho! You have to trade your def and offense to get better defense, obviously.
