“We Want Florida”: Leafs fans are once again the laughing stock of the NHL

Never choose your opponent. We say it so often, we can’t even take it lightly.

Whether it’s at the end of the regular season, when it’s time to determine the match-ups, or in the playoffs, when you’re waiting for your next opponent, we can’t stress enough that you shouldn’t try to pick.

Although Maple Leafs fans might have needed a little reminder. In any case, they’ve learned it the hard way, and if they don’t remember it for long, there’s a problem.

Since the Panthers took control of their second-round series against the Leafs, a video of Toronto fans chanting “We Want Florida” has gone viral on social networks.

At that point, game #7 Bruins-Panthers had not been played, and Toronto wanted to face Florida, who had narrowly advanced to the playoffs, rather than the team with the most wins in league history.

At the time, the Panthers had still won 3 games against this famous powerhouse.

As Florida took a 3-0 lead yesterday, the montages have multiplied and the Maple Leafs are once again the laughing stock of the field hockey world. Fans at the BB&T Center even mocked opposing fans by ironically chanting “We Want Florida”, following their winning goal in overtime.

The sarcasm continued right into the hallways after the game.

Can we compare the fans’ attitude to that of the team in Toronto? After 19 years of failure, you win a playoff round and find yourself on top of the world: you’ve broken the curse and beaten the finalists.

But you’re only a quarter of the way there. Nothing’s won. In almost any other market, winning in the first round is a normal night out. Have we taken it for granted, both in the dressing room and on the streets?

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Leafs fans had a reason to be confident/cocky. And they forgot that they weren’t safe from another humiliation.

Nothing has changed since 2022. The Maple Leafs, until proven otherwise, still haven’t won a second-round game since 2004. And that’s what it’s all about.

En Rafale

– A Quebecer MVP in the Liiga.

– The Canadian makes a friendly attempt to coax Bill Daly.

– What do you think?