Johnston: ‘Nothing like being a Maple Leaf' – but is that a good thing?

New York Times

21-05-2025

TORONTO – The Florida Panthers are on to the Eastern Conference Final, but they left behind a parting gift here in the centre of the hockey universe.
After sending the Toronto Maple Leafs into the summer with a pair of humbling home defeats to close out a second-round series, the Panthers ripped open Pandora's Box by suggesting it was the crippling pressure from fans and media that ground Toronto's game to a halt rather than their own relentless forecheck and superior execution.
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Matthew Tkachuk went so far as to say he felt bad about how much his counterparts in Toronto had to deal with, suggesting during a Monday appearance on 'Spittin' Chiclets' that other teams can use the weight of expectations against them.
While the Leafs naturally pushed back against that notion in their exit meetings – 'I don't know how they could do that, but maybe they could call me up and tell me,' head coach Craig Berube offered Tuesday – it remains a very real perception around the NHL.
It's an idea that will hang like a cloud over an offseason where superstar forward Mitch Marner appears set to walk away from his hometown team in free agency. Should that happen, a portion of his decision will be a desire to find a new environment, according to league sources.
Marner has experienced a bit of everything during his nine seasons with the Leafs. He's received celebrations and adoration, earning a nice sideline income through numerous sponsorship opportunities. But he's also dealt with periods of intense criticism and even some harassment in the community.
Before speaking at the Leafs practice facility on Tuesday, he thanked a reporter for deleting a social media post after Sunday's 6-1 loss to the Panthers in Game 7. A fan had crossed the line in the replies.
The best way to navigate life in the spotlight of a hockey-mad city, according to Marner, is not to focus too much on the negative things people say. Over the years, he and his wife Stephanie learned to lean into all of the good things happening around them.
'You know there's so much love and appreciation for yourself from the fans out there,' said Marner. 'Just because you don't (always) hear it, you know it's still out there. You know you've got the love of a lot of people. Sometimes the noise you hear is not (what) you want, but that's how it goes. I'm sure my family is taking it hard, especially being in the crowd for a couple (playoff games), but that's how this game of hockey goes. The passion the city brings is something you appreciate and love about it.'
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The Leafs have arguably the most dedicated and tortured following in the NHL. Despite not playing for a Stanley Cup since 1967, let alone winning one, they're accustomed to seeing pockets of blue sweaters wherever they play. They also generated the league's highest home gate revenue in local dollars this season.
They are basically hockey's answer to the Cowboys, Yankees or Real Madrid, and some tradeoffs come with the scrutiny in the form of high-end facilities, training and nutrition resources, plus an unmatched program for injury rehabilitation.
'I've never seen anything like it,' said veteran forward Max Pacioretty. 'There's nothing like being a Maple Leaf.'
Pacioretty, the former Montreal Canadiens captain, believes Tkachuk, Brad Marchand and Panthers coach Paul Maurice missed the mark when pointing to pressure's impact on the series' outcome.
'Anyone can say whatever they want,' said Pacioretty. 'Everyone can have their own opinions as to how or why we lost, but at the same time, you can use (pressure) against someone. Or you can use it to your advantage. I guess I'm a glass-half-full guy at this stage in my life, and I see that there are ways to use it to your advantage.'
The Leafs failed to do that during these playoffs, though. They went 4-3 in the games they played at Scotiabank Arena, and each of the home-ice defeats ended in blowouts. That includes a 4-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators in Round 1 before back-to-back 6-1 losses to Florida, sandwiched around a huge season-extending Game 6 win on the road.
Internally, the organization tries to identify players who won't feel rattled by the volume of media coverage or heightened attention from fans in the community. That was part of why management was comfortable giving William Nylander the richest contract in franchise history last season.
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Nylander calls life in Toronto his 'normal.'
'I mean, it's been a dream,' he said. 'I think every kid wishes that they could play for such an organization like this.'
John Tavares was the NHL's marquee free agent when he chose to join his boyhood team in 2018. Even after the ups and downs of his seven-year run, in which the Leafs have gone 2-7 in playoff series, Tavares enters this summer hoping to earn another contract here.
What Tkachuk sees as 'crazy circus stuff' around the Leafs, Tavares views as an opportunity.
'It's an unbelievable place to play,' said Tavares. 'An incredible fan base that loves its team and so badly wants to see it win. When it happens here again, it's going to be something pretty remarkable, and we want to be a part of that.'
To be fair to Maurice, who spent two seasons as Leafs coach earlier in his career, he did mention that anyone part of bringing success to Toronto wouldn't have to buy lunch again for the rest of their lives, while also discussing 'the cost' of playing here.
As the Panthers push on in search of another championship, the Leafs believe Florida will face the same kind of heat they were under until their own playoff run ended.
'If you're playing in Game 7 and you're in Columbus, there's pressure to win, OK?' said Berube. 'The only pressure that we should feel is right inside the locker room from each other.
'That's honestly my opinion.'
(Photos of Auston Matthews and Leafs crowd: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)