I don't care.

[Zee]

I am experincing similar feelings, but I know I'll be back on board in October.

Yep, same here, things always look brighter in October.

 

[Peter D.]

I have been experiencing similar feelings.  But I don't think it's that we don't care; actually, I think we care too much.  We're just showing it in a completely different way.

For me, I 'jokingly' went through the whole exercise of "what's happened in my life since 2004" with a Red Wings fan over the weekend.  Graduated university, bought a house, got married, had a kid, etc. -- that's a lot of major milestones.  And it's quite scary to put it in that context.

But I know I will continue to tune into the games and catch as many highlights.  I'll hang by every false rumour mentioned.  I'll still get excited as the draft approaches to see a) who the Leafs draft; and b) what other moves they may make.  I've invested too much into this team to give it up, or at least try to. 

At this point, I've basically become 'numb' to all this losing.  I no longer feel crushed after a loss.  I hardly get filled with anger anymore.  I no longer care what other teams do because if the Leafs can't take care of themselves, what does it matter.  It's gotten to the point where I've just accepted it for what it is. 

Come the off-season I'll be counting down the days 'til puck drop and come September I'll be making arrangements for the season opener.  But to re-experience those same feelings I mentioned above I've lost, I'll just need some playoff games again for it all to come back. 

 

[dappleganger]

I'm with you man. This season was the back breaker for me and I just can't be bothered anymore. I havn't bothered to watch the last three games and im actually amused at how they keep losing night after night.

2-12-2. Thats not a made up stat, thats real life. Amazing.

Years and years of mediocrity and now its not even that. They can't even crawl into 8th place anymore and will soon be the only team holding the glorious title of "Havn't made the playoffs since the lockout". The Columbus Blue Jackets have had more success than the Leafs. The Minnesota Wild. Everybody.

With the way things are going the future doesn't look much better either and the only way to really turn this around is to blow it all up and start again by DRAFTING PLAYERS and building a team through THE DRAFT like every other successful team in the league has done.

Reference Don Cherrys rant last week about how all these teams, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Boston etc have Ontario born players... well actually, they built their own teams through developing their own players rather than trading everything they have and all their picks away for players and then signing them to outrageous contracts and burying them in the minors. Unless you're the Rangers, that doesn't work.

That being said, even IF thats the route Burke takes (which I sincerely doubt he will because of his ego) it would take at least 3-5 years before the Leafs are any good again once said drafted players get here and get to be solid NHL players. So probobly, it will be even longer than that because we will have to wait for Burke to finish failing miserably (another season likely) and then bring in a new GM and then hope and pray to the galactic hockey gods that they finally swallow their pride for once and do it right.

Almost 50 years of the same approach hasn't worked, you think maybe it's time to rethink things? We used to be upset if we didnt at least make the conference finals, now im at the point where I don't even remember what playoff games are like.

Like many others the magic is long lost for me as well and I just can't be f-ing bothered anymore. Wake me up in 6 years.

OUT.

What makes the Rangers so special?

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Maybe some aren't old enough to remember the 80's.  The Leafs of that era rushed allot of forwards into the NHL, never taught them the basics of two-way hockey, played run-and-gun, and never ever had any real success.  As painful as this might be, this, what you've recently witnessed...is the road to real success.  Start off with some Pat Burns defense and then slowly open the offensive flood gates.  Leafs won't be successful until at least Darcy Tucker's contract comes off the books.

You beat me to it.  I lived through the Leafs of the 80's, so seasons like this are actually something to look forward to.   

 

[maplesyrup]

Maybe some aren't old enough to remember the 80's.  The Leafs of that era rushed allot of forwards into the NHL, never taught them the basics of two-way hockey, played run-and-gun, and never ever had any real success.  As painful as this might be, this, what you've recently witnessed...is the road to real success.  Start off with some Pat Burns defense and then slowly open the offensive flood gates.  Leafs won't be successful until at least Darcy Tucker's contract comes off the books.

You beat me to it.  I lived through the Leafs of the 80's, so seasons like this are actually something to look forward to. 

At or near the top of the things we're going to need though is another Felix Potvin though.  :-\

 

[Capn_Crunch]

Two pics come to mind from a few years back

This season is done, and so are our expectations, hope and dreams of simply seeing some playoff hockey.

The level of compete on this team is so low it's shocking. I may catch a game or two yet, maybe the last of the year against the stinking hab nots but I'd much rather spend my time with my better half watching a show that makes me laugh then one that makes me want to shed a tear at times.

God what i wouldn't give to have old Burnsie back behind the bench kicking someone's jock strap up between their teeth. I can only imagine what he thinks when he looks down on us all and sees this  joke of a roster and team fumbling away a playoff spot and the support of a fanbase and city right down the crapper.

 

[jonlleafs]

I think every sports fan has hit rock-bottom at some point. I know what you're saying but at the same time I think you might care about it more than you want to believe.

My rock bottom was the Lalime meltdown, if it makes any of you feel better.

Wow, that was rock bottom.    Just kidding. 

 

[Jalili]

Burke is vastly overrated, and gets a free pass because he is a blustering entertainer.

If I'm right about that, it tells you 90% of what you need to know about this team.

I've been thinking along those same lines for a while now. If Burke wasn't the great salesman that he is, I don't think he would have much credibility left with this team.

 

[jonlleafs]

Maybe some aren't old enough to remember the 80's.  The Leafs of that era rushed allot of forwards into the NHL, never taught them the basics of two-way hockey, played run-and-gun, and never ever had any real success.  As painful as this might be, this, what you've recently witnessed...is the road to real success.  Start off with some Pat Burns defense and then slowly open the offensive flood gates.  Leafs won't be successful until at least Darcy Tucker's contract comes off the books.

While I started watching in the late 80s, I wholeheartedly agree with you and remain steadfast that we HAVE to be patient.  Our impatience such as giving away everything for Rick Nash has gotten us into this mess.  The team needs to mature as a group.  You are absolutely right this is the way to real success.

 

[Kin]

I don't really think the fans' perception of how they feel about Burke will ultimately have much bearing on his job evaluation at the end of the year.

Realistically, neither will the media's perception. The only thing that's ultimately going to matter is how the board sees thing.

That said, I think it's pretty clear that ZBBM's post refers to fans.

 

[Mack674]

What makes the Rangers so special?

Nothing, they just lucked out for once after years and years of signing every single FA that was available and finally have a decent team for once but usually it doesn't work out too well as it hasnt for them in years past.

I was really hoping theyd do the Nash trade because it would have been such a lopsided overpayment it could have blown up in Sathers face and I would have at least had something enjoyable to watch this season.

I do agree that Burke has been busy acquiring prospects though and I dont mean to say we need 500 first round picks like Edmonton.. I fully realize great players exist beyond the first round. I just think we need to focus on that for now and get more. Beyond Gardiner and Colbourne, there really isn't much down there getting me too excited at this point.Out of how many people you draft, how many actually turn out to be good NHLers ? I've not given up on Kadri yet but if he doesn't make the club next year it's not looking good for him.

Im just really frustrated and emotionally spent on this team. I don't have anything else to say on it and like many of you, I don't see much to get excited about until next season at the very earliest and im anticipating at least a couple more years of suck. Might as well go for a perfect 10 and make it an entire decade. Try and set an NHL record or something.

It's too depressing.

Now im off to Baseball to enjoy the Blue Jays winning ways for several weeks/months until their inevitable implosion and nose dive into irrelevancy, then I'll be back.

Like someone else said, It's not a cycle im proud of.

 

[Kin]

Nothing, they just lucked out for once after years and years of signing every single FA that was available and finally have a decent team for once but usually it doesn't work out too well as it hasnt for them in years past.

I think that's a pretty big misrepresentation of the Rangers' success. They drafted Lundqvist, Callahan, Staal, Dubinsky, Del Zotto, Ansimov, Hagelin and Stepan. That's 8 regulars right there. They also signed Girardi as an undrafted free agent.

They've signed big ticket FA's, sure, but they've been able to make good deals with the ones who didn't work out(Gomez for McDonagh looks like one of the biggest robberies in the last ten years). 

 

[Mack674]

Your right about those guys but thats what I mean when I say they kind of lucked out - anyone trading for Gomez must have been on crystal meth and I still cant believe Montreal took him. It still boggles my mind to this day. If the world made any sense, the Rangers should still be handcuffed by that horrible contract.

In case anyone couldn't tell by now, I really, really, really can't stand Glen Sather.

 

[Kin]

Your right about those guys but thats what I mean when I say they kind of lucked out - anyone trading for Gomez must have been on crystal meth and I still cant believe Montreal took him. It still boggles my mind to this day. If the world made any sense, the Rangers should still be handcuffed by that horrible contract.

I think you're exaggerating just a bit. In the two years prior to the trade Gomez had 128 points in 158 games and 16 points in 17 playoff games. By comparison Grabo has 105 points in his last 144 games.

Gomez was overpaid by a couple million. That hurts a guy's value but it doesn't kill it. The real amazing thing is that Sather was able to get McDonagh for him and didn't take back any bad contracts.

Hate Sather all that you want but the Rangers have actually done what Burke and JFJ said they were going to do. He's maintained a competitive team(5 playoffs in 6 years) while building the team into something more with big time free agents and good young players from the system.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I wish we had a Lundqvist. 

 

[Fanatic]

I still care and I am sure I always will. I am frustrated a lot with this team, but usually that has more to do with unrealistic expectations than anything else. It is simply not the Leafs time yet.

Usually about this time of the year (for the last 7 or so seasons) I start watching a lot of other games and it is great to do so. Last night I watched Avs vs. Ducks and although I was cheering for the Ducks it was easy to be impressed with the Avs and with Landeskog.

 

[AlmosGirl]

Every year I go on a rollercoaster of emotion.

Up, down, somwhere in the middle... excited, pissed, angered, overjoyed, lulled, tired, ecstatic, enthused, excited, frustrated, etc, etc.

I'm at the "I don't give 2 craps anymore and think they will suck for an eternity" phase.

I actually talked about this with an old TMLfans.ca regular just last night.  Someone who doesn't post here anymore but who I (many of us?) shared the early 2000's playoff victories with.  I think we've both had enough.

This is me.  My 18 yr old son hasn't gotten to this point yet.  Ahhh, the optimism of youth. 8)

 

[Oracle]

Even when they were doing decently this season I just couldn't muster up any passion, and now I'm totally checked out. The franchise has been in the doldrums for so long that they've finally lost me.  If we showed signs of a real turnaround (as in 1993 and 1999) I'd be on board, but even when the team was in the top 8 this year, there were no signs that they were actually improved over years past.  As a result, I stopped making it a priority to watch games, to listen to games, to check in here each and every day.  I was completely uninterested in the trade deadline.  The firing of Ron Wilson, which would have pleased me to no end last year, just seemed an inevitable matter-of-fact.  When they lose, it doesn't bother me.  When they win, it doesn't excite me. 

The 8 years of mediocrity has finally gotten to me.  It's frightening to look back at all the changes in my life that have happened since the last time the Leafs made the playoffs.  It reminds me that there are far more important things in this world than living vicariously through a hockey team.  Even a year or two ago I could fantasize about what it would be like for the Leafs to win a Cup and how the tears would fall, but now I'm not sure it matters to me any more.

Am I the only one? 

8 years of mediocrity? 8 years!? You're just a newbie. Grab a beer, siddown, and watch the game! lol

 

[Capn_Crunch]

Even when they were doing decently this season I just couldn't muster up any passion, and now I'm totally checked out. The franchise has been in the doldrums for so long that they've finally lost me.  If we showed signs of a real turnaround (as in 1993 and 1999) I'd be on board, but even when the team was in the top 8 this year, there were no signs that they were actually improved over years past.  As a result, I stopped making it a priority to watch games, to listen to games, to check in here each and every day.  I was completely uninterested in the trade deadline.  The firing of Ron Wilson, which would have pleased me to no end last year, just seemed an inevitable matter-of-fact.  When they lose, it doesn't bother me.  When they win, it doesn't excite me. 

The 8 years of mediocrity has finally gotten to me.  It's frightening to look back at all the changes in my life that have happened since the last time the Leafs made the playoffs.  It reminds me that there are far more important things in this world than living vicariously through a hockey team.  Even a year or two ago I could fantasize about what it would be like for the Leafs to win a Cup and how the tears would fall, but now I'm not sure it matters to me any more.

Am I the only one? 

8 years of mediocrity? 8 years!? You're just a newbie. Grab a beer, siddown, and watch the game! lol

Hell yeah, i've been watching for over 30 years now and have only seen little bits and pieces of anything above mediocrity. If 8 years is killing you then turn in your jersey and go be a nucklehead fan or a bruins fan. Leaf fans have to have a tough skin and be ready for the long haul. I keep telling myself as long as they win ONE cup in my lifetime i'm happy/lucky. Anything else is simply extra gravy on your poutine.

 

[KGB]

8 years of mediocrity? 8 years!? You're just a newbie. Grab a beer, siddown, and watch the game! lol

I've been watching since the late 70s.  But even at the depths of the Ballard years, there was the occasional foray into the post-season, the occasional drafting of a Wendel Clark.  This era is worse.  Much worse.