Brad Treliving, Toronto Maple Leafs rank last in NHL fan confidence survey
Photo credit: Toronto Maple Leafs
It has been a tough summer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that is reflected in fan satisfaction, as Leafs fans are reportedly frustrated at the team's lack of direction.
Dom Luszczyszyn of the Athletic recently released an article covering fan satisfaction with every NHL team's front office. Unsurprisingly, the Florida Panthers were number one. Back-to-back Stanley Cup appearances, including a championship will buy any front office another decade of job security after all. The Other top teams including the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks also rank highly, but this survey is not just about the teams that are good right now. Some rebuilding teams have also garnered a lot of praise from their fanbases. The Blackhawks, for example, are ranked 12th in fan satisfaction with the front office, and the 2023-24 last place San Jose Sharks are not far behind at 13th.
The Toronto Maple Leafs on the other hand, are at the very bottom of the league in 30th place, only ahead of LA and the New York Islanders. That just goes to show you that fans will lose faith in their team after eight straight playoff appearances with just one series victory to show for it. Luszczyszyn recognizes that Leafs fans are tired of the status quo.
"At the start of the Shanaplan, it certainly felt like the Leafs were one of those teams. It's getting harder and harder to feel like Toronto is on the cutting edge given the lackluster playoff results over the last decade and some of the decisions made to get there. A lot of what the Leafs do feels safe, boring and bland. It's as if the decisions are made via a focus group to minimize risk — hit a few singles instead of swinging for the fences." - Dom Luszczyszyn
One anonymous Leafs fan quoted in the article notes that despite the change from Kyle Dubas to Brad Treliving, nothing about the way the team is currently being ran feels significantly different, and they are right.
«Overall, while the Shanahan/Treliving duo has been far from disastrous, it has proven underwhelming. A few diamonds in the rough, a few misses for sure, but more or less the same strategy of the previous regime.»
The frustration in Toronto is palpable. Fans continue to express their disappointment in the team as they seemingly are stuck in 2nd gear for eternity. The latest cause for frustration seems to stem from Mitch Marner, whom many fans expected would have been traded by now. After all, they clearly cannot win with their current core right?
At the end of the day though, the NHL is a business. It seems that the Leafs are one of, if not the most, conservatively run teams in the league. Risks are scary, and they often do not work out, but when they do, the rewards can be franchise-altering. Will the Leafs ever take a big risk again? Perhaps not with the current ownership group.
Source: BladeofSteel
Maple Leafs ranked among the worst following front office confidence survey
Maple Leafs ranked among the worst following front office confidence survey
Source: The Athletic
NHL front-office confidence rankings, 2024: How fans feel about every team
NHL front-office confidence rankings, 2024: How fans feel about every team
| POLL | ||
9 AOUT | 111 ANSWERS Brad Treliving, Toronto Maple Leafs rank last in NHL fan confidence survey Are you confident that Brad Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs can bring a Stanley Cup to Toronto? | ||
| Yes | 50 | 45 % |
| No | 61 | 55 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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