Biggest Chokers Showdown: Toronto Maple Leafs VS San Jose Sharks

[Lafleurs Guy]

Sharks made it to the finals. Leafs can’t get out of the first round. This isn’t close.

However, Toronto still has time to change the script.

 

[innitfam]

It's Toronto. San Jose at least made multiple conference finals.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

When was the last time a Canadian franchise had an actual shot at the cup? Hard to hold it against Toronto when they don't have even a punchers chance at a cup.

Montreal a few years ago. Ottawa would've beaten Nashville in 2017.

 

[BB79]

The year is 2038

40 year old AM34 is traded to San Jose for one last chance run at a cup.

The inverse of Joe Thornton who played for SJ then went to the Leafs. Same disappointing end though

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

not even close

 

[thegazelle]

I think any answer needs to be qualified, because we are not talking apples to apples here.

Leafs have been around forever. Have not won a cup since 1967, before I was even born, and I am in my fifties. San Jose has been around since, when...1990 or so? I remember getting hockey cards of early Sharks players in high school, so probably around that time.

The fanbase for the Leafs, as well as the media market for the same, is significantly larger than San Jose and with that comes different expectations. Fairly or not, choking under greater expectations is worse, at least on a perception level.

That said, San Jose, while equal to the Leafs in not winning the cup, have exceeded the Leafs insofar as their playoff performance. They have gone deep in the playoffs a number of times and I think even made the Finals. One can say well, they didn't win anything so same difference and that may be right, but (to me, anyways) choking in the midst of relatively moderate success seems to be better than choking in the midst of relatively little to no success. The Leafs have also had more recent memory chokes, some of which have been more than memorable. My adult son still remembers us watching that Leafs/Bruins game where the Leafs had a lead in the third and then lost the game and the series. I think part of the reason why he remembers that so well is due to the immense pressure and coverage and fairly or not, the constant media conditioning that this may indeed be the Leafs' year. Hence, my earlier comment about expectations.

 

[Spirits]

Montreal a few years ago.

Insane hot take.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

Insane hot take.

They were in the finals and won a game, which Canadian team was closer recently?

 

[Spirits]

They were in the finals and won a game

Do you have any idea how ridiculous this sounds? You are talking about a team that was trash before and after that bubble.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

Do you have any idea how ridiculous this sounds? You are talking about a team that was trash before and after that bubble.

Don't feel like answering the question?

 

[Spirits]

Don't feel like answering the question?

No Canadian team has been close in recent memory. All of the franchises are ran really bad.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Not sure I can call Toronto chokers, or just very overhyped. Having 4 forwards tie up half your cap space is not a recipe for success in most cases.

 

[ColbyChaos]

The Joe Thornton/Patrick Marleau San Jose Sharks are widely known as one of, if not, the biggest choking cores in NHL history, but are they any worse than the current Mitch Marner/Auston Matthews Maple Leafs core? The current Leafs have won 1 playoff series in 8 years whereas the Sharks actually managed to get past the first round a few times and even made it to the SC Finals.

The results speak for themselves, this current Leaf core has performed even worse than the Sharks in the post-season which is flabbergasting considering all the talent they have on the team.

San Jose has multiple conference finals appearences and even have a cup finals appearence, they just lost to better teams.

Leafs couldnt beat a team that was running Pavel f***ing Zacha as their #1C

 

[tfwnogf]

Sharks have choked in spectacular fashion (like the shorkening reverse sweep never forget) but Leafs have made choking an art form. No other team does it as often, or as beautifully.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Fair enough. It took until his 11th season in San Jose. If 3 years from now Matthews still hasn’t at least made the finals then the Leafs are definitely bigger chokers. Until then, too early to call

Too early to call? WTF san jose has double digit series wins, Toronto has one win since this site was freaking made

 

[RefalancheStillLose]

Toronto is so good at choking, they should run away with this, but will undoubtedly find a way to lose

 

[Dave92]

Leafs fans saying Leafs and it's not even close.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Sharks have choked in spectacular fashion (like the shorkening reverse sweep never forget) but Leafs have made choking an art form. No other team does it as often, or as beautifully.

A writ of passage to spring was Detroit in the playoffs, now its the Leafs first round exit

 

[dalewood12]

Sharks could at least make it out the first round. They made multiple Conference Finals and one Cup Finals.

 

[Enga Olly]

I have a different definition of the word "chockers" used in this context. I've operated using a definition that has a team or individual who has clear expectations of winning and then performing well below expectations (think Hellebuyck past 2 seasons). But merely losing a very competitive game or series is not choking imo.

So if one insists on using not winning interchangeably with choking, then the Leafs have been choking since 1968, Vancouver and Buffalo since 1971, NYR have choked from 1941-1993 (52 years) and then have proceeded to choke from 1995-2023 (another 28 years) for a combined 80 years of choking with 1 lone year of not choking.

Minnesota/Dallas - 55 years of choking 1 year not choking
St. Louis Blues - 55 years of choking 1 year not choking

Geez just so much choking to spread around, odd to just single out Leafs/Sharks. But yeah choking choking choking Leafs are big big chokers. Chokity chokity choke choke

 

[Darren McCord]

carolina

 

[LeafsFever]

I think Carolina are the biggest chokers.

Always solid or great regular seasons, only to choke it away in the playoffs like usual.

 

[647Hockey]

In isolation.

Bruins. When they were up 3-0 vs Philly. Blew it. Then in game 7, were up 3-0 mid way through the game and lost the game and series 4-3.

 

[647Hockey]

Could Winnipeg be worse than Toronto and SJ?

Look at their playoff history. Look at old Jets, Atlanta, and new Jets. You got about 45 years total to thumb through. 0 cups, 0 runnerups, 1 conference final they got blown out in five games, 3 round two exits, 16 first round exits where most they get blown out or swept. The rest they miss the playoffs.

 

[Anomie2029]

Sharks have choked in spectacular fashion (like the shorkening reverse sweep never forget) but Leafs have made choking an art form. No other team does it as often, or as beautifully.

Indeed, this was embarrassing. But the team re-tooled and made the Finals two seasons later.

Leafs try nothing and they're all out of ideas.