William Nylander to Mitch Marner: “stop f*cking crying”.

As announced several weeks ago, the Maple Leafs will once again lose in the first round to the Boston Bruins.

I know, the series isn’t over, but seriously, after yesterday’s loss, do you honestly believe the Leafs can win three games in a row?

The way the Leafs played yesterday, it’s over, and as expected, the Leafs are “choking” once again, even though they seem to have an excellent club.

A heavy 3-1 loss last night at home has put the Leafs on the brink of the abyss in this series, as they now trail 3-1 in the series.

Toronto played a very bad game and paid the price.

Everyone is fed up with this kind of unacceptable performance, from the fans booing their team to the team’s star players.

In fact, after the Bruins’ third goal late in the second period, you could see the stars on the Maple Leafs’ bench really in a tizzy.

They were clearly very frustrated, and you can even see William Nylander saying to Mitch Marner:

“Stop f*ucking crying bro”.

“Stop fucking crying bro…”
– Nylander to Marner.
Things are going great here.
pic.twitter.com/J3eJhEe5xX

– Dean Blundell (@ItsDeanBlundell) April 28, 2024

It’s a very direct commentary on Leafs number 16, who has been severely criticized (with good reason) since the start of the playoffs for his lack of involvement and multiple bad plays.

Immediately afterwards, you can see Marner turn around and throw his two gloves on the floor, as he looks really, really frustrated.

The m*rde is completely pogné between the Leafs’ stars, even though Marner explained after the game that they don’t yell at each other because they don’t like each other.

“We’re not yelling at each other because we hate each other. We just want to be all on the same page to help each other out.”

Mitch Marner on the Maple Leafs showing frustration on the bench during Game 4. pic.twitter.com/OSIQePEsA6

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 28, 2024

I understand that emotional words like these can be sent out, but the fact remains that it’s clear the Leafs players are fed up and frustrated, even with each other.

The irony is that, after being picked on and criticized on social networks and on TV(by Paul Bissonnette, among others) between the second and third periods, Mitch Marner scored a magnificent goal that turned out to be the only dangerous scoring chance of the entire game.

In arguably their biggest game of the season, the Maple Leafs created just one high-danger scoring chance (and Mitch Marner scored on it).
The Bruins had six high-danger scoring chances in Game 4. pic.twitter.com/fN6DUcTuqg

– Meghan Chayka (@MeghanChayka) April 28, 2024

Enough about Mitch Marner, who could very well be on his way out of Toronto this summer, let’s talk about Auston Matthews.

The Leafs’ best player, who scored 69 goals in the regular season, didn’t play in the third period. He never returned to the bench after returning to the dressing room at the end of the second period.

We learned after the game that doctors had decided to withdraw Matthews from the game due to an illness he has been battling for the past few days.

Sheldon Keefe confirms that Auston Matthews was pulled by doctors in relation to the illness that he’s been dealing with. pic.twitter.com/FxAW1TnVqm

– TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 28, 2024

I don’t know about you, but I find it rather odd that the team’s best player should be withdrawn in a game as crucial as this one.

Come on, do you really think that Patrice Bergeron with his broken rib, or Matthew Tkachuk with his fractured sternum would have agreed to the doctors taking them out of the game?

I understand that we have to respect the opinion of the team doctors, but there’s something wrong in my head.

How can Matthews be pulled from such an important game for food poisoning?

He’s played two periods like that, surely he can play a third.

Anyway, let’s change the subject.

Let’s talk about Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe now.

Keefe said after the match that he couldn’t fault his players for their effort.

Sheldon Keefe on the Maple Leafs’ performance in Game 4 vs. the Bruins. pic.twitter.com/3QU5UOF1s0

– TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 28, 2024

PARDON ???? Did I hear that right?

This has literally been the Leafs’ problem for I don’t know how many years, the lack of effort and intensity, especially in the playoffs.

How can Keefe say that, when his team has just played its worst game of the series?

Doesn’t he want to alienate his players?

I think it’s already too late, Mr. Keefe, especially after he said at the end of the season that the possible 70-goal plateau for Matthews was a distraction for the whole team, which explains the losses at the end of the season.

In short, Keefe is clearly on his way out of Toronto once again, and we shouldn’t be surprised to see him fired in the off-season, despite his two-year contract extension until 2026.

The status of Guy Boucher, the Leafs’ current assistant coach, will also be something to keep an eye on. He could very well be fired too.

Will he get a coaching job elsewhere in the NHL, even if he’s not an English-speaking Canadian?

The case of Brendan Shanahan is also questionable. The team president could be on his way out.

Honestly, it’s really messing up the Leafs once again, but this time, I really believe it’s the end of the Leafs as we currently know them.

Johnston: This is the end of the Maple Leafs as we know them https://t.co/SK3ycIXEPp

– Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) April 28, 2024

This team will never win with this core, and I believe there will be big changes this summer.

En Rafale

– Indeed.

Jeremy Swayman vs. Ilya Samsonov is not a fair fight. https://t.co/JoaBYiuKiw

– Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) April 28, 2024

– Here’s another powerful comment from one teammate to another in recent years.

“Shut the fuck up… I’ll fucking kill you” ????
Avs have a fun team… mysterious arrests, screaming and blaming each other, all while Nate is shoving veggies down your throat… pic.twitter.com/aY4Cu8Bb38

– Abba Oil (@Adam_B888) April 27, 2024

– Doesn’t look like it.

SIMMONS SAYS: Hasn’t Boston kicked sand in the face of Toronto long enough? https://t.co/PFvxm9P3pF pic.twitter.com/thzdCsWjqM

– Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) April 28, 2024

– A very fine performance.

Despite the loss in Game 3, Logan Thompson tied the Golden Knights franchise record for most saves in a playoff game (43).#NHL | #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/ZQcE6muDQ1

– Hockey Reference (@hockey_ref) April 28, 2024

– A big point on the road for CF Montreal.

Big point on the road