Leafs motivating players using the Raptors championship season as inspiration

[refshateRaps]

MLSE promoting hope hype for their loyal and starved hockey fans.

LOL

[omar36]

The leafs get past the 1st rd if they face anyone else other than the bruins

Raptors get past the second round in 2017 and 2018 if they face anyone else other than LeBron...sounds great in theory but if you can't beat the consistently dominant teams then you're not in the conversation to be a contender, just like the Lowry/Derozan era.

no they woudlnt lol, they struggled in 2016 vs a broken heat team and survived apcers bc of voegls stupidity.


the leafs for the 2 seasons have played a top 5 team lol in the firs round.

its basically like us playing philly in the first round this year. the nhl format is wack, it should be 1-8. change that and leafs get out in 2nd round past 2 years which isnt great still but its not as bad.

[sprewellchokes]

Boy has the tables turned. Remember how the Raptors were the leafs little brother? And mlse bought them to have another tenant to split the acc rent? Well props to Babcock recognizing the Raptors championship run. And using it as motivation. With their roster theres no reason that they can't win it all.

buddy no tables have turned...this is pretty common in every city no matter how big the sport is...teams that win always get support from other sports teams in the same city....like bruins and pats, red skins and captials...
its pretty normal i dont know where your inferiority complex is coming from

Dude first of all no I don't have an inferiority complex towards a franchise that that hasn't won in over 50 years. I don't know how old you are. Or how long you have been a fan. But I've been a fan since there inaugural season. When Alvin Robertson hit that 3 in the sky dome against the new Jersey nets. I watched the draft on YTV. I want the games on citytv. So I know the stigmas and the negative projections we had to overcome. Even up to last year some of our playoff games were on tsn 2. While 2 American NHL teams took a front seat ahead of the raptors. I agree Pat's support the Bruins vice versa. So to you it's that simple. So I'm not rejoicing for the maple leafs respect its bigger than that. To me that video shows that the leafs finally acknowledge that we're the biggest team in the city. And they just kneel and ring.

[omar36]

im just happy both these teams are great. I dont care for how raptors season play out, im gunna enjoy immensly bc the boys got us what we all wanted.

the leafs core for the most part is set for 5 years and their best player just turned 22 last month. they are legit contenders for years to come.

feels good to be a legit sports town (blue jays rebuild seems to be going great as well)

[howlin mad axer]

If and when the Leafs win the Stanley Cup will Toronto celebrate bigger than the Raptors win? It may be obvious that the Leafs are a bigger deal, but I feel like the substantial immigrant population in the GTA embraced basketball more than hockey.

[dublo7]

Nice to see. i just wish i had the time to watch leafs and raptor games. gonna be a lotta radio listening for me.
Holy Mackinaw!

[tor1234567]

The Leafs are:

- A historic franchise
- The most valuable team
- The #1 free agent destination in the league

So...they're the Knicks?

[gsptheman]

Boy has the tables turned. Remember how the Raptors were the leafs little brother? And mlse bought them to have another tenant to split the acc rent? Well props to Babcock recognizing the Raptors championship run. And using it as motivation. With their roster theres no reason that they can't win it all.

buddy no tables have turned...this is pretty common in every city no matter how big the sport is...teams that win always get support from other sports teams in the same city....like bruins and pats, red skins and captials...
its pretty normal i dont know where your inferiority complex is coming from

Dude first of all no I don't have an inferiority complex towards a franchise that that hasn't won in over 50 years. I don't know how old you are. Or how long you have been a fan. But I've been a fan since there inaugural season. When Alvin Robertson hit that 3 in the sky dome against the new Jersey nets. I watched the draft on YTV. I want the games on citytv. So I know the stigmas and the negative projections we had to overcome. Even up to last year some of our playoff games were on tsn 2. While 2 American NHL teams took a front seat ahead of the raptors. I agree Pat's support the Bruins vice versa. So to you it's that simple. So I'm not rejoicing for the maple leafs respect its bigger than that. To me that video shows that the leafs finally acknowledge that we're the biggest team in the city. And they just kneel and ring.

I dont know whats up with u ppl but why is it so hard to understand that TV viewership is everything? the bruins and blues were averaging close to 3 million viewers in canada which is par with raptors 3rd round numbers...oviously raptors finals ratings were higher but my main point is 3 million is a lot of interest, TV station put on what ever the public demands...pretty simple, you think anyone in the US talks about anyother sport while the NFL is season is going on? hell no....
get over it man leafs are a tv ratings powerhouse go to any downtown bar when leafs and raptors are playing the same night, it will be hard to watch raptor games thats cuz more demand for the leafs...
and good for you you have been there since the inaugural season. congratulations

[Shantu]

Lol but **** puck heads, am I doing this right?

yes

[omar36]

If and when the Leafs win the Stanley Cup will Toronto celebrate bigger than the Raptors win? It may be obvious that the Leafs are a bigger deal, but I feel like the substantial immigrant population in the GTA embraced basketball more than hockey.

the immigration population (young fanbase) will support any team when it wins lol. I think the celebration here in toronto will be bigger then basketball but raptors have a much bigger impact bc they rep pretty mcuh all of canada. you arent gunna be seeing ppl coming from vancouver or ottawa flying in for the parade lol.


the city goes hard for anyone who wins

[B-Ball Freak]

Hopefully it lights a fire under their asses. There is no excuse for another early playoff exit. They have an absolutely stacked team.

The Leafs are:

- A historic franchise
- The most valuable team
- The #1 free agent destination in the league

The fact that the lowly Raptors, a team with no history and arguably the worst free agent destination in the league, won a championship before them is incredible (and embarrassing for the Leafs).

You forgot

- Hasn't won a championship since before the Vietnam War.

The Raptors are "lowly"? what does that make the Leafs then

[Raps in 4]

Hopefully it lights a fire under their asses. There is no excuse for another early playoff exit. They have an absolutely stacked team.

The Leafs are:

- A historic franchise
- The most valuable team
- The #1 free agent destination in the league

The fact that the lowly Raptors, a team with no history and arguably the worst free agent destination in the league, won a championship before them is incredible (and embarrassing for the Leafs).

You forgot

- Hasn't won a championship since before the Vietnam War.

The Raptors are "lowly"? what does that make the Leafs then

The Raptors up until this year had:

0 championships
8th lowest winning percentage in NBA history
Bottom tier free agent destination
Middling team value

The Leafs:

13 championships
#1 or #2 in team value every year
Top free agent destination

The Raptors had to overcome a ton of obstacles to win their championship. They were absolutely a "lowly" team. The Leafs have to face none of these obstacles, and they still fail every year.

[B-Ball Freak]

Hopefully it lights a fire under their asses. There is no excuse for another early playoff exit. They have an absolutely stacked team.

The Leafs are:

- A historic franchise
- The most valuable team
- The #1 free agent destination in the league

The fact that the lowly Raptors, a team with no history and arguably the worst free agent destination in the league, won a championship before them is incredible (and embarrassing for the Leafs).

You forgot

- Hasn't won a championship since before the Vietnam War.

The Raptors are "lowly"? what does that make the Leafs then

The Raptors up until this year had:

0 championships
8th lowest winning percentage in NBA history
Bottom tier free agent destination
Middling team value

The Leafs:

13 championships
#1 or #2 in team value every year
Top free agent destination

The Raptors had to overcome so many obstacles to win their championship. They were absolutely a "lowly" team. The Leafs have to face none of these obstacles, and they still fail every year.

You got a point, until you take into account the Leafs 78 year head start. The Raptors are a baby when it comes to being a sports franchise, just look at what Massi has done in the last 5 years. Arent the Raptors 11th on the NBA most valuable teams list? With one of the highest revenues jump from last year imagine what the championship will do to its value. Come to think of it, aren't the Raptors currently the most valuable sports team in Canada?

Thats the problem with the Leafs culture, they seemed to get hyped up as this top tier franchise with a great legacy but most of the stuff they accomplished was more than 50 years ago. Its the opposite of just shut up and grind.

[tecumseh18]

Babcock raves about the Raptors' stifling defence that won us the championship. But from a distance (I hardly ever watch hockey), the composition of the Leafs has nothing nothing to with that, and will doom them every playoff series when the game is called differently. There seems to be a complete disconnect between coach and GM here.

Meanwhile, Nurse was considered an offensive genius, and Masai gifted him with one of the best defensive lineups in NBA history. Casey must still be pissed about it.

[Bank Shot]

The Leafs have never even made the finals when there has been more than six teams in the league. They got to play in a six team league for 50 years, of course they're going to have some cups. Heck, two of their wins came against PCHA teams. If historic means old then sure, but is historic means good than nah. The Knicks comparison is a good one, but they've actually had much more success than the Leafs since the 70s. The Raps have done fine for a 90s expansion team. The only team added since the start of the 80s that has had a lot of success is the Heat.

[omar36]

Babcock raves about the Raptors' stifling defence that won us the championship. But from a distance (I hardly ever watch hockey), the composition of the Leafs has nothing nothing to with that, and will doom them every playoff series when the game is called differently. There seems to be a complete disconnect between coach and GM here.

Meanwhile, Nurse was considered an offensive genius, and Masai gifted him with one of the best defensive lineups in NBA history. Casey must still be pissed about it.

babcock is more old school while dubas is more of an out of the box thinker thats banking on skill and analytics to win. Many leafs fan dont have much faith in babcock when sheldon keefe is the potential repalcement (marlies HC).

but i odnt think that casey/nurse comparison works here. Babcock can adapt and has and is/was known a one of the top coaches in the game.

also i dont think babs watches hockey lol, bet the man thinks kawhi is still here.

also ur point of leafs have nothing to do with defense isn tru. babcock/dubas both want 2 way palyers. hockey defense is more then defenderers, the forwards play a huge part. the leafs arent doomed in the palyoffs, this fact is a bit overexaggrated. they played arguably the 4th best team in the entire league in the first round which they took to game 7. ppl who dont watch hockey neglect to look at the actual context lol