Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 5.36

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Could the Conference Finals have gone any worse to this point from the perspective of a Leafs fan? Quite simply, no. With the Chicago Blackhawks already having advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals and the Philadelphia Flyers holding a commanding three games to one series lead over the Montreal Canadiens, Leaf fans should start to prepare for the jeering over the lack of playoff or really any kind of success to get a whole lot worse.

Let’s start with the Blackhawks. By securing their spot in the finals, Chicago can now count four finals appearances since 1967 while the Leafs are still looking to break the goose egg in that department. One would think that by jettisoning the first place, albeit perennial playoff choking San Jose Sharks in four games and by virtue of their second place seeding, the Blackhawks have to be considered the favourite to win the big prize whether they end up facing the Flyers or the Canadiens. Should they win, it would be the Blackhawks first Cup since 1961 leaving the Leafs as the team with the longest Cup drought in the NHL.

That should mean any self respecting Leaf fan should be cheering against the Blackhawks in the sole hope of preserving the last saving grace that’s left. I still maintain that it would be easier to support the Canadiens from the perspective of a Leaf fan than it would be the Flyers as the Habs have given Leaf fans no reason to hate them in almost thirty years. That’s likely a long shot though with the Flyers poised to advance to the Cup finals themselves for the first time since 1997.

Remember, it was the Flyers that gave the Leafs such trouble in the playoffs in the earlier part of the decade including bumping them in 2004 in six games, the last time the Leafs made a playoff appearance. At this point though for Leaf fans, it has to be anybody but Chicago. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.