Maple Leafs getting support from an unlikely source after Game 4 loss

The Maple Leafs are in a bad spot right now, down 3-1 against the Boston Bruins in Round 1. Now, an ex-Leaf, Daniel Winnik, is trying to rally fans around the team.

Following a disastrous Game 4 performance by the Leafs, the Boston Bruins were able to get out to a 3-0 lead after 2 periods on Saturday. The deficit proved too large for the Leafs to overcome, especially without the reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner, Auston Matthews, in the lineup.

During the game, fans watched in bewilderment as the Leafs completed dump and chase play after dump and chase play while forgetting to actually chase. The effort level was low all night, and the Leafs were eventually booed off of home ice at the end of the 2nd and 3rd periods.

The fan criticism was rough in the building, but even worse on social media following the team's 3-1 loss, which has dug them into a 3-1 hole in the series with little hope of a comeback. However, Daniel Winnik, who played in Toronto back in 2015-16, was quick to remind fans that, just last season, Boston blew a 3-1 lead to Florida in Round 1. He believes the Leafs can do it too and he did his best to rally the fans by stating the following:




Not only did the Panthers complete a full comeback last year, defeating the Bruins in 7 games - they actually went on to make their way to the Stanley Cup Finals, so there is still a glimmer of hope.

The one issue that people may have with this sentiment, though, was at least Florida was playing to their potential in last year's series. This year, the Leafs have been playing well below the level of expectation they placed upon themselves and the level of expectation that fans have placed upon them after years of lackluster play in the postseason. This year was supposed to be different, but instead, we're getting more of the same.

While I can appreciate Winnik wanting to try to rally the fans around the team, the Leafs haven't exactly given fans a whole lot to celebrate during the entire Core 4 era, and I can't blame people for being sick of the same 4-5 guys who eat up more than half of the salary cap fail to execute year after year.