The true sign of an idiot? Someone who wants nothing to do with accountability.

Enter SOME Toronto Maple Leaf Fans.

I watched the Leafs get beat in every facet of their first playoff game against Tampa. They lost every loose puck race and puck battle. Vasilevsky was better than Samsonov. Tampa’s 4 d men were better than Toronto’s six d-men, and Tampas’s forwards were better, too. It wasn’t close.

Conspiracy theory #1: Referee Wes McCauley HATES Sheldon Keefe because Sheldon hates Wes McCauley’s hockey weirdo brother-in-law, disgraced “agent” David Frost.

Here's the Toronto Maple Leafs' playoff record (all-time) under referee Wes McCauley. #LeafsForever @MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/6tCbfDyiTB

— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) April 19, 2023

The lads at The Hockey Writers covered that conspiracy, and while Wes McCauley IS related to David Frost, that relationship doesn’t explain the last 20 years or five game-seven losses in a row. It also doesn’t correctly explain how SHIT the Leafs were for three periods. It may explain the Kampf penalty, but it’s the Ivermectin of Leaf conspiracy theories.

Maple Leafs Can’t Be Blaming McCauley For All Their Problems https://t.co/z69pKQO64t

— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) April 20, 2023

Conspiracy Theory #2: Referees and the League HATE Michael Bunting

Probably, but he earned that by being a world-class whiner. I like Bunting, but if you watched a lot of Leaf hockey, you get why he’s universally hated.

The NHL suspended Bunting for three games yesterday for a dangerous hit to the head to Erik Cernak. IMO, outside of precedent, it’s fair because he did the shit—an intentional blow to the head of a defenseless player. Cernak is out for game two and maybe more. Bunting sits for a commensurate period. We’ve seen it repeatedly, and Leaf fans can’t accept it because they are Leaf fans.

Bunting gets the boot for this hit https://t.co/PBVtnu3QZn

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 19, 2023

Conspiracy Theory #3: Gary Bettman, the referees, and the rest of the league have a secret pact to fuck over the Maple Leafs. Every year:

This Leaf fan is so pissed she’s gathering other fans for a class-action lawsuit against Bettman with no proof.

I don’t know what these people watched on Tuesday night, but THOSE Maple Leafs sucked for ALL 60 minutes. There was one shit call. Maybe one more soft call. That loss was self-inflicted. They aren’t victims. There’s no grand plan to prevent the Leafs from winning a cup.

They lost to a better team and will try again tonight. Yes, it’s just that simple.