DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Tossing jerseys on the ice in second round of playoffs ridiculous

When Toronto Maple Leafs fans threw jerseys on the ice in disgust during their second round series against Florida, the sweaters might as well have been thrown right over a shark tank.

I was never offended by jersey tosses. I thought they were a powerful statement a fan could make, more than signs, more than paper bags.

It’s a message to the team. “You have disgraced this logo, this city, so much so that I’m willing to throw away money and the ability to go to games in the future just to deliver this message.”

But to see Toronto fans pull out this move for what is undeniably the team’s most successful season in two decades is just ridiculous. Jersey tosses have officially jumped the shark.

The Leafs defeated their in-province rival in the first round — That should be celebrated.

If the Jets had massive expectations and fell short but still beat Minnesota, Edmonton or Calgary in the first round, I’d be pretty happy about the season.

I understand Leafs fans were aiming higher, and management decisions have doomed the team, but the whole reason you are a fan of an NHL team is to enjoy seasons like this.

By all means boo, especially the poor performances of the team in games five and seven at home, but to toss a jersey on the ice is completely divorced the reality of their team.

As a big Jets fan, I can say unreservedly I enjoyed this playoff run. My definition for a successful season in any North American sport is winning a playoff series/game or advancing to the second round in some capacity.

The Jets and Leafs have both been absolutely miserable in the past two decades when judged by that metric, with both combining for only five “successful,” seasons since the 2005 lockout.

(And one of those seasons was the Jets victory over Edmonton in front of exactly zero fans, which I’m not inclined to count.)

Just because the Jets fell to the Stars, that doesn’t take away their historic game seven comeback. In the Jets NHL history, they’ve had a successful season by my definition just five times. Five years out of 31 NHL seasons in Winnipeg the Jets have enjoyed second-round hockey. That’s roughly 15 per cent of seasons.

Whether rosters in Winnipeg or Toronto have met their expectations for the year is an open question. I think it’s pretty clear in Toronto they did not.

But no matter the performance in the second round, nothing a team does at that point should rise to the level of a jersey toss. It’s just a bridge too far for a season which should be remembered fondly.