Psalms of Disappointment
Sacred lamentations of the faithful through decades of playoff heartbreak.
The Faithful in Times of Trial
"How long, O Hockey Gods, will you forget us? How long will you hide the Cup from our sight?"
Psalm 1: The Kerry Fraser Lament
(To be recited with great sorrow, remembering the high stick not called in 1993)
Woe to us, the faithful, for our eyes have seen injustice.
The stick was high, the blood was drawn, yet the whistle remained silent.
Gretzky, who should have sat in shame, instead brought us to our knees.
O Kerry Fraser, your eyes failed you when we needed them most.
The Kings rejoiced while Toronto wept; a Cup opportunity forever lost.
Yet still we return, season after season, our faith unbroken though tested.
The Great Heartbreaks
- 1993: The Kerry Fraser missed call against Gretzky's Kings
- 2013: The Game 7 collapse against Boston after leading 4-1
- 2018-2019: Back-to-back first-round losses to Boston
- 2021: The collapse against Montreal after leading the series 3-1
Psalm 2: The Boston Bruins Dirge
(To be sung mournfully, recalling the 4-1 lead in Game 7, 2013)
Four to one, the scoreboard read, victory within our grasp.
Ten minutes remained, our hearts full of hope, our voices raised in praise.
Then darkness fell upon the Garden, and the Bruins rose like demons.
One goal, then two, then three – tied in agony.
Overtime brought only pain, as Bergeron sealed our fate.
The faithful left in silence, tears flowing like rivers.
Yet we return each season, for our faith knows no bounds.
"Though I walk through the valley of playoff elimination, I shall fear no evil, for my Leafs jersey comforts me." — Psalm 67:1
Psalm 3: The Montreal Misery
(A solemn reflection on the 2021 collapse from a 3-1 series lead)
Three games to one, we stood triumphant, the Habs on the brink.
Our North Division crown seemed assured, our path to glory clear.
But pride comes before the fall, and fall we did indeed.
Game after game slipped through our fingers like melting ice.
Price stood tall in their crease, while our offense withered and died.
Game 7 brought only silence, as our season ended in shame.
The faithful questioned, but did not abandon; for this is the way of the Leaf.
Words of Comfort for the Faithful
Remember, fellow believers, that without the valley, we cannot appreciate the mountain. Our suffering makes us stronger, our disappointment makes future victory sweeter. The Hockey Gods test those they love most severely, and no fanbase has been tested like ours. When the Cup finally returns, our joy will be unmatched in all of hockey.
Psalm 4: The Salary Cap Blues
(A modern lament on the challenges of the salary cap era)
Fifty percent to our holy trinity – Matthews, Marner, and Tavares.
The weight of their contracts heavy as the Cup we seek.
"In Treliving we trust," we once proclaimed, his vision bold and clear.
Yet the cap shows no mercy, no room for error or waste.
How shall we build depth when our stars consume our gold?
This is the modern trial of the faithful – to believe despite the numbers.
We trust in the new prophets to find a way through the wilderness.