Maple Leafs see lessons in Blue Jays’ World Series berth

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Morgan Riley would love to experience this.

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The veteran Maple Leafs defenseman was thrilled that the Blue Jays punched their ticket to the World Series late Monday night with a Game 7 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

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Like a club and a city celebrated a 4-3 victory in the deciding game of the American League Championship Series. at the Rogers Center, Rielly's mind wandered.

What would it be like to experience something like that while playing for the Leafs?

“There's a part of you that's jealous of them,” Rielly said Tuesday before the Leafs hosted the New Jersey Devils at Scotiabank Arena. “You're almost jealous of what they're doing because they're in Toronto and you're watching it firsthand, you're happy for them. It's a great moment for the city. It's a great moment for the city.”

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“We want to be able to do that and produce those results. We felt that way when the Raptors did it (winning the NBA title in 2019). You look at the passion they play with and it's contagious. You also want to be able to show that when your time comes.”

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Will the Leafs' time come? Do they have a chance of this happening next June?

Well, even the most ardent Jays fans didn't predict the team would make the World Series at the start of the 2025 season, let alone a berth in the postseason. The Los Angeles Dodgers will enter Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night in Toronto as favorites. but firing a Jays team that has heart would be unwise.

The Jays' championship would be the latest in a long list of successful Toronto sports teams that doesn't include the Leafs.

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The Argos won the Gray Cup last year, their second triumph in three seasons. The Raptors' win comes a year after the Toronto Marlies won the American Hockey League's Calder Cup in 2018, which followed Toronto's 2017 Major League Soccer championship. The Toronto Rock last won the National Lacrosse League title in 2011.

The Leafs have issues to overcome before they can be considered legitimate Stanley Cup contenders in 2026. They've had a rough start through six games. before playing Sheldon Keefe and the Devils This can be attributed to disorganization in the defensive zone, struggles on the power play, and an inability to adapt to life without Mitch Marner. That last factor may not be something the Leafs can overcome this season.

As for the Jays, it's worth keeping in mind that the team that took over the country was nowhere near the one that was under .500 when the calendar turned to May. General manager Brad Treliving has time to continue to put pressure on the Leafs, and he will have the financial resources to do so before the March 6 trade deadline.

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Blue Jays support

For now, the Leafs are happy to support the Jays.

“One of the most inspiring things when I watch them is that it really is a team effort,” forward Max Domi said. “They have guys who have come a long way, but each one of them has done something outstanding throughout the postseason. It's good to see.”

Defenseman Chris Tanev watched Game 7 closely and had a specific takeaway.

“There are so many little things that go into a team's success and a lot of things that maybe people don't talk about, but you can look and pick and see a great team do what they need to do to win,” Tanev said. “(Andres) Jimenez's bunt (in the seventh inning) is probably nobody talking because (George) Springer hit a home run. Nobody else actually bunted and he laid down a great bunt. Barger walks to step up (to start the inning).

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“Little things like that, the joy of getting on base, letting (your) teammates help you get home and make the game closer. There's a lot of little things like that. You kind of watch and learn from it.”

Both coaches, the Leafs' Craig Berube and the Devils' Keefe, were impressed with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for different reasons.

“I’m keeping a close eye on their guy, Vladdy,” Berube said. “I watch how he interacts with all the guys and how much energy he brings all the time and the joy his teammates have when they do something well. There's a lot of positive vibes around him. He's their main guy and he brings that. I think the whole team feeds off of that.”

When Guerrero showed up for Game 7 wearing an Auston Matthews sweater.the significance was not lost on Keefe.

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“Vladdy came out wearing an Auston jersey, what a great moment for this city and Auston, for the Leafs and for hockey for that matter,” Keefe said. “The fact that everyone came together was just outstanding.”

Domi predicted the Jays would beat the Dodgers in six games. Let's see if the Leafs can capture what's happening down the street at the Rogers Center.

“Everyone has chills,” Domi said. “If you don't, you're probably missing a heartbeat. Listening to each guy in the interview is really cool for me, as an athlete on the team, to really see how much they love each other and that's what got them to where they are.”

“They have the skills, they have the talent, but they all seem to think that the most important thing is how tight they are.

“We know we have a tight group here and we’re going to cheer these guys on and also take care of business on our end.”

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