The Florida Panthers are not the problem.
Every season, the Toronto Maple Leafs step into the playoffs with talent, hope, and momentum. And every season, the wheels fall off. The frustration of fans is as familiar as the blue and white sweaters in the stands. But it’s not just bad luck, a hot goalie, or a tough matchup. There’s something deeper at work–something inherited, invisible, and very real.
To explain it, I want to take you far away from the rink, into a psychology experiment involving five monkeys, a ladder, and a bunch of bananas.
Scientists placed five monkeys in a large cage. In the center stood a tall ladder with bananas dangling above it. Naturally, a monkey tried to climb up to grab one. But as soon as it did, the scientists sprayed all the monkeys with ice-cold water. This happened again and again until every monkey had learned the hard way: go for the bananas, and everyone suffers.
Before long, the monkeys began to police themselves. If one dared to climb the ladder, the others would attack it–not out of cruelty, but out of fear. Then, the scientists replaced one of the original monkeys with a newcomer. This monkey had never been sprayed. Yet when it tried to reach for the bananas, the others beat it down. One by one, every monkey was replaced, until none of the original, water-soaked monkeys remained. Still, none of them dared climb the ladder. None of them knew why. But the rule was clear: don’t go for the bananas.
Now tell me that doesn’t sound like the Toronto Maple Leafs.
None of today’s players were around in 1967. Most weren’t even born the last time this team made it deep into the playoffs. Yet somehow, year after year, team after team, something takes hold in the postseason. Confidence cracks. Momentum stalls. Superstars disappear under pressure. It’s not about skill–it’s about psychology. About culture. About stepping into a metaphorical cage where an unspoken rule seems to govern everything: when the pressure mounts, don’t reach too high. Don’t make the mistake that costs us. Don’t be the reason we all get sprayed.
This isn’t about blaming individuals. It’s about recognizing how deep organizational trauma can go. The Leafs don’t just need new players. They need a new mindset. One that refuses to be ruled by ghosts. One that stops beating itself up at the first sign of adversity.
Until that culture changes–until the players are no longer afraid of chasing the banana at the top of the ladder–history will keep repeating itself. The Leafs will keep being the team that looks perfect on paper, but breaks under pressure.
The problem isn’t the Panthers. The problem is the cage.
Warm regards,
Don Cormier