Somebody's heading for the playoffs and they're not wearing Blue and White!

And in Toronto, it's time for other sporting interests.

The Toronto Maple Leafs officially ended their quest for the final playoff spot in the east on Thursday night, dropping a 4-2 road decision to the Boston Bruins, their second loss to the B's of the week. Now officially eliminated for 2007-08 season, it marks the third year in a row where they'll be working on their golf swing in the first week of April.

Many nailed the coffin shut on Tuesday when the Leafs faced with the pivotal game of their season, threw away a 6-2 loss in front of the home folk. Looking every bit the team that left many shaking their heads over the course of the season, such was their lack of focus to the task at hand.

The Leafs as they are wont to do, tantalized their fans through the end of March, stringing together a number of victories and getting close to the eighth place Bruins, who had begun a rather nasty slide for their part in March.

But with a home and home series to set the stage, the Leafs reverted back to their old ways of sloppy play in their own end and a less than proficient touch on the scoring sheet to bring an end to any more talk of this being a playoff team with any kind of ambition.

Now the rebuilding will begin in earnest, Cliff Fletcher the caretaker GM will prepare for the draft (seeking out a gem from youth, though many suggest that the Leafs may have botched that up with their late season run) and also set to begin the quest for free agents willing to spend some time in Toronto.
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One selling point if the last three seasons is a guide, might be that your summer vacations are lengthy and they don't make you work any more extra days than are regularly required.
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And they can probably get you a pretty good deal on Raptors playoff tickets...
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National Post--End of the line for Maple Leafs
Toronto Star--Leafs officially out of playoff run, lose 4-2 to Bruins
Globe and Mail--From rinks to links
Canada.com--Maple Leafs out of playoff race