There’s an old adage: Never kick an anthem singer when he’s retiring. It seems that ancient wisdom has yet to make it all the way north.

On Toronto sports radio this week, the hosts and callers for the most part lived up to the unfailingly polite Canadian stereotype as they discussed the Maple Leafs’ first-round series against the Bruins. Most of the conversation focused on the battle between the boards and what Mike Babcock’s team needed to do to slow down Boston’s first line. There was also a great deal of chatter about Nazem Kadri missing three games for smashing Tommy Wingels into the boards. The overwhelming consensus was that Kadri’s hit was “stupid,” even if many on the Toronto airwaves disagreed with the length of the suspension handed down by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.


The only truly spicy take beamed from the shores of Lake Ontario came when the discussion turned to the vocal chords of one Rene Rancourt.

Here’s what Toronto sports radio sounded like this week:

Games 1 and 2

Good Show with Ben Ennis, JD Bunkis, and Ryan Whitney (590 AM)

The Kadri hit was so stupid and such a dumb play. A valuable player. To lose him on a play that was so unnecessary — it had nothing to do with anything and now they’re without one of their best players. — Ryan Whitney It was horrifying. Not a lot isn’t horrifying for the Toronto Maple Leafs through two games of this series. — Ben Ennis

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown (590 AM)

This is just being a lug-head. Just doing something stupid in a game that is already lost. Because you can’t control your temper and because you’ve forgotten that if you do stupid stuff like this you will get suspended. All around it was a miserable night for the Maple Leafs. Kadri was a train-wreck in Game 1. He was in the penalty box. He did nothing positive and only negative. Like most of the team to be honest in fairness. — Bob McCown

Leafs Lunch with Andi Petrillo (1050 AM)

I see absolutely no defense whatsoever for what Nazem Kadri did last night, and I’m disappointed. — Andi Petrillo

Landsberg in the Morning with Michael Landsberg (1050 AM)

Remember the idea that Toronto was faster than Boston? Seems very quaint right now. Remember the idea that Nylander was going to get the same amount of money as Pastrnak who signed that six-year, $40 million contract, and yes I know this is a wildly small sample size, that feels sort of quaint right now. It could not be worse for the Maple Leafs. — Matt Cauz The guy who sings the national anthem there — he’s terrible. He’s tone deaf. I like the character of it, I’m not saying it’s not even appropriate to have a guy who’s tone deaf singing the national anthem, but it should be said that he can’t sing. He misses every note. — Michael Landsberg I believe he’s retiring this year so we’re supposed to celebrate him. He has one job for four minutes. It’s like, listen, just get out of here. I’m bitter. — Matt Cauz

Game 3

Leafs Lunch with Andi Petrillo (1050 AM)

The Leafs did a really good job at silencing that top line. [The Bruins] didn’t really get that secondary scoring. Again, only one game, but is that the Achilles heel of the Boston Bruins? Is that the weakness? If you can silence that top line, of course it’s easier said that done, although the Leafs proved they could do it, do the Bruins lack that secondary scoring? — Andi Petrillo They don’t lack anything, the Boston Bruins. But comparatively speaking, the Leafs have depth that almost no other team in the NHL has from top to bottom. — Andy Chiodo

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown (590 AM)

If, from the beginning, both teams played to the top of their game, the Maple Leafs would win the series. — Elliotte Friedman

Landsberg in the Morning with Michael Landsberg (1050 AM)

The Bruins’ power play has been insanely good, and the Leafs have had no answers. If not for the near-death experience of Andreas Johnsson where they had to stop the play, the Maple Leafs would have gotten scored on, for sure, on that power play. The fact that they only had one during the game — I think the Leafs got away really lucky by the no-calls. — Michael Landsberg

OverDrive with Hayes, Noodles, the O-Dog, and Ray Ferraro (1050 AM)