The Leafs may be losing, but the kids are still going to be alright

If Leaf fans are anything, they are patient.

And that patience could be put to the test againif things continue to go the way they are going in their first round series with the Boston Bruins.

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But would an early exit from the playoffsfor the second straight yearreally be all that bad? Let's face it, Leaf fans have seen far worse; this is the same team that only made the playoffs once between 2004 and 2017.

The future of this team is still looking very bright, regardless of what happens in the playoffs this year. The Leaf'score is young, and they seem to be headed in the right direction.

Take Mitch Marner for example.

He followed up a very good rookie seasonwith an even better sophomore season. He was particularly good in the second half of this season, emerging as a dominant force offensively for the Leafs.

"The second half has gone the way we wanted to," Marnersaid.

Despite a slow start, Marner finished with 22-goals and 69-points, to lead the Leafs in scoring this season.

"As the year went on, he got better and better," said veteran forward James Van Riemsdyk.

While his point totals were growing, so was his popularity amongLeaf fans.

Auston Matthew's number 34 jersey is the most popular for fans to wear atgames, but there are also quite a few number 16 jerseys in stands as welland they are not for Darcy Tucker.

Marner grew up cheering for the Leafs

Something else that makes the 20-year-old Marner popular with Leaf fans is the fact that he is one of themMarnergrew up in Markham cheering for his hometown team.

He remembers when the Leafs werefacingthe Bruins in the first round of the playoffs in 2013.

"It was a heartbreaking one," Marner said

He hadjust turned 16, and like most Leaf fans,the first thing that pops into his mind when he thinks of that series is Game 7.

The Leafs were leading the Bruins 4-1 in the third period, and then there was acolossal collapse.

Boston scored threegoals in the final 10 minutes of regulation, and theywent on to beat the Leafs in overtime witha final score of 5-4.

It was a bitter pill for any Leaf fan to swallow, but Marner says he was amazed to see how Torontonians rallied around their team at playoff time.

"The city was electric," he said. "It was a lot fun to be around."

While the experience is very different as a player, Marner says he is still very much a fan when it comes to other sports teams in the city.

He's not only been spotted attendingBlue Jays games, oncelast seasonhethrew out the first pitch.

For the last couple of years, he's also been a regular at Argo gameseven developing friendships with many of the players on the team.

"It's been great getting to know all those guys this past summer, and seeing their success," Marnertold CBClast November, a few days before the Argos won the Grey Cup.

Marner says he can only imagine what it would be like in the city if his Leafs went on to a championship run like the Argos did last year.

"It would nuts, it'd be crazy," he said. "The city loves it's hockey players, it'd be a lot of fun to be around."

Unless the Leafs can find a way to dig themselves out of this 0-2 hole against the Bruins, that kind of celebration will have to be put on hold for a least another season.

That shouldn't be a problem for Marner, because if being a Leaf fan has taught him anything, it's patience.