Jimmy Korderas delivered a blunt take on his expectations for the Maple Leafs this season. Korderas is optimistic about the team’s trajectory and is hopeful Toronto will reach the playoffs. The former WWE referee also opened up about being a lifelong Leafs fan.
Korderas, 64, has witnessed the Maple Leafs achieve the pinnacle of the sport, winning the Stanley Cup. However, he has also witnessed many heartbreaking defeats. Those losses have been difficult for Leafs Nation and have driven an ongoing narrative surrounding the organization in the playoffs.
Still, Korderas remains hopeful that the Leafs will finally figure things out and end their nearly 60-year Stanley Cup drought. As a result, he is tempering his expectations for the Leafs this season.
“[The Leafs are] in a rebuilding stage, that’s for sure. I mean, they did a lot of changes, so it’s going to take time for them to gel. I’ve seen flashes of them when I’m like, ‘Okay, there’s something there,’ but I’m going to be cautiously optimistic about them making the playoffs, that’s for sure,” Korderas told The Game Plan.
Ex-WWE Official Jimmy Korderas Discusses His Maple Leafs Fandom
Former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas is definitely a true supporter of his hometown team. He recalled multiple moments in Leafs history that he has witnessed over the years.
“I’m one of the few people that was alive the last time [the Maple Leafs] won the Stanley Cup, so I’m holding out hope [they can win it again],” Korderas told The Game Plan. “Yeah, [I witnessed the losses to the Boston Bruins and 1993 loss to the Los Angeles King]. Kerry Fraser, I see you got to blame the ref, [Gretzky] didn’t get the high stick.”
Korderas also reflected on the Leafs’ struggles against the Bruins, particularly in Game 7 scenarios. Toronto’s playoff woes against Boston continued during the 2024 postseason, when the Bruins eliminated the Leafs in the 1st round.
“And, I’ll tell you what, the Boston series, I keep calling it the greatest false finish ever. They take it to seven games, it’s 0-0 going into the third, they score a goal, looks like they’re going to do it, Boston ties it up, it goes to overtime, and then heartbreak again. False finish. I can’t believe it,” Korderas said.
Korderas Reveals Whether Mitch Marner is the Biggest Villain in Toronto Sports
There have been several elite-level players who have played for a major Toronto sports team and later exited on bad terms. One of those stars was Mitch Marner, a local player who was also a diehard Leafs fan growing up.
The former WWE referee used pro wrestling analogies to determine whether Marner is the biggest villain or whether he was justified.
Korderas pointed to many Leafs supporters rooting against Marner during last season’s Stanley Cup Final. While Marner may no longer be a fan favorite in Toronto, Korderas understands why he left as an unrestricted free agent.
“People from Toronto didn’t want Vegas to win simply because of Mitch Marner. It’s amazing,” Korderas told The Game Plan. “People confuse. Maybe [Marner] felt like his time was up here. That’s the thing, and if you feel like your time is up here, you have to look for other options, and he did. And I don’t blame him for that.”
Maple Leafs Fan Jimmy Korderas Delivers Blunt Take on the Team’s Expectations