<strong>Maple Leafs Crushed in Game 7 Blowout as Bieber Curse Resurfaces</strong>
Game 7 was everything fans hoped for in terms of chaos—but not in the way Toronto Maple Leafs supporters had imagined. The team, with everything to fight for, fell apart spectacularly in front of their home crowd, suffering a brutal 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers. With the series tied and a ticket to hockey history on the line, the Leafs delivered heartbreak instead of heroics.
Adding another layer of drama to the night was the presence of superstar couple Justin and Hailey Bieber, spotted courtside at Scotiabank Arena. While they were just there to enjoy some playoff action, their attendance quickly turned into a trending controversy. As the Leafs unravelled on the ice, fans turned their frustration toward Bieber—once again accused of being a bad luck charm.
Toronto had initially led the series 2-0, but Florida clawed their way back with three straight wins. The Leafs managed to force Game 7 after a gritty win in Game 6, giving fans a glimmer of hope. That hope was short-lived. By the end of the final game, the Leafs looked completely out of sync, and their season ended in front of a stunned and silent home crowd.
While Leafs fans mourned yet another early playoff exit, hip-hop superstar Drake took to Instagram with a cryptic two-word story: “Bieber curse…” The post stirred debate instantly, especially given that Drake had put $1 million on the Leafs to win. The loss hit hard—not just emotionally, but financially.
Drake’s sports betting history is a saga of epic losses. He previously lost $355,000 betting Mike Tyson would knock out Jake Paul. The fight, streamed on Netflix, saw Jake Paul win, and Drake’s dream of a million-dollar payday vanished. That wasn’t his only major miss—he’s also dropped $1 million on Argentina to beat France within regulation in the 2022 World Cup final (they won, but only after extra time), $1.2 million on Jake Paul against Tommy Fury, and $565,000 backing Tyson Fury against Oleksandr Usyk. A few wins, like $425,000 from Alex Pereira’s victory, offer minor consolation—but his streak has become a meme in itself.
Despite the losses, Drake may not feel the sting as deeply as the average bettor. He’s a brand ambassador for Stake, a crypto betting platform, meaning his bets might not be out-of-pocket. Still, the optics of another loss tied to a Bieber sighting reignited the long-running “curse” debate.
This isn’t the first time Bieber has been linked to Leafs losses. In 2019, when Toronto was eliminated by the Boston Bruins in another Game 7 meltdown, fans noted Bieber was in attendance. The team fell apart, and the blame was pointed—oddly—at the singer. Since then, fans have kept an eye on his appearances and social media posts during playoff time. In Game 6 of this series, Bieber posted a photo of the Leafs logo on Instagram—then the team lost. Now, with him sitting rinkside for Game 7, fans are once again convinced his support is more of a jinx than a boost.
On social media, opinions flew. Some fans genuinely believe Bieber is bad luck for the Leafs, while others argue it’s just superstition mixed with disappointment. One fan joked, “I think Justin Bieber cursed the Leafs, not Drake. #HotTake,” and another followed with, “OMG you’re totally right. He sent out a pic of the Leafs logo on IG game 6 and they lost and now he’s at game 7.”
Even rival players have joined the banter. Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak once tagged Bieber in a tweet after beating the Leafs with the caption, “Not today,” fueling the narrative even further.
Whether it’s superstition, coincidence, or just Toronto’s playoff woes finding a new scapegoat each year, one thing is certain—celebrity cameos in the crowd now come with consequences. And this time, both Bieber and Drake are caught in the emotional crossfire of yet another Maple Leafs collapse.