The Toronto Maple Leafs’ win over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night had a moment that sort of slipped under the radar.
When the Leafs score a goal at Scotiabank Arena, you will usually hear either “Düp Düp” by Mickey Krause or “Panama” by Van Halen when they play an Original Six opponent. This has been the case since the beginning of last season when the team opted to retire the controversial “You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates which had been in use for five years.
However, after Matthew Knies scored in the dying seconds of the first period, neither of the two songs in circulation was heard over the speakers. Instead, the track “The Hum” by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs Ummet Ozcan can be heard after the horn goes off, which was audible on the Kraken feed of the game.
First line 🤝 first goal. pic.twitter.com/90AdKoIReF
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 31, 2024
What added to the mystery of this was when the goal song reverted to “Düp Düp” for the rest of the night, beginning with William Nylander’s goal early in the second period. However, The Leafs Nation’s Zack Phillips was able to confirm to me that the song was not intended to be played after the Knies goal and was simply an accident.
Yet after hearing “The Hum” a few times, more specifically the part that was played right after the first goal of the night, it got me thinking that perhaps the Leafs may have unintentionally found their ideal goal song.
As mentioned earlier, the topic of the Leafs’ goal song has been contentious for the past few years, and it has never really gone away even after the changes made at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. The reasons why fans were divided on “You Make My Dreams” were obvious; many enjoyed the uniqueness and potential to annoy opponents but it also annoyed many others of the Leafs faithful and isn’t considered the kind of tune that fires up the crowd. As someone who enjoys hearing the song, it doesn’t get me pumped the same way “Kenkraft 400” by Zombie Nation or “Sandstorm” by Daurde does. Some certainly feel strongly that the Leafs should have stuck with the Hall & Oates track but many would agree it was right to move on from it.
The new goal songs in “Düp Düp” and “Panama” have not won the fans over in the year since their introduction and there are plenty who continue to ask for a change. While “Düp Düp” is a decent track that can get the crowd roaring, the issue is that the song is not unique to the Leafs given that the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks have used it in the past. “Panama” is a stronger choice between the two and it has its fans, but others have not been convinced and its infrequent usage has resulted in the track not getting much staying power to be revered.
An ideal goal song is one that is unique to the team, can get the crowd fired up, and is both annoying and intimidating to other teams. A perfect example is “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis, which has remained synonymous with the Chicago Blackhawks since first being introduced in 2008. The last three-goal songs the Leafs have used may have matched at least one of the checkboxes listed above but has never been able to meet all three.
This brings us back to “The Hum”, which I believe does match the criteria the fanbase has long been craving for.
No other NHL team uses it as their goal song, which would help make it stand out as the Leafs’ own. Taking a quick gander at some people commenting on videos with the song has many giving it high praise, which leaves no doubt the fan base would get behind the track as well. The roaring horns, drums, and bass would have no trouble getting under the skin of opposing teams because the bass drop is memorable and can probably spark the fans to chant along to it as well.
“The Hum” is an electronic song which may not be appealing to some fans, but keep in mind that the most beloved goal song the Leafs have ever had in “Kenkraft 400” was also an electronic track so there is a precedent for this genre of music to work as a goal song in this city. The reason why that particular track remains revered to this day, even though it is now associated with the Boston Bruins, is because it was used during a stretch where the team enjoyed playoff success. Constant heartbreak and backbreaking collapses were far too common in the half-decade that “You Make My Dreams” was being used, which also didn’t help with keeping fans on board with that being the goal song.
With Craig Berube beginning his tenure as head coach and the playstyle of Brad Treliving slowly starting to take hold, there is a prime opportunity to have a new goal song for a new chapter in the franchise’s history. They may have two going in circulation right now, but they have not been for long so quietly retiring them could be done without much fanfare. “The Hum” has the makings of being a solid goal song for the Leafs and one that has the potential to be beloved by the fanbase the same way “Kenkraft 400” was for a generation.
Sometimes the best things in life are found by complete accident. The Leafs’ music operator did not intend to “The Hum” after Knies’ goal on Thursday night, but their mistake may just be a blessing in disguise because it could help finally end the goal song debate for good.
