Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 questions to answer coming out of All-Star Break
By Austin Owens
4) Who will the Leafs face in the playoffs?
This is all sorts of weird to be talking about. Being in the playoffs is a privilege the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans have not grown accustomed to over the last decade.
Talking about the Leafs’ playoff matchups in January? That’s uncharted territory.
Now, this is all dependent on none of Florida, Detroit, Montreal, or Ottawa making Bruin-like runs for the rest of the season.
From the looks of it, there’s not a chance that something could happen of that magnitude. But who knows? The Sens proved it to be possible just a few short seasons ago.
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A few weeks ago, it looked like the Leafs and Bruins were set to do battle come April, with the series opener in Toronto. It’s interesting how a few weeks can change the outlook of an entire season.
The Bruins have gone on the longest point-streak of the season, surging past the Maple Leafs, and even sneaking up on Tampa Bay, who looked to have the Atlantic Division for the taking.
Not so now, as the Bruins sit just five points behind the Bolts going into the break.
If Boston does cool down, the Leafs only sit five points behind them for second in the division so there’s a lot to be decided still. But if they just keep on trucking, the Leafs could be staring down a first-round matchup with the Lightning.
That is the worst-case scenario for the Leafs in the first round. If I was the Leafs, I would take the Bruins in the current form over the Lightning any day of the week.
Tampa Bay is the class of the East. In the Pro Hockey Writers Association Mid-Season Awards, Lightning players won the Hart Trophy (Nikita Kucherov), Norris Trophy (Victor Hedman), Vezina Trophy (Andrei Vasiklevskiy), and Comeback Player of the Year (Steven Stamkos).
Not sure I’d want to match up with the team that has the best forward, defender, and goaltender in the league.
It’s completely up in the air right now. The Leafs will finish in either second or third in the Atlantic. What remains to be decided is the opponent. If I had to guess, I would say the Bruins.
Tampa Bay has been so dominant this season, it’s hard to see them dropping enough games to fall out of top spot in the division.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Bruins face off for the final two times in February. First, on the third at TD Garden, and then on the 24th in Toronto.