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Toronto Maple Leafs: Time to put 2013 playoff demons to bed

By James Reeve

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 05: Patrick Marleau #12, Auston Matthews #34 and William Nylander #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare to play against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on April 5, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 to clinch a playoff position. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 05: Patrick Marleau #12, Auston Matthews #34 and William Nylander #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare to play against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on April 5, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 to clinch a playoff position. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The regular season is over and the Toronto Maple Leafs will face the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, a rematch of the infamous 2013 series.

Much has changed since the Toronto Maple Leafs lost the 2013 first round series 4-3 after a spectacular collapse in Game 7, but there are still some players who hold that game in their memory.

Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov and Jake Gardiner all played a part in the Leafs’ first playoff appearance since the 2003/04 season, but things will feel different this time around.

The Leafs made the playoffs in 2013 off the back of a lockout-shortened season, whereas this time around they have made the playoffs with a record-breaking performance in 82 games.

Auston Matthews broke records, Frederik Andersen broke records, the team broke records for points, wins and win streaks and the general feeling around them is significantly more positive.

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With those positive feelings swirling around the team, it’s time for the Leafs to finally put the demons of the 2013 season to bed.

The Boston Bruins are not the same team that faced the Leafs back in 2013, and recent meetings have seen a number of victories for the boys in blue.

Mike Babcock’s team is much different, with more top young talent on the roster and a true belief they can be a consistent contender for many years.

If the Leafs are to take the next step towards becoming a contender, they must overcome a dark period that has loomed over them for a number of years.

Defeating the Bruins will prove the Leafs are the real deal and will push the negative feelings that lingered after the 2013 season further to the back of the minds of the players, coaches and fans.

This is a new era for the Leafs, so what better way to emphasise that than to overcome a long-time rival and take away years of bragging rights.

With the kind of players the Leafs now have, this should be well within reach and anything less than a series win will feel like a huge letdown after such a historic season.

Next: Frederik Andersen's stellar season provides optimism

What do you think the result of the first round series will be for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Bruins? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!

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