By Jaden Chiang
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are here!
The Toronto Maple Leafs will kick off postseason activity this week. But, will fans still be able to cheer on the team come mid-May?
After last year’s disappointing loss to the Montréal Canadiens after a 3-1 series lead in Game 7 of the first round–a soft spot amongst fans–the team hopes to produce results in this year’s run for the Stanley Cup. The franchise’s playoff drought weighs heavily among the organization, players, and fans. For reference, the Leafs have not won a playoff series since 2004, and haven’t hoisted a Cup since 1967.
Like every team in the NHL, the Leafs have faced adversity throughout the 82-game stretch. Toronto will be starting the postseason without forwards Michael Bunting, Ondrej Kase, and defenseman Rasmus Sandin due to injury.
In spite of all that, the team has stacked their lineup to the brim, incorporating elite players with gritty depth. GM Kyle Dubas also added recent acquisitions from the NHL Trade Deadline with forward Colin Blackwell and defenseman Mark Giordano from the Seattle Kraken. The formula, led by head coach Sheldon Keefe, may just be able to break through. Toronto finished the season with a 54-21-7 record, 4th in the league and the best in Leafs history. In addition, there have been a number of personal bests and historic records. Centerman Auston Matthews reached an astounding 60 goals–the most by a Leaf in a single season and the first US-born player in NHL history to do so–securing him the Rocket Richard trophy for most goals in a single season, for his second consecutive season.
“This group, in particular, has given me lots of reason to be proud of the work they put in. To get to this point, in my opinion, in the most competitive division in the NHL and to go into the first round of the playoffs with home-ice advantage, is a testament to the work that the group has put in,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said on Wednesday.
But, everyone wants to see playoff success. If the Leafs cannot find a way past the first round, will any of their regular season accomplishments matter?
The team is coming off a 5-2 win against the Boston Bruins on Friday, their last game of the regular season. They clinched 2nd seed in the Atlantic division and home-ice advantage for Round 1 on April 26 with a win against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are set up against the Leafs and back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The two teams will compete in the first round of the postseason for the first time, which is sure to make for an entertaining playoff series.
The Leafs will absolutely have to bring their best to each and every game in this stacked series matchup. Game 1 will take place on Monday, May 2 at Scotiabank Arena, with puck drop at 7:30.
Works Cited
Zeisberger, Mike. “Maple Leafs aim to end playoff struggles in ‘new season.’” NHL, 27 April 2022, https://www.nhl.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-look-to-end-playoff-struggles/c-333492140.
Titan Times 