Whereas everyone seems to be speaking about the hotly contested wild card race in the Eastern Conference, as about three to 4 groups are vying for one spot, there’s one other race within the East that individuals must be speaking about. That race is for first within the Atlantic Division between the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning. And the largest query is which crew wants to complete first probably the most.
When you can argue that the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning want to complete first, the obvious answer is the Toronto Maple Leafs due to their playoff failures. They’ve solely had one playoff sequence for the reason that core 4 have been collectively, and it was in 2023 in opposition to the Lightning.
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Despite the fact that the Maple Leafs beat the Lightning in 2023 to get out of the primary spherical, led by then captain John Tavares, will probably be robust for the Maple Leafs to beat two groups back-to-back that play comparable kinds to get to the Japanese Convention Closing. As TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button mentioned on SportsCenter with Jay Onrait, he feels the best way these groups play will exploit areas of the sport the Maple Leafs battle in.
I feel it’s critically vital, as a result of I don’t suppose they match up very effectively in opposition to both of these groups. So should you get via the primary spherical by ending first, you’re going to need to face one in every of them within the second spherical, however you don’t wish to need to face each of them.
And after I take a look at Tampa Bay and Florida. They forecheck and cycle the puck very well. They get the puck into the slot space. Oh, these are defensive areas that the Toronto Maple Leafs actually battle in. They’re not excellent in these areas. You’ve got expertise in Tampa Bay and Florida, and that is aware of the way to put on you down.
And for the Toronto Maple Leafs, ending in first place avoids that within the first spherical, as a result of I feel in the event that they need to face a type of two groups within the first spherical, I don’t like their possibilities to maneuver on previous the primary spherical. So ending in first place for the Toronto Maple Leafs, from my vantage level, must be a precedence, as a result of in the event that they don’t, I simply don’t see them getting out of the primary spherical.
Nevertheless, the Maple Leafs have a special edge below head coach Craig Berube. Simply take a look at what they did just lately, particularly on the again finish of their California highway journey. It began with getting an vital level in opposition to the San Jose Sharks in a shootout loss. They scored two objectives within the closing minute to tie the sport, and it was the large boys led by Tavares, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander.
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Toronto ended the Los Angeles Kings 15-game level streak on house ice. Once more, it was the large boys arising massive, and the goaltenders stood tall with Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. After which final Sunday in opposition to the Anaheim Geese, on the second half of a back-to-back, the Maple Leafs discovered a means with their depth to win a sport when they didn’t have their finest.
On Wednesday night time, in opposition to these Florida Panthers, who have been short-handed in taking part in with out Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, the Maple Leafs held on to win a house sport that groups usually lose. When a crew has an extended highway journey out West, they normally lose that first sport again. Nevertheless, the Maple Leafs discovered a approach to maintain on as Stolarz, together with Matthew Knies, backstopped the crew to victory.
That win in opposition to the Panthers propelled the Leafs to a four-point lead over Florida, which sits in third and three factors over the Lightning, who sit in second. If the Maple Leafs are to complete first, they get their rival, the Ottawa Senators, within the Battle of Ontario. That’s not a cakewalk due to the feelings concerned in that sequence. However it provides them a bit of simpler path than taking part in each of the Florida groups.
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The important thing to success will probably be for the Maple Leafs to play the correct means below Berube. However when the second season begins, they hope the success carries over as a result of that’s the reason he was employed.
It will likely be a enjoyable finish to the common season. The ultimate wild card spot and the Atlantic Division are up for grabs, with the Toronto Maple Leafs needing to win the division probably the most.
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