Leafs Playoff Preview

 

The 2021-2022 regular season has come to an end, and we saw the Leafs play their best regular season in franchise history. Toronto finished the season with 54 wins and a total of 115 points. We watched Leaf players reach career highs in points, we watched Auston Matthews collect over 100 points, the third Leaf to do so, and we also watched Auston Matthews become the first Leaf ever to score 60 goals. Our Leafs finished 2^nd in the division and fourth in the league and I have had many people tell me that none of it matters if the Leafs don’t do well in the playoffs. First off, every sing accomplishment achieved by the Leafs this season matters a great deal because it shows the progression and development from the players thanks to the coaching from Sheldon Keefe and his staff.  For the last few years, the NHL has used a division format for playoffs instead of using the format that everyone reading this is familiar with. For ages the NHL had 16 teams qualify for the post season and then seed them 1-8. The NHL for went away from this format and to the divisional set up to apparently cut down on travel and create new rivalries but in 2016 the first year of this new set up the NHL’s theory went out the window when teams in the western conference were having to travel across the country to play round two. I have never been a fan of this format since it was introduced, and this season is a perfect example.  This season you have Toronto playing the two-time Stanley Cup Champions in the first round. If things were the way they should be Tampa, who finished 4^th in the East would play the 5^th place Rangers and Toronto who ended the season 3^rd in the East would have a chance to exercise some demons and play the 6^th placed Boston Bruins. I know what many people reading this will think, you’ll say, “oh he’s just complaining because the Leafs haven’t seen the second round” and simply no I am complaining about this format because I think it is stupid that two of the best teams in the Atlantic Division must face each other in round one. I am not concerned with playing the Lightning in round one it’s the playoffs every team is going to be a challenge I just want the NHL to go back to the way things were and then let the higher seeded teams meet in the later rounds.

This is going to be a challenging series for Toronto I mean Tampa are back-to-back champions for a reason they have an elite group of forwards and possibly one of if not the best goalie in the game right now in Vasilevskiy. I know all the doubters are expecting the Leafs to get swept aside with ease by Tampa and of course that is possible but honestly all season we have seen this Leaf team rise to the occasion when facing a top team in the league and honestly I think Toronto will give Steve Stamkos and the Lightning a real test the season series between these two finished with both clubs winning two games and with Toronto having the skilled forwards they do we know they are fully capable of staying with a team like the Lightning We have seen all season Toronto’s powerplay can be threatening as well as their penalty kill and of course the exact same can be said about Tampa’s special team unit’s. As much as all the doubters want to see Toronto get swept aside so they can laugh and tell jokes that are older than dirt I truly believe Toronto can and will hold their own in this series and can win it. Let’s think about this for a second every team’s dynasty come to an end, the Islanders in the 80’s won four straight cups but their attempt at a fifth cup was halted by Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers who went on their own run of winning Championships. As we all know anything can happen in the post season and in the early 90s the Penguins won cups in 91 and 92 and when the 93 playoffs rolled around everyone thought Lemieux and Jagr were going to lead the Pens to their third straight Stanley Cup, Pittsburgh would wind up meeting the New York Islanders in the second round. No one gave the Islanders a chance, but they would end up winning the series in seven games knocking off the two-time champions. My reason for mentioning this is because I have this question to ask, why can’t Toronto win a series against Tampa Bay? I understand that most fans wanted us to play the Bruins in round one because of the goalie matchup, Swayman and Ullmark have no playoff experience and as we saw last night in the Leafs 5-2 over Boston Swayman struggled in goal but we also need to look at how Toronto for the most part this season when playing a team weaker then them were able to put them away collecting the two points. This Leaf team is much better then last season’s that saw a 3-1 lead disappear against the Montreal Canadiens. This Leaf team is one that can find scoring from all four of its lines but also has a group of Defensemen that are also very capable of positive play on both sides of the puck. Then of course there is Jack Campbell entering his second post season as Leafs starter, we saw his play have ups and downs throughout the season after all he is human, and players go through rough patches, but Jack had a great season picking up 31 wins for Toronto in a season that saw his name mentioned in Vezina conversations. I think Jack’s play was on the rise once again as the regular season ended as we saw him pick up a shutout in his final start against Detroit and I believe there is a strong chance that Campbell’s positive play will carry into the playoffs.

With Toronto beating Detroit on Tuesday night, a game I attended the Leafs guaranteed that they would start round one at home for the first time since 2004. We hear repeatedly how important home ice advantage in the playoffs is and it is very important because having your fans behind you for the first two games can spark teams and some teams are able to find that extra something needed to get through a long and challenging playoff. It all begins Monday night when game 1 takes place at the Scotiabank Arena and I am looking forward to it because Leaf fans need to consider this, how good would it be to see our team who all the so called experts are writing off, how much fun would it be to watch our Leafs shock the hockey world and knock off the two time defending champions the Tampa Bay Lightning.

 

Game 1 is just 48 hours away, but it will be here before we know it, so thanks to everyone who read and followed along during the regular season but now let’s gear up and prepare for what is hopefully a memorable playoff run for our beloved team.

Oh, and my prediction…...Leafs in 6.