What Is the Toronto Maple Leafs Playoff Preference?
Who would the Toronto Maple Leafs rather play in the Playoffs?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been striving for success this season, currently sitting behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins at the top of the Atlantic Division. While there is still plenty of time before the 2017-18 playoffs, the Leafs have secured the confidence of their fanbase by sporting a 39-20-7 record.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Playoff Preference, Tampa Bay or Boston?
Toronto’s division rivals, Boston and Tampa Bay, continue to be resilient towards any shifting of the Atlantic Division power structure. The Boston Bruins sit just above the Leafs by a single point, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are charging through a franchise dream-season with 92 points. As game totals continue to tally, we begin to wonder who Toronto would rather face, while projecting the outcome of facing either club in the first round of the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning
There’s no denying that the Tampa Bay Lightning have been on fire this season. Its hard to imagine why anyone would want to face them in the first round. In 2017, Toronto went dutch against the Lightning, with each team winning two games apiece. in 2018, the Leafs are losing the season series that has Tampa Bay up on Toronto by one game. Although equally important, this small series margin indicates just how competitive the Maple Leafs have been this year. They have held their own against contenders like the Lightning, a team they may be forced to face in the first round of the playoffs.
There are a few challenges that Toronto could face against Tampa Bay. For starters, the Lightning have been dominant when Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov take to the ice. The two have scored a combined 154 points this season and sit atop their roster, and most of the league, in point production. Shutting down Tampa Bay’s powerhouses in a first round matchup will be very difficult, but is a hypothetical statement that could come to fruition.
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Boston Bruins
In spite of their current position ahead of Toronto in the Atlantic division, the Leafs would face much less of a challenge against Boston compared to a series with the Lightning. Toronto topped the Bruins in their last meeting, with both teams fairly evenly matched so far this season. The Leafs have played 66 games, whereas Boston has only played in 62, eliminating any comparison of record projections as a basis of skill analysis.
Boston’s season thus far has been led by their ‘big three’; Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Patrice Bergeron. Marchand has continued to impress, recording 60 points in 49 games along with a Corsi For rating of 56.7%. However, it is hard to say if the Bruins core roster would give Toronto any serious challenges in the playoffs. While a matchup against Boston would not be a walk in the park, it is safe to assume that they are a more appealing opponent than the likes of Tampa Bay.
Final Analysis
As hockey fans, it is only natural that we hope our team sails through the playoffs with ease. Whether the Toronto Maple Leafs are required to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning or Boston Bruins is yet to be determined, however it is safe to say they will put up a fight either way. In retrospect, the Leafs should be able to beat either of the two teams if they have all units working together, a feat we have witnessed so often this season.
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That doesn’t mean we will stop praying to the hockey gods that Toronto plays Boston instead of Tampa Bay in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.