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Toronto Maple Leafs To Kick-Off February With a Clash of Rivals

By James Tanner

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 2: Tyson Barrie #94 and Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs take a face off against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 2, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 2: Tyson Barrie #94 and Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs take a face off against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 2, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t care if it’s Super Bowl Weekend.

That is because, for the Toronto Maple Leafs, every game from here on out carries the stakes of a Super Bowl.

That is how tight the standings are.

Five points – just five of them! – separate sixth and eighteenth place in the overall standings.

That is the pure insanity of a cap league that gives out varying points per game, depending on the situation.

So while the Leafs have won two in a row, and picked up points in four of their last five, a loss could see them fall as far as 17th, while a win could tie them for six (depending on what other teams do).

It’s crazy.

So crazy that they kick off February with a must win game.  A game against their (would be) rivals, the Ottawa Senators.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators

The Leafs and Senators will battle for just the second time this year.  They also kicked off the season against the Sens back on October 2nd with a 5-3 win.

It’s favorable that the Leafs have three games left against the Senators – the NHL’s 27th best team – but they can’t take them lightly.

If the Leafs beat the duds more often, they’d have a more comfortable playoff situation at the moment – but I digress.

The Sens are stacked with ex-Leafs – they’ve got Tyler Ennis, and Connor Brown, who are greatly missed.  They have also got Nikita Zaitsev and Ron Hainsey, who are not.

In fact, one could – and probably should – say that the best decision of Kyle Dubas’ career was to not re-sign Ron Hainsey as most everyone (except me) predicted he would.

Even the much maligned Cody Ceci is a superior player – but I digress again.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to make it three in a row, and a win coupled with a Florida loss this afternoon to Montreal would vault them past the Panthers into second place in the Atlantic Division.

Tonight’s game may or may not feature a questionable Travis Dermott who missed practice yesterday with an illness.

Next. Leafs Top Ten Prospects Ranked. dark

It most definitely will feature the goaltending stylings of Michael Hutchinson.  Freddie Andersen will get a much deserved rest.

It is important that the Leafs take care of business and do not look forward – as I am, and as I am sure you are – Monday’s big game against the Florida Panthers.

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