The Toronto Maple Leafs still sit at the top of the North Division with a record of 33-13-5, or 71 points in 51 games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are the first team in the North to clinch a playoff spot, with the Edmonton Oilers nine points behind in second place.
The regular season is now scheduled to officially end on May 19, but the Leafs will play their last game on May 14, with only five games left in two weeks. This means they should have enough time to rest and get ready for the playoffs and whoever they will be facing.
While the Leafs only have five games left and should be able to stay in first place, the order of the other three available playoff spots all depends on how the rest of the division performs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs End of the Regular Season
The Leafs will be facing the Ottawa Senators (19-27-5) and Winnipeg Jets (27-20-3) one more time each (all numbers from CBSSports). Although the Jets are currently third in the division, they have lost their last six games, and if they keep on struggling, the Leafs could be able to pick up all four points available against these two teams.
The Leafs will also be facing the Montreal Canadiens (23-18-9) three more times. They have a head-to-head record of 5-2-0 versus the Habs, meaning the Leafs should at least be getting two wins in these three matchups.
But, one player the Leafs will need to look out for is the Habs’ newest addition, Cole Caufield, who has looked dangerous on multiple occasions with his speed, his ability to find open ice, and his shot.
If the standings were to stay as they are at the moment, the Leafs would be facing the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs. If we base our predictions on the seven games played against the Habs, it should be an easy first round. However, playoff hockey is a lot different than regular season hockey, so we can’t be completely sure of the results. But, I think it’s safe to say the Leafs should win this round.
Another possibility would be the Jets. With them being on a six-game losing streak, the Canadiens are only two points away from tying them at 57 points. If the Habs manage to take third place, it would mean the Leafs will face the Jets in the first round. The Leafs are 6-3-0 versus the Jets in the regular season. So, they should be able to win this series as well.
The last possible scenario is if either the Canucks or Calgary Flames take the fourth spot. While this is unlikely to happen, I don’t think there would be much to worry about if it did.
The Leafs will be facing the Canadiens for the eighth time tomorrow at 7 p.m., which will be the first matchup of three that week.