Toronto Maple Leafs vs Habs and Other 1st Round Predictions

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 13: Ben Chiarot #8 of the Montreal Canadiens fights Wayne Simmonds #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 13, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 13: Ben Chiarot #8 of the Montreal Canadiens fights Wayne Simmonds #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 13, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 01: Barclay Goodrow #19 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nick Foligno #71 of the Columbus Blue Jackets  (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 01: Barclay Goodrow #19 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nick Foligno #71 of the Columbus Blue Jackets  (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs will play the Montreal Canadiens for the first time since the 1970s.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have to wait to start their playoff series for an entire week because the Vancouver Canucks for some reason have to play out the string.  The Oilers and Canucks played yesterday in an exhibition game no one wanted or needed while the Bruins and Caps kicked off the playoffs.

Only in the NHL.

Oh well, it’s not like the rest won’t help, it’s just that personally I can’t wait.  It’s not like I’ve got a lot going on here.  And it’s still better than last year when we knew that the Leafs and Blue Jackets were going to play about six months in advance.  By the time the series started I think I had previewed that thing in nine hundred different ways.

Speaking of that series, I think it gives the Leafs an amazing amount of valuable experience.  One paradox about the NHL is that you can’t win until you’ve gone through the process a few times, and yet, during the process everyone constantly complains and tries constantly to get the GM fired.

Funny, I haven’t any horrible puns on Kyle Dubas’ name in a while.  Speaking of Dubas, he became the best GM in Toronto Maple Leafs history before anyone but Gord Stellick was old enough to even run the team.

Anyways, Leafs should definitely make sure to use Rasmus Sandin, Alex Galchenyuk and Pierre Engvall in the playoffs. Here’s my predictions: