The Toronto Maple Leafs begin their post season run Thursday night with Game 1 versus the Montreal Canadiens, a series I have been waiting for since we were robbed of it in ’93.
It has been 17 years since the Toronto Maple Leafs last won a playoff series, though there have been a few heartbreakingly close calls. Even last year with a short 5 game play in series they still managed to break the hearts of Leafs Nation.
This year somehow feels different though. It could be the divisional format, it could be the addition of a few veterans, it could be growth and maturity in the core players, and it could just be a combination of all three.
The result is a team with high expectations going into these playoffs, and in my opinion, it is Final Four or bust this year for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Toronto Maple Leafs Top Playoff Stories
In order to get to the third round if the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Maple Leafs will have to jump a few hurdles, past and present. There have been some past performances that have left many Leafs fans frustrated and exacerbated, and it seems that the organization has heard the cries from the fan base and addressed some of the concerns of playoff series past.
As good as the Maple Leafs have performed over the regular season though, it all comes down to how they perform this post season. Until it all begins Thursday night, there are several storylines that Leafs Nation will surely be tracking throughout the playoffs, especially in the first-round match up versus Montreal.