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Toronto Maple Leafs: 2021-22 Atlantic Division Preview

By Andrew Kogut

TORONTO, ON - MAY 31: Paul Byron #41 of the Montreal Canadiens is tied up by Zach Bogosian #22 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 31, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Map[le Leafs 3-1 to win series 4 games to 3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 31: Paul Byron #41 of the Montreal Canadiens is tied up by Zach Bogosian #22 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during Game Seven of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 31, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Map[le Leafs 3-1 to win series 4 games to 3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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SUNRISE, FL – OCTOBER 1: Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers  (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL – OCTOBER 1: Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers  (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

Florida Panthers

The Panthers finished 2nd in the Central division with a 37-14-5 record, top-ten overall in both goals for and against, had eight players with goals in the double-digits, and ten with 20 or more points. Still, they bowed out in six games in the first-round of the playoffs last year. What a bunch of pathetic losers!

But in all seriousness, it’s hard to really find any negatives for Florida here, especially when in relation to the Leafs (snatching up Leafs 3rd-rounder Carter Verhaeghe and his 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games last year, getting usable minutes out of Mason Marchment, being turned down on their MacKenzie Weegar offer for Dermott and Johnsson) so I will just attack their goaltending:

1st-rounder Spencer Knight only turned 20 this April and is expected to take over from the departing Chris Driedger, who was excellent for the Panthers last year.

Sure, Sergei Bobrovsky is still there but he hasn’t exactly excelled since being signed to that lucrative free-agent deal (81 games played, 3.10 GAA, .902 SV%, -16.6 GSAA) and, at 33-years-old, probably isn’t going to get much better. If Knight falters this team could be in trouble.

Furthermore, they better hope Sam Bennett doesn’t revert to Calgary Flames Sam Bennett production as he’s penciled in to be their #2 centre with only Joe Thornton and Noel Acciari lingering nearby in the depth department.  Okay so I did manage to find a few negatives.

Florida’s best fake NHL name: Gustav Forsling. Is that a hockey player or forgotten currency from early 17th-century Sweden?

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