Where Do the Toronto Maple Leafs Stand Among Cup Contenders?

The Atlantic Division looks to be a juggernaut, but the Toronto Maple Leafs may be able to make it out…Maybe.

Though Toronto Maple Leafs fans have suffered five straight playoff losses in the first round, their favorite team is in tough again this year because four of the NHL’s best teams are in the same division.

In the NHL, the playoffs are never easy, however the path to the Stanley Cup through the Atlantic division looks to be a doozy.

There are four Stanley Cup contenders on this side, with at least one of them bowing out in the first round. There will not be an easy matchup for the Maple Leafs at any point, as if they beat the Tampa Bay Lighting, then the Florida Panthers will most likely be waiting for them.

And you can’t forget about Boston.

In this article I will cover the power rankings of the top five Stanley Cup contenders, ranking them at their PEAK rather than their current state as anything can change in the playoffs (seriously, anything) and the playoffs bring the best out of most teams. (stats naturalstattrick.com).

This list will include both the Eastern and Western conference, but the rankings are quite skewed in the East’s favor this year.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning

The team going for a three-peat is ranked fifth on my list. They still have their core intact and Andrei Vasilevskiy shouldn’t be doubted, even if he’s off his game at the moment, highlighted by his yank from the crease against the Anaheim Ducks where he allowed 3 goals on 13 shots.

While that is a warning sign, I doubt that this will be the norm going forward as you don’t become a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion by accident.

While Matt Murray did the same with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he had Marc-Andre Fleury to back him up and vice versa both times. Vasilevskiy won his championships on his own without a 1B goaltender to back him up and played in every game of the playoffs for the squad. On top of this, he has the ability to come back after a loss AND the ability to finish a series, shutting out the opposition in all four of his series-clinching games in 2021. So he has the benefit of the doubt.

On top of this, the Lightning are fast and skilled with a scoring threat on every line. However, Brayden Point is having a down year with 55 points in 62 games, and if he is still cold as he enters the playoffs. the Lightning may be in trouble even with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov still producing to expectation. Why? Because they have a high chance of playing the Toronto Maple Leafs, and NO ONE matches them when it comes to offensive depth.

However, the Lightning forward core has Championship experience, which is nothing to scoff at. Their third line of Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, and Nick Paul are underrated which makes the Lightning’s top-nine among the top five in the league, and top-five on the power ranking. They play a hard style and could cause issues like their third line of the last two years. This will make defensive responsibilities for the opposition difficult.

The defense of the Lightning is strong as well. Headlined by Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev, and Ryan McDonagh as their big three. They are big bodies who are not easy to deal with, and they don’t mind whether they have to poke check the puck or slam their man into the boards on transition defense. These three also have a winning pedigree, and poise is really a massive aspect of any contender. Victor Hedman is still their number 1 defenseman, and the workhorse for the Lightning for yet another postseason run.

Their playstyle is hybrid, they can play a fast and skilled game as well as a hard, close checking game which they tend to gravitate towards. They are not as loaded as they were before, but they come into the playoffs with a lineup and a goalie who cannot be taken lightly with Championship pedigrees.

4. Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames come in at number four on this list. They are a big, solid team who play a physical style, one that has led to success in the recent seasons. On top of this, they are led by Darryl Sutter who led Los Angeles Kings teams to the Stanley Cup that were built much like the current team he has right now.

Their star forwards have been producing to expectation, with Johnny Gaudreau at 107 points and Matthew Tkachuk at 99 points. Tkachuk can frustrate the opposition with this offense, but his signature skill is being a pest. He doesn’t back away from anyone and there is always a scrum in front of the opposition’s net if he’s on the ice. He plays a type of hockey that has a good chance of succeeding in the playoffs, but he hasn’t succeeded yet. Maybe fourth time’s the charm.

Their top nine is also quite solid, with a third line of Dillon Dube, Calle Jarnkrok, and Blake Coleman. Blake Coleman specifically has made his presence in the postseason known with the Lightning, scoring goals at the opportune time for the team. There is a high chance that he will do the same for the Flames as they seem to have all but locked up their divisional championship.

I feel like the Calgary Flames are properly built for the playoffs, and have the ability to grind out their series to play in the conference finals. However, this all has to do with whether or not Noah Hanifin can remain healthy. He is their number one defenseman, and should expect to play half the game for the Flames. On top of this, Jacob Markstrom is having an amazing season at the moment, but if he gets injured they have a dependable backup in Dan Vladar until Markstrom comes back.

They play a physical game, and with their lineup of big guys, any team playing them will have their work cut out for them. Their fourth line will be finishing checks on the forecheck, and the durability of this team doesn’t seem to be in question as they enter the postseason.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have the offensive depth to go far in the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs are loaded on offense led by the dynamic duo of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and Michael Bunting right next to them as far as offensive skills go.

Bunting also has a pest side to him, drawing a ton of penalties and annoying the opposition when he can. He’s a late bloomer, but the Leafs should be happy that he’s found his game.

On top of this, John Tavares and William Nylander are no joke on offense, either. The difference this season is that the big four focus on defense as well as offense. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander have grown to become reliable two-way forwards and can be trusted in every area of the ice in high pressure situations.

The Toronto Maple Leafs also have the guys you need to win on their bottom six. Ilya Mikheyev, Alex Kerfoot, Pierre Engvall, David Kampf, Colin Blackwell, and Ondrej Kase give the Leafs an incredible amount of depth.

The Leafs defense – long thought to be a weakness – is now a team strength with the breakout seasons of Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin, along with the acquisition of Ilya Lyubushkin and Mark Giordano.

All told, the Leafs have eight quality NHL defenseman on the roster.

In goal,  Jack Campbell HAS to remain healthy for the playoffs as he is really the only guy who has a chance to match Andrei Vasilevskiy.  If he becomes injured, then the Toronto Maple Leafs chances of making a run would end prematurely, but you can pretty much say this about any team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs can play playoff hockey with a high powered offense, reliable defense and goaltending. They have displayed the ability to play this style against the Washington Capitals, where they were more than happy to match the Capital’s physicality, which, to me, is a major change from season’s past.

While they look like they will make a run, they have the hardest run to the Conference finals, with the Lightning and Florida Panthers likely being their first and second round matchup. Kyle Dubas has displayed that he can create a Stanley Cup contender with limited cap space, and perhaps this is the year that the  Leafs end their drought.

2. Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers come in at number two on the power ranking, but they missed the top spot just barely.

Their star players in Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau are firing on all cylinders, and they have the ability to come back from huge deficits (though I wish I knew this in other ways than I currently do…).  They have a big, physical team as well, playing a style that has found success in the postseason (as literally all of these teams do).

However, the Panthers brought in Ben Chiarot and Claude Giroux during the trade deadline, adding needed depth on defense as well as a solid third-line center for the playoffs. On top of this, Aaron Ekblad is expected to return to the lineup for the playoffs. They have added three big names for the postseason who they expect to be the finishing touches to a potential Stanley Cup champion. This looks to be a very well-rounded team that can play any kind of game they want and succeed with it.

However, there is some concern.

First off is their goaltending, which Sergei Bobrovsky has proven that can be feast or famine. Him, along with Spencer Knight, are a great goaltending tandem, but they can get cold at any moment which may be a scary thought for Panthers fans. He can be that goalie who swept the Lightning, or he could be a goaltender who allows seven goals in one game. IF Bobrovsky is on form, then the Panthers are in a great position to make a long run.

But, there is their inexperienced coach in Andrew Brunette. As he is inexperienced, coming in to lead the team after the resignation of Joel Quenneville, I do not know how good he is at making adjustments on the fly. He could be like Craig Berube who led the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup, but until I see his first playoff series I’ll look at it with cautious optimism.

IF everything goes right for the Panthers and they prove me wrong with my concerns, then they earn their second place ranking. If they don’t, then the Toronto Maple Leafs overtake them for number two.