The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Atlantic Division
The team that the Maple Leafs helplessly watched celebrate clinching their berth into the second-round last year is currently slated to see them in the opening round once again. The Tampa Bay Lightning crushed the Maple Leafs dreams last season but this time, Toronto will be out for revenge.
The Leafs biggest roadblock will be stopper Andrei Vasilevskiy. He can always give his team a chance by keeping games within reach even with the immense fire power the Maple Leafs have proven they carry this season.
This series has the makings to go seven-games just like it did in their 2022 matchup. There is plenty of skill on both teams but this time, the Leafs will need to want it more.
For Toronto, beating the Bolts is secondary to the ultimate reason they need four wins in the first-round. The Leafs haven’t won a playoff series since 2004. That’s all the motivation they need to try and flip the tables on last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up.
The other Atlantic team in the playoffs is the division leader, the Boston Bruins. They’re currently looking at going head-to-head with the New York Islanders. Boston has been an unstoppable force this season which would present an enormous problem to the Islanders.
David Pastrnak has been outstanding for the Bruins. Through his first 28 games, he recorded 19 goals and 20 assists for a total of 39 points. If Pasta can keep rolling this way through the regular season and into the playoffs, it makes the Bruins an even more difficult out.