Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have one need that supersedes any other. They need to win at least one playoff round. That’s the gift they’ve been waiting for since 2004 and the one getting delivered to them.
The trickle down effect from this present may be larger than it appears on the surface. For the city, Toronto Maple Leafs fans will fill their local establishments to cheer and infuse the Greater Toronto Area with an influx of spending. Pumping money into bars and restaurants locally is good for the economy.
For the team itself, there may be wide reaching affects. A second round berth will be excellent for lame duck GM Kyle Dubas. With question marks surrounding his future in the role and with the organization, true playoffs success can provide him with job security. Dubas may be return for more seasons after proving that his moves have the ability to help the team win when the games matter most.
The players themselves may build their confidence. It’s not out of the question that a bona fide star like Auston Matthews may choose to look to capture his first Stanley cup with a different franchise once he becomes an unrestricted free agent. That potential only gets compounded should he and the team be unable to find post season success. Matthews and his teammates need to feel confident that they can win and that together, the Stanley Cup is within their reach.
For now, Santa can’t deliver the Stanley Cup to Toronto but for the Maple Leafs, a second-round entry is the next best thing.