The Toronto Maple Leafs reward for a first-round series win over Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators is a second-round matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
The Panthers feature the eldest of the Tkachuk brothers, Matthew, who was the inspirational spark behind Florida's run to last year's title.
After a third-place finish in the Atlantic Division during the regular season, Florida easily disposed of the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning in five games to set up the second Leafs-Panthers postseason meeting in the last three years.
The Panthers eliminated the Maple Leafs in five games during the second round of the 2023 playoffs. Florida lost the Stanley Cup final that spring, but finished the job in 2024 to capture their first Stanley Cup.
The Leafs Game 5 overtime loss in 2023 was punctuated by former Panther Radko Gudas' primal scream into the face of Toronto goalie Joseph Woll. The Maple Leafs have significantly changed their roster from two years ago. Two new players, in particular, will play key roles if Toronto hopes to be the team that shrieks in victory this time.
5 key players in Leafs-Panthers series
Chris Tanev
Tkachuk's fingerprints were all over the Panthers' first-round victory over the Lightning. After sitting out most of the second half of the season with an injury from the 4 Nations Faceoff, Tkachuk scored two goals in his return in the Panthers series-opening road win. Next, he flattened Jake Guentzel with a questionable hit near the end of a Game 3 loss. The Panthers responded by winning the next two games, outscoring the Lightning 10-5.
There is no doubt that Tkachuk will attempt to take up residence in front of Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz during this series. That's where Tanev's presence is needed. The Leafs' stay-at-home stalwart, with partner Jake McCabe and Stolarz, is the biggest reason for the Maple Leafs' defensive improvements this season. His handling of Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand in front of the Leafs' net will be a huge determinant in which team wins this series.