Leafs power play
Another area In which the Leafs often fell short when the playoffs rolled around was their play with the man advantage. No matter how dominant they have shown to be during the regular, they would somehow fall flat in the postseason with their power play. In fact, it had been the main culprit in their early playoff exits in recent years.
However, surprisingly this year, it has become one of their strengths instead. After the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Leafs rank third in the entire league with a 35.3 percent success rate, and had been drastically better than the Panthers at just 25 percent to rank eighth among the 16 playoff teams. Most of that success has come from the formation of the all-forward top power play unit, which the Leafs will likely continue to deploy to wreak havoc in the upcoming series against Florida. With the Panthers being the most penalized team in the league during the regular season, look for Toronto to “power” their way into the next round.
Good health
In the past, the Leafs entered the playoffs not at 100 percent full health, and even if they did, they would have some of their key players suffering ailments during the round. Whether it was a hobbling Marner, a Matthews’ head injury, or Nylander migraines, it would often put Toronto in a bind, looking for ways to significantly make up for their diminished play. At the same time, it often made Leafs fan wonder how well they could actually perform if everyone was healthy to go.
Well, so far in the 2025 playoffs, the entire Leafs squad have been relatively healthy, allowing head coach Craig Berube to field their best possible lineup each time out. With the Panthers at near full health as well, Berube will need his full squad playing at their very best to give themselves a decent shot against Florida. We saw how solid the Leafs were versus the Senators, so hopefully with the added days’ rest prior to round two, Toronto will be able to play at their utmost potential to dispose of the Panthers this time around.
Two words: Brad Marchand
Without a doubt, Brad Marchand has always been a thorn on the Maple Leafs side for many years. Many Toronto fans will remember how he would get under the Leafs skin every time when they met during the playoffs. More frustrating was the fact that Marchand often got away with his antics and somehow managed to lead the Boston Bruins in eliminating the Leafs from contention each time they have met.
As a result, Toronto cannot let that happen again and will need to serve up some of Marchand’s own medicine this time around. So the drive and determination for the Leafs to finally stick it to their long-time nemesis should be enough motivation to get the team to the next level.