When the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights both made it to the Stanley Cup Finals this year, it wasn’t just the battle between two of the best well-rounded teams in the league. For the Toronto Maple Leafs it meant one thing, in that one of their former players will be winning the Stanley Cup in 2026.
First of all, we have former Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen having a sensational playoff run with the Hurricanes this season. Unlike seasons’ past where Andersen would come up short despite posting strong numbers during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he has been on another level this time around.
In 14 games so far, the 36-year-old veteran netminder has compiled a stellar 12-2 record along with a tidy 1.65 GAA and .920 save percentage. More significantly, Andersen has played in every game for Carolina so far in the postseason, meaning that he has only lost two games along the way throughout their run.
As for the other Leafs player that has the opportunity to bring home the Cup, it’s none other than Mitch Marner. With the Golden Knights, Marner has finally become the player that Maple Leafs had longed for during his time in Toronto, which was to step up in the games that mattered most.
To date, the 29-year-old electric star winger has accumulated seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in just 17 games played to lead the entire NHL in playoff scoring.
But it doesn’t just stop at the winning the Cup as they could double-down with another achievement
But what could possibly hurt the Maple Leafs and their fans more is the fact that with the impressive performances that both have put up so far, Marner or Andersen could end up being the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP for whichever team ends up hoisting the Cup.
Especially with the odds currently having Marner as the favourite with Andersen close behind in second according to various outlets.
If it were up to Toronto, they would probably want Andersen and the Hurricanes to win it all. After all, the 36-year-old goalie had left the Leafs organization already for a longer period of time. And given that he is approaching his twilight years, it would be the appropriate send off for the star netminder. If Marner and the Golden Knights accomplish the feat though, let’s just say the Maple Leafs and their fans will never hear the end of it for a long, long time.
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