The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators kick off their participation in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena.
The Leafs enter Game 1 riding a five-game winning streak, and a 9-1-1 mark in their last 10 games down the stretch. Questions regarding the Leafs’ play after a mini-slump in March fizzled away as Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and Matthew Knies took over.
Knies, in particular, has been on fire. He notched a hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 9th, then registered two assists in the final game of the season against the Detroit Red Wings.
Marner ended the season with 102 points, a new career milestone for the Leafs' best player this season. Meanwhile, Auston Matthews had a relatively quiet 33-goal, 78-point season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The trio will be leading the Toronto Maple Leafs as they take on a Senators team that will be eager to get out ahead in the series. The Sens should come out, guns blazing, looking to grab the early lead in the series.
As such, Matthews and company will need to withstand the early onslaught as the Sens will try to force the Leafs into a slogfest. If that’s the case, the Leafs depth will need to step up. That’s where William Nylander could become the X-factor.
Nylander’s speed and singular awareness could transform him into Toronto’s most dangerous weapon. Moreover, Morgan Rielly will need to flex his offensive muscle as he looks to elevate his game to another level in the postseason.
Lastly, keep an eye on Scott Laughton. His overtime winner on Thursday night was just the thing he needed to get the monkey off his back. He’ll be entering the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs as the best fourth-line center. He could easily slip between the cracks, making the Senators pay.
Looking at Toronto Maple Leafs Game 1 lineup vs Ottawa Senators
The Toronto Maple Leafs will likely roll with the same lineup we saw in Thursday night’s contest against the Detroit Red Wings.
Here’s a look at the forward lines:
- Knies – Matthews – Marner
- Domi – Tavares – Nylander
- McMann – Holmberg – Robertson
- Lorentz – Laughton – Jarnkrok
David Kampf could be back for Game 1. Luke Fox reported that Kampf would be ready on April 17th. If that’s the case, Kampf could shift the bottom six as follows:
- McMann – Laughton – Holmberg
- Lorentz – Kampf – Jarnkrok
Nick Robertson would be the odd man out, though he could take Holmberg’s place in the lineup.
On defense:
- McCabe – Tanev
- Rielly – Carlo
- Benoit – Ekman-Larsson
Phillipe Myers will not likely see any action in the postseason unless there are injury concerns. Dakota Mermis could remain with the team as insurance.
The biggest question will be in the crease. In my estimation, Anthony Stolarz gets the call for Game 1 as Joseph Woll started the last game of the season. While I can’t read Craig Berube’s mind, I suppose Stolarz will get Games 1 and 2. Then, Woll likely get the two road starts in Ottawa.
Splitting the first four games allows Stolarz and Woll to be fresh for crucial Games 5 and 6 if the series gets that far. The Leafs might consider alternating each goalie if the series goes to seven.
But I will say this: If either Stolarz or Woll goes berserk and looks unstoppable, the Toronto Maple Leafs could roll with the hot hand until the magic runs out.
Game 1 will be the toughest in this series. Despite Ottawa Senators winning the season series, the Leafs should prevail at home in Game 1.