Paul Bissonnette believes the Panthers are tanking to play the Maple Leafs

NHL on TNT studio analyst and co-host of the "Spittin Chiclets" podcast Paul Bissonnette said Sunday on TNT that he believes the Florida Panthers are purposefully tanking to set up a first round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This is a ridiculous take, and Bissonnette knows it. The Florida Panthers are not trying to play the Toronto Maple Leafs on purpose.

The Panthers currently sit third in the Atlantic division, while the Maple Leafs occupy the top spot, and if the Panthers are trying to lose on purpose, they sure went about it in a funny way Tuesday night.

The Ottawa Senators, who would be Toronto's first round matchup if the season ended today, are currently holding onto the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot, and are only two points behind Florida at the time of this writing.

Paul Bissonnette believes the Panthers are tanking to play the Maple Leafs

As "Biz" mentioned in the clip above, if the season ended today, NHL fans would be treated to both the Battle of Ontario and the Battle of Florida in the first round, as the Leafs would play the Sens and the Panthers would face off against the Lightning.

The Maple Leafs last faced the Panthers in the playoffs in 2023 when Florida bested Toronto in the second round in five games.

Bissonnette, who played just over 200 games in the NHL himself throughout his career, was almost certainly joking when he made this claim, but on the off chance he wasn't, it's very unlikely the Panthers are purposefully tanking, and more likely their poor play as of late is a result of injuries.

The Cats have been without superstar Matthew Tkachuk since the 4-Nations Faceoff, and he and his $9.5M cap hit are currently on LTIR. His status for the playoffs is unclear at the moment. The reigning Stanley Cup champions have also been without defencemen Dmitry Kulikov, Captain Aleksander Barkov, and Nico Sturm. Aside from Tkachuk, the other three players are expected to return in time for the playoffs.

With just under two weeks until the NHL playoffs get underway, all eyes and attention in Leafs land have shifted to the postseason. Obviously, fans and front office alike know what's at stake these playoffs. Another early exit for the Buds could mean drastic changes in Toronto.

Superstar Mitch Marner, who has had a magnifying glass on him all season, becomes a free agent at seasons end, along with former Captain John Tavares, and budding star Matthew Knies. By all accounts, all three of those players would be willing to return with the club, but playoff results could dictate that.

Regardless of whether the Leafs end up playing Ottawa, Florida, or potentially even Tampa, a huge postseason looms for the Maple Leafs and their fans.