The Toronto Maple Leafs are guaranteed to make the NHL Playoffs, which are roughly 6 weeks away, I know crazy. The 2023-24 NHL has absolutely flown by.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the most up-and-down teams all season, but over just the past 10 games or so, the opinion of most has completely flipped.
With one of the best core groups in the entire NHL, backed up by the feel-good stories of Ilya Samsonov and Bobby McMann, the Toronto Maple Leafs have potential to surprise many in the playoffs.
If there's one team I feel most comfortable playing in the playoffs, it has to be last night's opponent, the Boston Bruins. Here's why.
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Ideal Playoff Matchup This Year
There are 3 realistic playoff matchups for the Leafs in the first round this year.
First up is the Florida Panthers, who are currently in first place in the Atlantic Division. As most remember, the Panthers made easy work of the Leafs in last year's playoffs.
While this year is a different year, the Panthers look dangerous as always, and if the Leafs can avoid them for at least a round, that would be most ideal.
Next up is the New York Rangers, who the Leafs actually beat just last Saturday. The Rangers have been labelled as one of the league's Stanley Cup favourites all season.
The Rangers are currently leading the Metro Division and sit second in the entire NHL. The Leafs will only play the Rangers if they somehow fall back into a wild-card spot, and with their current win streak, it looks like that won't happen.
The Leafs are certaintly capable of beating the Rangers, but there's one thing team I would rather play.
That being the Boston Bruins.
If the playoffs started today, the Leafs would play the Bruins in round 1, and a rematch of the 2013, 2018, and 2019 playoffs is the most likely scenario for both of these teams. It may seem crazy to want to play the Bruins, since they are the team that has historically given the Leafs the most problems, however I believe that "slaying the dragron" is necessary for this team to fully achieve their potential.
A matchup against he Bruins is not only winnable, but will give the Leafs so much confidence that it could propel them further than than have ever gone before - possibly all the way to the Stanley Cup.
Despite being behind them in the standings and playing 2 less games, the Leafs have actually won the same amount of games as the Bruins this year. (All stats current to the start of last night's game).
On top of this, the Leafs forward group surpasses the Bruins in terms of star power, and depth throughout.
Now to be fair, the Bruins' defense group is far stronger than the Leafs, and their goaltending appears so as well. That said, neither of the Bruins' goalies, Jeremy Swayman or Linus Ullmark, have ever won a playoff series.
Now of course, the Bruins are still a very strong team and won't be easy at all, especially with the Leafs history against them in the playoffs.
But if there's one team I feel the Leafs can beat, I'd pick the Bruins.
Whoever the Leafs play in the playoffs, it'll be an exciting series, and I can't wait to see.