The Toronto Maple Leafs are most likely to play the Florida Panthers in the first round of the upcoming NHL playoffs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have clined a playoff spot, but the NHL Eastern Conference playoff race still has two positions to be decided.
The third division spot in the Metropolitan division is still up for grabs, and before play last night, the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia Flyers are all within two points of one another, with the Islanders, winniers last night, currently holding it down.
The other spot up for grabs is the second wild-card spot. The Washington Capitals currently hold this spot, but they are also within that two-point gap with all the teams above while still trying to fend off the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, who are both now eliminated.
But none of this is going to matter to the Maple Leafs. Before the Maple Leafs game against the Devils on Tuesday night, the Leafs have a 73.4% chance of finishing third in the Atlantic division and a 20.3% chance of finishing second in the Atlantic (via MoneyPuck).
This means that the Leafs will either play the Florida Panthers or the Boston Bruins, with the Panthers being the more likely option. Either of these will be a tough matchup, but the Leafs are as the NHL's top scoring 5v5 team, and have many options to play matchups with, depending on the first-round opponent they face.