Toronto Maple Leafs Tidbits and Reflections as the Playoffs Draw Near
From Auston Matthews' pursuit of the 70-goal mark, the return of Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly, and games against two playoff-bound Atlantic Division rivals, there is no shortage of storylines to follow as the Leafs season winds down.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are down to the final three weeks of regular season play with only nine games left to play on the schedule.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have games against current non-playoff teams the Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and Detroit Red Wings are sandwiched between a set of back-to-back contests against the playoff-bound Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are now a virtual lock to also make the postseason.
It all starts this week with the Panthers and Lightning visiting Scotiabank Arena. The Leafs close the season with a trip to the Sunshine State and return matches against their Atlantic Division rivals on April 16th and April 17th.
The games against the Panthers and Lightning will be of particular interest to see how the Leafs stack up against a couple of formidable foes. One (the Panthers) is the Stanley Cup favorite of many, while the other (Lightning) is loaded with championship pedigree. It's one of many interesting Leafs subplots as the Stanley Cup playoffs draw near.
The Atlantic Division is Up For Grabs
For all of their inconsistencies throughout the year, the Leafs are still in the race for first place in the Atlantic Division. It is a long shot, but a path remains.
The question is, how much will the Leafs push themselves to achieve it? Should they upset the Panthers on home ice with a makeshift lineup missing stars Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly, it would certainly get interesting.
The Leafs could draw within four points of the Panthers with a game in hand. The Leafs also have two games in hand on the Boston Bruins. Winning both of those extra games would also narrow the gap with the Bruins to four points. The Bruins and Panthers also have a head-to-head game remaining, meaning a loss for one of them.
That's a lot of "ifs" that need to go the Leafs way, but the slight possibility remains to get a higher seed and home-ice advantage for the start of the playoffs.
The Lightning have heated up down the stretch and are now only four points behind the Leafs. Coasting down the stretch could see the Leafs drop to a wild-card position for the postseason.
Even if the Leafs don't move up in the standings and with little separation between the Bruins and Panthers, their definitive first-round opponent may not be known for some time.
Majestic 70 Mark Still Within Reach For Matthews
The scene at the Key Bank Center in Buffalo, when Auston Matthews scored his 60th goal, was something to behold.
An eruption for the Leafs and Matthews as the "road" team that would make Scotiabank Arena envious. Fans of the blue and white packed the house in hopes of seeing Matthews reach the milestone.
He didn't disappoint.
Talk of Matthews reaching 70 goals has been ongoing since before the midway mark of the regular season. For it to still be a topic of discussion with nine games remaining speaks to the otherworldly year Matthews is having.
His next goal will break his Leafs franchise record of 60 in a season. Should he score a couple more this week, the push for 70 will heighten. Two or three games without a goal and it's wise to pick a spot for Matthews to sit a game and rest for the playoffs.
The Return of Marner and Rielly and Lineup Adjustments
Should Mitch Marner have no issues following a full midweek practice, he appears destined to return against the Lightning on Wednesday.
That should help Matthews in his pursuit of 70 goals. More importantly, the Leafs special teams will get a boost. Marner is a major fixture on both. Most significantly, a return to the ice to get his timing and conditioning back is a must before the playoffs start.
Rielly will also help the special teams. Plus, he is the Leafs best defenseman who logs the most minutes. The injury status of Timothy Liljegren and Joel Edmundson, meanwhile, is to be determined.
The trickle-down effect on the rest of the lineup will be noteworthy. It's time for the Leafs to make decisions on their best lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs.
Ryan Reaves should sit. Nick Robertson, Connor Dewar, and Pontus Holmberg offer more flexibility within the lineup and have value on special teams. It will also be a compelling decision for Sheldon Keefe should Calle Jarnkrok return and another forward has to come out of the lineup.
Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Jake McCabe, and Liljegren should be in the lineup to start the playoffs. Ilya Lyubushkin, Edmundson, and Simon Benoit all bring similar elements. Conor Timmins can be in reserve should extra puck-moving skills be required.
There remain enticing decisions to be made over the last handful of games.
What to Watch For Down the Stretch
Lyubushkin, Edmundson, Benoit, Timmons, and perhaps Liljegren, will be in a fight for their place in the lineup. Their play on special teams and the matchup against the Leafs first-round opponent will play large parts in sorting this out.
Particular attention should be paid to the games against the Panthers and the Lightning. These games should carry more weight for Keefe and his coaching staff in helping to determine the lineup.
Samsonov was named the starting goaltender for Monday's game against the Panthers, indicating he is the favorite to get the call for the first game of the playoffs. Yet, with both he and Joseph Woll likely to get 4 to 5 more games each to close the regular season, it's not set in stone.
During the final games of the regular season, it is also paramount that the Leafs get their special teams play in order.
The power play, a key element to their attack, has sputtered for a prolonged stretch. Killing penalties has been a year-long problem. Both are major factors in any playoff series.
The Leafs need to get and keep their key players healthy and decide on their most effective special-teams personnel.
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There are lots of storylines to follow as the Toronto Maple Leafs schedule comes to a close. Much preparation remains to get ready for when the most important games begin.