Atlantic Division
Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 51-26-4, 106 pointsFirst-round opponent: Senators
Case for a Stanley Cup run: If not now ... when? The Maple Leafs are arguably the deepest, most complete team they've been in the Core Four (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander) era. First-year coach Craig Berube's north-south style took some getting used to, but the Leafs have thrived in it. Toronto is top 10 in league scoring without being top-heavy. The stars (especially Marner and Tavares) are pumping in goals, but the Leafs get solid contributions throughout the lineup.
Defensively, Toronto has buckled down, allowing fewer than three goals per game and their top-four rotation is stronger than ever. And the Leafs' goaltending? Locked in, with Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll both pulling their weight as a tandem of No. 1s with a collective .916 save percentage.
X factor: The Leafs have serious postseason demons to overcome. How much does Toronto's history of first-round failure hang over the team going into another playoffs? The Leafs have basically been through it all the past decade -- they've earned series leads and blown them, come back from the brink (and still fallen short) and experienced every high and low in between.
The belief that Toronto can not only get through one round, but many rounds, has to start with the players. And for some reason, that swaggering confidence the Leafs have in the regular season dies out like a candle in the wind by playoffs. How Toronto manages its emotions and allows this season to be its own adventure -- without influence from past failings -- could determine just how many days or weeks this postseason lasts.
Player to watch: Marner. The Leafs' top winger has had a sensational regular season, pacing his club with 26 goals and 99 points. Marner must translate that success to the postseason and in a timely fashion. Marner has 11 goals and 50 points in 58 postseason tilts to date, but what's often been lacking are timely contributions, those big-time plays at critical moments. The Leafs have seen opportunity slip away when their best players like Marner (and Matthews) can't produce. This is a contract year for Marner, too. An impactful playoff performance could add some serious dollars onto his next deal.
Bold prediction: The Leafs sweep their way to a first-round series win and don't look back. Toronto bullies the competition en route to a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
