The Toronto Maple Leafs notched what could be their most significant victory of the season on Wednesday, securing a playoff berth with a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers. This victory made them the first team in the Atlantic Division to clinch a postseason spot, but there’s still plenty of work to be done. While making the playoffs is an achievement, the real battle lies ahead, and Toronto’s separation from Florida in the standings is the bigger takeaway.
This marks the ninth straight season the Maple Leafs have qualified for the playoffs, the longest active streak in the NHL after surpassing the Boston Bruins. It’s also Toronto’s longest streak since their run from 1959 to 1967, which ended with their last Stanley Cup win. Historically, the Leafs have only won their division twice since 1938, with one of those titles coming during the COVID-shortened season, when all Canadian teams were grouped together.
Leafs Aiming for More Than Just a Playoff Spot
While clinching a postseason berth is important, Toronto’s primary goal is to win the Atlantic Division. Securing the division title would not only give them a more favorable first-round matchup, but it would also grant them home-ice advantage for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Winning the division could also mean avoiding a tough first-round battle against either Florida or the Tampa Bay Lightning—two teams that have been major obstacles for Toronto in recent playoff runs. The Leafs have faced Tampa twice and Florida once in the last three years, with mixed results. They lost a seven-game series to the Lightning in 2022, defeated them in six games in 2023, but fell to the Panthers in five games in the second round. Given the dominance of both Florida teams in recent seasons, avoiding them early on would be a huge advantage.
Potential First-Round Matchup: Battle of Ontario
As things stand, the Leafs are on track to face the Ottawa Senators in the first round, marking the first Battle of Ontario playoff series since 2004. In that series, Toronto emerged victorious in seven games before being eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers. Ottawa, meanwhile, has not made the playoffs in seven years, last appearing in 2017 when they made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Final, only to fall to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
While this iteration of the Senators features a young core led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, and Thomas Chabot, many of these players have yet to experience the postseason. In contrast, nearly every member of the Leafs’ roster has playoff experience, with Bobby McMann being the lone exception due to injury last year.
Despite Ottawa’s lack of playoff experience, they have had Toronto’s number in recent seasons, posting a 7-3-1 record against the Leafs since the 2022-23 campaign. However, regular-season success doesn’t always translate to the playoffs, where experience and execution take precedence over past matchups.
The Road Ahead
The Maple Leafs have achieved an important milestone by securing their playoff spot, but the real test begins now. Winning the division, securing home-ice advantage, and preparing for a deep playoff run are the next crucial steps. The goal isn’t just to make the postseason—it’s to make a serious push for the Stanley Cup.