After a good start and a disappointing finish in their 5-2 defeat to the Florida Panthers in the regular season’s second-to-last game, the Toronto Maple Leafs now know who their Stanley Cup playoff opponent will be. And it isn’t one that has previously treated them well.
For the third time since 2017-18, the Maple Leafs will play the Boston Bruins in the first round. In any other season, you would prepare for your opponent and dig deep to face a determined and difficult team. However, the Bruins have dominated every postseason matchup with the Maple Leafs.
From the 2013 4-1 collapse to the back-to-back losses in 2017-18 and 2018-19, the Maple Leafs need to figure out how they’re going to play against the Bruins. Are they going to put forth their best effort and show some fight like they have this season? Or will they get into their bad habits like they have against them and other top contenders this season. Here are 3 keys for the Maple Leafs against the Bruins.
Flip the Script: Take 4
After being disappointed by their divisional opponents, it’s realistic to assume that the Maple Leafs will enter the game energized and eager to turn the tables. Even their regular-season performance should be a major factor in their readiness after being swept, losing all four games.
Maple Leafs will square off against the Bruins in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A team Toronto hasn't beaten in the postseason since 1959 pic.twitter.com/KQLlcXhHvo
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 17, 2024
The Maple Leafs kept things close in their first two encounters, losing 3-2 and 4-3 in overtime, respectively, but they were their own worst enemy in their last two games, making costly mistakes and losing 8-2 overall. They went 1-for-8 on the power play in those two games and had only one power play goal for the season series. According to Natural Stat Trick, their scoring opportunities at five-on-five were greater than 50% in two of the four games, with only one good game with an expected goal of 55.80%.
The figures indicate that it was close, but the eye test reveals that the Maple Leafs have a lot of work to do ahead of their series. The Maple Leafs know how to play, and they’ve even stated that they need to be ready for anything comes their way.
“It will be a huge task,” captain John Tavares stated, according to TSN. “It’s a test, and we have to be ready.”
“We need to get ready by clearing up some stuff, and then we’ll shift our attention,” Mitch Marner explained.
The Maple Leafs struggled during the regular season, but that is no longer relevant. The Bruins’ collapse against the Panthers in 2023 demonstrated how quickly they can crumble in the postseason. The Maple Leafs’ mentality and mindset must be present and dialed in from the start of the series. They must be hungry, prepared, and desperate to try to rewrite history.
Core Players & Defense Have to Step Up
All eyes will be on the core five as they attempt to continuously lead a playoff round. We have yet to see them all on the same page in the postseason, as one player consistently stands out above the rest. There must be a collaborative group effort, and they must demonstrate it now.
You might argue that their series against the Lightning was the greatest we’ve seen, but against the Bruins, it’s hit and miss. Here is a breakdown of the team’s point totals in their last two postseason series against the Bruins.
| GP, Pts | Points per Game | |
| Mitch Marner | 14 GP, 13 Pts | 0.93 |
| Morgan Rielly | 14 GP, 10 Pts | 0.71 |
| Auston Matthews | 14 GP, 8 Pts | 0.57 |
| William Nylander | 14 GP, 7 Pts | 0.50 |
| John Tavares | 7 GP, 5 Pts | 0.71 |
Although John Tavares has only appeared in one series, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly are well-versed in the outcome. Marner is the most productive versus the Bruins, while Matthews and Nylander have been average. Matthews has three goals and four points versus the Bruins this season, and the core four forwards are in the top four in scoring, with Tavares and Nylander each having two in four games. Now it’s time for everyone to step up and produce against an opponent who has gotten the better of them. They need to get some depth scoring, something the Bruins have done quite effectively this season, and execute properly on the power play.
As the attackers work to solve a dynamic goalie pair in Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, the defense must improve its play and reduce the number of costly turnovers and poor puck decisions. The Bruins can damage you on the counterattack and on the rush, and this team’s defense cannot allow them enough time and space. The blue line appears to be set in stone, and they must remain on top of everything and avoid moving out of position.
Match Physicality and Intensity
You know the intensity and physical play will increase in the postseason, especially since the Maple Leafs are playing the Bruins. The competition is real, and the stakes for this series will rise as it proceeds.
The Bruins are the league’s second-most physical club, with 2,260 hits. The Maple Leafs are right behind them, at 2,247. The Maple Leafs made the required adjustments to be playoff-ready. Bringing in Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Reaves, and Joel Edmundson at the deadline is for situations like this against challenging opponents during the most critical part of the season.
Reaves has been playing well lately, and his presence should continue, while Bertuzzi and Domi have demonstrated their ability to get under the opponents’ skin. This season, Jake McCabe and Simon Benoit have continued to bring the hard play to the blue line while also demonstrating tremendous chemistry. They’ve demonstrated that they can match physical play during the regular season; now it’s time to do so when it counts the most.
Final Thoughts
Whether it was the Bruins or the Panthers, the Maple Leafs were going in as underdogs against a formidable opponent. There is a lot of anxiety and nerves right now because this team has been a thorn in their side for quite some time. Yes, the history exists, but if this team can finally come together and play as a cohesive one like they did at times during the regular season, things will improve.
If not, things will become more fascinating as discussion of changes returns. This team’s mentality can get the best of them, and it has.
They proved that they could win a round. They now have another opportunity to demonstrate their ability to persevere and triumph.
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