Boston's centre ice crisis gives the Maple Leafs a major Atlantic opening

Last season, the Maple Leafs finished last in the Atlantic with 78 points, while Boston rebounded to 100 points and claimed the first wild-card spot in the East.

However, going into this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have one specific advantage that will help them get over the hump and have some success against the Bruins.

⁠The Bottom-Six center mismatch down the middle

Boston still has NHL experience down the middle, but its bottom-six centre group is less established than Toronto's rebuilt depth. Fraser Minten is still developing, while Sean Kuraly gives the Bruins a veteran defensive option rather than a high-end offensive threat.

This is in stark contrast to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who went out and fixed many of their centreman issues in free agency.

The team has brought in the likes of Teddy Blueger and Colton Sissons. These are players who can come in and make an immediate impact. Both give Toronto experienced defensive options who can handle faceoffs, penalty-killing work, and difficult bottom-six minutes.

Not to mention, there are additions like Jack Roslovic, who could play down the middle if asked to. It's a nice shot of versatility that the Leafs simply did not have before.

This all creates a ripple effect, especially when the Leafs play the Bruins. The Leafs' depth centres can pin the Bruins centres in the defensive zone. This subsequently makes it more difficult for the Bruins' depth wingers to generate any offense. The Leafs would be effectively cutting off the offense at the source. Thus creating a ripple effect that would benefit all four lines.

Freeing Auston Matthews from heavy checking duties

In past seasons, captain Auston Matthews has felt the heat of the Bruins' depth. He has had to backcheck hard against all four lines, with two-way centers dominating the game.

However, going into this season, that won't be as much of a problem. The bigger benefit for Toronto is matchup flexibility. If Blueger, Sissons and the rest of the bottom six can handle more defensive-zone starts and difficult assignments, Jim Hiller has more freedom to deploy Matthews and Toronto's top offensive players in favourable situations.

Capturing home-ice advantage in the Atlantic Division⁠

With the Bruins' lack of depth becoming a real concern, the team will be looking to rely on Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha to carry a heavy burden. These heavy minutes can create fatigue over an 82-game season, which can contribute to losses down the stretch.

The real opportunity is smaller but still meaningful. Toronto finished well behind Boston last season, so gaining an edge in the head-to-head matchup would help close one of the gaps that separated the Leafs from the Eastern Conference playoff field.

Securing the top seed will be difficult, especially with teams like the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens looking to take the crown. However, the Maple Leafs' newfound depth gives them significant advantages, especially over some of their biggest rivals, like the Boston Bruins.

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