Four playoff teams await the Maple Leafs but one final game may decide their draft fate
Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Several teams the Maple Leafs are facing are playoff bound or close to it, however their game against Florida is going to have massive implications going forward.
Right now, the Maple Leafs schedule is going to be a tough one. They have Washington, New York (Islanders), Florida, Dallas, and Ottawa left and it's really only the Panthers that aren't looking at a postseason berth.
While anything can happen it's more than likely that most of those teams will make it barring a huge collapse except for the lowly Panthers who have basically given up on this season entirely.
The Maple Leafs face four potential playoff teams and they should hopefully take care of themselves
Well, that's not good news considering that Toronto is going up against a team who wants to lose, but it's a game where they can't win. Florida losing would again mess with Toronto's draft odds, and with them being so shorthanded and apathetic about things — it could be the Maple Leafs' downfall.
Washington is three points behind Ottawa for the last wild card spot, meanwhile the Islanders are only a point behind Ottawa. Dallas already locked up a spot, and Toronto faces the Senators in the last game of the season; so there are important points everywhere.
The only team who has no skin the game is the Panthers but leave it to them to mess with Toronto once again. Just because this isn't a playoff game doesn't mean it's not important. Florida has keeled over, and Toronto has to follow suit. It's not who's better, but who's worse.
April 11th is going to be 'The Tank Bowl' — and Toronto needs to find a way to lose
Toronto has to finish in the bottom-five of the NHL to have the best odds, and right now Florida is firmly sitting where they want to be. The Panthers have the Canadiens, Senators, Maple Leafs, Rangers, and Red Wings left on the docket.
Right there, you can chalk up a loss to Montreal, Ottawa and Detroit; so Toronto can't afford to give Florida any more ground. Toronto has to make sure Florida takes four points so they hit 81 points, and the Maple Leafs can stay in the lower part with their measly 78.
Florida already decided to sit basically their entire roster, and Toronto should do the same. There's nothing left other than prove for guys like William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies; they need to rest. Call up some emergency Marlies guys if need be — you have more than enough bodies.
Toronto has to lose their next five games, but the hardest one of all is no doubt going to be against Florida. It's the battle nobody expected, considering it's for the basement of the standings.
But with a chance at a top-five draft pick on the line, maybe this time it'll be okay if the Panthers decide to pounce on the Maple Leafs.
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