Maple Leafs host Atlantic-leading Panthers on TSN as playoff race heats up
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With the NHL's playoff push in full swing, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers to Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night for a crucial late-season clash.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers are currently two points ahead of the Maple Leafs with Toronto having a game in hand. The Tampa Bay Lightning are not far behind, sitting five points behind Florida, also with a game in hand.
East Standings
The Leafs and Panthers will actually meet two more times this season after Thursday's game, including April 2 in Toronto and April 8 in Sunrise. These head-to-head matchups could go a long way in determining who will win the Atlantic and the first-round playoff matchups.
The Panthers hammered the Maple Leafs 5-1 in Florida in their first game this season back in late November.
Winning the division would likely mean the Leafs would not have to play the Panthers or Lightning in the opening round, two teams that have given them plenty of trouble in the postseason over recent years.
"It's a big game," head coach Craig Berube said. "You play Florida, it's always going to be a hard game. That's just the style they play. They're in your face. There isn't much room out there. So, it's going to feel like a playoff game."
Already a deep team, the Panthers loaded up at the trade deadline, adding veteran winger Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins, five-time All-Star defenceman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks as well as centre Nico Sturm and goalie Vitek Vanecek from the San Jose Sharks.
Reinforcements were needed with star forward Matthew Tkachuk likely out for the regular season with the injury he suffered during the Four Nations Face-Off and defenceman Aaron Ekblad suspended 20 games for violating the league's Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
The 36-year-old Marchand, who has 21 goals and 47 points over 61 games in his 16th NHL season, also remains out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury.
Florida had a six-game win streak snapped on Tuesday when they fell to Boston 3-2.
Toronto didn't stand pat at the deadline either, picking up defenceman Brandon Carlo from the Bruins and centre Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers.
"We have to show up tomorrow," Maple Leafs blueliner Simon Benoit said on Wednesday. "We know it's a big game. We know there's a lot on the line. Just getting in the right mindset and making us ready for a playoff game. This is going to be a playoff game tomorrow."
The Maple Leafs are dealing with some injuries of their own as reliable defenceman Chris Tanev hasn't played since Feb. 25 with an upper-body injury. The 35-year-old, who was signed to a six-year, $27 million contract in the summer, has started to skate with the team and is now a game-time decision against the Panthers.
Tanev has scored two goals and 15 assists over 57 games in 2024-25.
"Feeling good," Tanev said on Wednesday after practice. "Just progressing day by day on sort of the timeline that was given to us. Just trying to get better every day."
Another cause for concern for the Leafs entering the stretch drive is the play of Auston Matthews.
The 27-year-old captain has dealt with various upper-body injuries this season, producing 23 goals and 56 points 49 games. It's an impressive stat line for most players in the NHL, but a far cry from the 69 goals and 107 points Matthews recorded during his career season last year.
Matthews has three goals over his last 15 games.
Linemate Mitch Marner, who's in line to be a free agent this summer, has scored 21 goals and a team-high 80 points this season, adding three goals and three assists over five games this month.
The Maple Leafs edged Utah Hockey Club in a shootout on Monday to snap a three-game losing streak.