Questions Remain for the Playoff-Bound Leafs

OK, Leafs fans, you can breathe out now: Toronto is in the NHL playoffs for the first time in nine years. But even before the “second season” starts, some questions remain.

For instance, should they rest their top players or should they carry on and try to grab the best playoff spot possible? Their schedule has them playing back-to-back games in Florida against Tampa on Wednesday and the Panthers on Thursday, then they wrap up the regular season on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre versus the Canadiens. Winning all three would give the Leafs 61 points and put them in contention for a top-three seed if neither Montreal nor Boston get any points from their remaining games (the Bruins have four, while the Habs have three).

What’s undeniable is how this Leafs squad has come together over the course of the shortened season. Nazem Kadri deserves praise for his perseverance and for elevating the level of his play. Phil Kessel has also earned kudos for taking a secondary role and becoming a playmaker when they needed one. Certainly both Kadri and James van Riemsdyk have benefited from Kessel’s switch to a passing game. James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have provided solid work between the pipes with respectable goals-against averages under 3.00 and save percentages above the .900 mark.

Montreal is catchable: they’ve lost four of their last six games and have looked bad doing so. Despite all the “Boston Strong” hype, the Bruins have only won once in their last five (not including two postponements). So as winners of three of their past five, it must be a tempting thought for the Buds to keep the foot down on the pedal and at least end up in fourth. That would give them home-ice advantage for the first round regardless of whom they will face. Right now, the likelihood is better than even that the Buds will square off against their old foes, the Canadiens.

“You talk about the playoffs and how much excitement there is and how it would be awesome, and you put Toronto and Montreal together in the playoffs, if it does happen, it would be a great series,” Leafs defenceman Ryan O’Byrne told reporters on Monday. “There is a lot of hatred between both teams. You can see it in the games — the chippiness, we play against each other so much. One of those games where you just get so heated, you saw it a week and a half ago on the Saturday (when the Leafs won 5-1 in Toronto), the physical play. It just seemed like the play was up a level. I can’t imagine what it would be like in the playoffs if we did play each other.”

That’s really what the fans want: a scrappy series against two clubs who had many classic duels in the past, and who want to see another epic battle unfold.