2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[L K]

A Tampa OT loss to Buffalo and Ottawa beats Montreal in regulation last night.

TEAM	RECORD	LEAFS ELMINATION #	OTTAWA CLINCH​	MONTREAL CLINCH​
Toronto	78GP 48-26-4 100p	--------------​	CAN'T CATCH​	CAN'T CATCH​
Tampa	79GP 45-26-8 98p	5​	1​	CAN'T CATCH​
Florida	79GP 46-29-4 96p	3 (2 with a Leafs regulation win)​	3​	CLINCHED​
Ottawa	79GP 43-30-6 92p	ELIMINATED​	--------​	CLINCHED​
Montreal	79GP 39-31-9 87p	ELIMINATED​	1​	1​
Columbus	78GP 36-33-9 81p	ELMINIATED​	CLINCHED​	3​
Rangers	79GP 37-35-7 81p	ELIMINATED​	CLINCHED​	1​
Detroit	79GP 37-35-7 81p	ELIMINATED​	CLINCHED​	1​
Islanders	78GP 34-33-11 79p	ELIMINATED​	CLINCHED​	1​

APRIL 12, 2025

12:30 EST - Islanders @ Flyers
- No bearing on the Leafs. The Islanders are 8 points back of Montreal with 4 games remaining. Their elimination number is 1.

12:30 EST - Capitals @ Blue Jackets
- No bearing on the Leafs. The Blue Jackets are 6 points back of Montreal with 4 games remaining. Their elimination number is 3.

15:00 EST - Rangers @ Hurricanes
- The Hurricanes are 3 points back of the Leafs with 4 games left. The Leafs magic number is 6 to guarantee home ice an ECF matchup
- No bearing on the Leafs. The Rangers are 6 points back of Montreal with 3 games remaining. Their elimination number is 1.

18:00 EST - Sabres @ Panthers
- The Panthers are 4 points back of the Leafs with 3 games remaining. The Leafs magic number is 3 (or 2 with a Leafs regulation win or Panthers game going to overtime)
- The Panthers are 4 points ahead of Ottawa with 3 games remaining. The Panthers magic number is 3 to finish ahead of Ottawa (2 with a Panthers regulation win or Ottawa game going to overtime)

19:00 EST - Canadiens @ Leafs
- The Leafs are 2 points ahead of Tampa with 4 games remaining. Their magic number is 5 to finish ahead of Tampa
- The Leafs are 4 points ahead of Florida with 3 games remaining. Their magic number is 3 (2 with a regulation win or Florida game in OT)
- The Canadiens cannot catch the Leafs.
- Montreal could clinch a playoff spot tonight if the Capitals beat the Blue Jackets in regulation and the Habs pick up at least 1 point against the Leafs; Montreal gains at least a point or the Rangers lose in regulation; Montreal gains at least a point or the Islanders lose in regulation; they eliminate Detroit by earning a point
- Montreal is 5 pints back of Ottawa with 3 games remaining. Their elimination number is 1

 

[cw]

12:30 EST - Islanders @ Flyers
- No bearing on the Leafs. The Islanders are 8 points back of Montreal with 4 games remaining. Their elimination number is 1.

12:30 EST - Capitals @ Blue Jackets
- No bearing on the Leafs. The Blue Jackets are 6 points back of Montreal with 4 games remaining. Their elimination number is 3.

15:00 EST - Rangers @ Hurricanes
- The Hurricanes are 3 points back of the Leafs with 4 games left. The Leafs magic number is 6 to guarantee home ice an ECF matchup
- No bearing on the Leafs. The Rangers are 6 points back of Montreal with 3 games remaining. Their elimination number is 1.

Islanders lost to the Flyers in a shootout. They're eliminated.
Hurricanes win 7-3 over the Rangers. Rangers are eliminated. 4th team in NHL history to win President's trophy and miss the playoffs the following year.
Hurricanes pull to within a point of the Leafs with the Leafs having a game in hand. They clinch home ice in the 1st round.

Jackets clobbered the Capitals who have nothing to play for.
Jackets have the best chance of catching the Habs.

 

[L K]

Florida beat Buffalo in the shootout and gained 2 points in the standings. They cannot catch Toronto on tiebreakers.
Columbus trounces Washington and are 5 points back of Montreal with 3 games to play. Their elimination number is down to 1.
Islanders lost in the shootout and are eliminated
The Hurricanes beat New York. New York is eliminated. The Hurricanes are 3 points back of the Leafs with 3 games remaining.........
Toronto beats Montreal in OT. Detroit is eliminated. Montreal cannot catch Ottawa.

TEAM	RECORD	LEAFS MAGIC #​	PLAYOFF SPOT (Magic Number)​
Toronto	79GP 49-26-4 102 points	--------​	A1 (3), A2 (Clinched)​
Tampa	79GP 45-26-8 98 points	3​	A1 (Leafs Magic Number is 3), A2 (4)​
Florida	80GP 47-29-4 98 points	CLINCHED​	A2 (Tampa Magic Number is 4), A3 (1), WC1 (Clinched)​
Ottawa	79GP 43-30-6 92 points	CLINCHED​	A2 (Florida 0 points, Ottawa 3 Regulation wins) WC1 (Clinched)​
Montreal	80GP 39-31-10 88 points	CLINCHED​	WC2 (1)​
Columbus	79GP 37-33-9 83 points	CLINCHED​	WC2 (Montreal 0 points, Columbus 6 points)​

IMPORTANT GAMES APRIL 13, 2025

13:00 EST - Flyers @ Senators
- Ottawa must win in regulation if they want a chance to move up to A3. They will play on the road regardless in the 1st round
- They are guaranteed to play one of Toronto, Florida or Tampa

17:00 EST - Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes
- Who schedules back to back games at 5PM??????? Especially with travel........
- The Leafs clinched home ice in the first round last night. Their magic number is 3 to clinch the Atlantic division
- Carolina is 3 points back of Toronto with 3 games remaining. Due to the tiebreaker (Carolina 42 > 39 regulation wins) the Leafs magic number is 4 to clinch home ice in the Conference Finals against any team other than the Capitals

18:00 EST - Blue Jackets @ Capitals
- The Capitals sat back and got trounced by the Blue Jackets
- The Blue Jackets need 6 points out of six and at least 2 regulation wins to have chance to catch Montreal

The Leafs last 3 games are against Carolina, Buffalo and Detroit. Playoff standings on the line against Carolina (they are locked into playing New Jersey) but really this is three pretty meaningless opponents.

LEAFS FINAL RECORD	FINAL OUTCOME
3-0-0 - 6 points (108pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 and play WC1
2-0-1 - 5 points (107pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 and play WC1
2-1-0 - 4 points (106pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 and play WC1
1-0-2 - 4 points (106pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 and play WC1
1-1-1 - 3 points (105pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 and play WC1
0-0-3 - 3 points (105pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 and play WC1
1-2-0 - 2 points (104pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 if Tampa gains 6 or fewer points with an equal number of regulation wins to the Leafs
0-1-2 - 2 points (104 pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 if Tampa gains 6 or fewer points with no Regulation wins
0-2-1 - 1 point (103 pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 if Tampa gains 5 or fewer points with no Regulation wins
0-3-0 - 0 points (102 pts)	Clinch Atlantic 1 if Tampa gains 4 or fewer points with no Regulation wins

 

[Ozzie]

Stolarz is my MVP for the Leafs this season.

If not for him, Leafs would be battling for a WC spot right now because he was the difference in at least 6+ games this season.

Tonight he didn't have a lot of shots but he made 100% of the saves he needed to make. Including fending off Suzuki in OT. Plus he saved everything else. In seasons past, guys like Samsonov, Hutch, MurrDawg and Soupy would have let in that fluke shot on a night the Leafs were peppering shots but getting goalied like tonight............yet not Stolarz. The Leafs didn't get goalied....they goalied. And that's two shutouts for 41 in 3 appearances....which means he's clicking and hot just at the right time.

Hot Take: Stolarz plays 3 games in round one where he let's in 1 goal or less in round one.

GLG!!!

 

[L K]

Tampa beat Buffalo 7-4 to keep their Division hopes alive
Toronto beat Carolina 4-1 to bring their Division title Magic Number to 1. Toronto guaranteed finishing ahead of Carolina if both teams make the ECF.
Columbus beat Washing 4-1 (11-1 in back to backs against the Caps) to keep their playoff hopes alive (Elimination number is still 2)

TEAM	RECORD	LEAFS ELMINATION # ​	TAMPA CLINCH​	MONTREAL CLINCH​
Toronto	80GP 50-26-4 104p	--------------​	Elimination # 1​	CAN'T CATCH​
Tampa	80GP 46-26-8 100p	1​	-----------​	CAN'T CATCH​
Florida	80GP 47-29-4 98p	ELIMINATED​	2​	CLINCHED​
Ottawa	80GP 44-30-6 94p	ELIMINATED​	CAN'T CATCH​	CLINCHED​
Montreal	80GP 39-31-10 88p	ELIMINATED​	CAN'T CATCH​	------------​
Columbus	80GP 38-33-9 85p	ELMINIATED​	CAN'T CATCH​	2 (1 if Columbus fails to win both in regulation)​

APRIL 14 IMPORTANT GAMES

19:00 EST - Blackhawks @ Canadiens
- Montreal is 3 points ahead of the Blue Jackets with 2 games remaining
- Montreal can lock in WC2 with a win under any circumstance tonight
- If Montreal loses in overtime Columbus needs to win both their remaining games in regulation to have a chance

19:00 EST - Rangers @ Panthers
- The Panthers are 2 points back of Tampa for home ice in the first round. Tampa holds the first tie-breaker so the Panthers need at least 3 points to get home ice.

APRIL 15 IMPORTANT GAMES

19:00 EST - Maple Leafs @ Sabres
- Toronto is 4 points ahead of Tampa with 2 games remaining. They need 1 point to clinch the Atlantic and play Ottawa in the first round

19:00 EST - Blue Jackets @ Flyers
- Columbus is 3 points back of Montreal with 3 games remaining. They are 1 RW behind Montreal for first tie-breaker but lose on the 2nd tie-breaker (ROW). Columbus needs four points and ideally both on regulation wins
- This game may not matter.

19:30 EST - Panthers @ Lightning
- Tampa is 4 points back of Toronto. They need a win to have a chance to win the division and at least one in regulation
- Tampa is 2 points ahead of Florida for the division. Tampa holds the regulation win tiebreaker so need 2 points to clinch home ice in the first round. This should be a good game to watch if the Panthers beat New York the night before.
- This game may not matter for Florida if they don't beat the Rangers the previous night

APRIL 16 IMPORTANT GAMES

19:00 EST - Hurricanes @ Canadiens
- Montreal's last opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on their own. They need 2 point or 1 if Columbus failed to win in regulation the night before. This game may not matter.
- This game doesn't matter for the Hurricanes

APRIL 17 IMPORTANT GAMES

19:00 EST - Red Wings @ Maple Leafs
- The Leafs need 1 point to clinch the Atlantic division. This game may not matter.

19:00 EST - Lightning @ Rangers
- The Lightning need 2 points to clinch A2 and play the Panthers. This game may not matter.
- The Lightning need 4 points and at least 1 regulation win to catch the Leafs. This game may not matter.

19:00 EST - Islanders @ Blue Jackets
- The Blue Jackets need at least 3 points in their last 4 and likely need to win both games in regulation. This game may not matter.