NHL confirms bad news for the Leafs ahead of playoffs

For the 4th time in 11 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins will renew their Original Six rivalry in a playoff series.

The Panthers' win over Toronto on Tuesday night secured their first-place hold on the division, leaving the Bruins and Leafs to fight it out in the playoffs for the first time since consecutive seven-game, first-round series in 2018 and 2019, both of which ended in Boston's favour.

The Leafs exorcised their first-round demons against the Tampa Bay Lightning and are hopeful they can do so this year against a Bruins team that has squashed their playoff hopes four times since the infamous 4-1 collapse in game 7 of 2013.

Since the last time these teams met in the playoffs, the Leafs have five players still on their active roster, while the Bruins have six.


If their record this season against the Bruins is any indication for the Leafs, the series could be quick, as Toronto has gone 0-2-2 against Boston in 2023-24.