Sports Corner

Maple Leafs warned by Bruce Boudreau as ‘tough matchup’ looms in possible all-Canadian playoff series

TVL
TVL


The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators are on a collision course for a first-round matchup in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It would be the first time we’ve seen the Battle of Ontario in the postseason since their first-round series in 2003-04, which Toronto won in seven games.

While there remains a small chance that the Lightning surpass the Maple Leafs atop the Atlantic Division, the odds are in favor of facing the Senators.

Former NHL head coach, now TSN hockey analyst, Bruce Boudreau appeared on “First Up” on Monday morning and urged Leafs fans not to take the Ottawa Senators lightly in a potential upcoming playoff series.

“We always love to see it, and every time we’ve seen it in the past, it’s been very special. You got two fan bases that really, sort of despise the other fan base. So I think it’ll be, I think it’ll be fabulous, and I think it’s not going to be a cakewalk for the Leafs either. I mean, even though it’s, you know, they have many more points in the standings and stuff, I think Ottawa is a pretty, pretty tough matchup for these guys, and it should make for a great series,” Boudreau said (1:22).

Boudreau is certainly onto something, as the Maple Leafs were swept 3-0 by the Senators this regular season, outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those games. It could make for one of the more intriguing first-round matchups in this year’s playoffs.

The Maple Leafs’ magic number to clinch the Atlantic division is down to one

The number one seed in the Atlantic division is almost officially the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto needs just one point in its final two games, or Tampa Bay to record three points or fewer in their final two games, to wrap up the division. Whoever ends up on top will indeed host the number one wildcard, Ottawa Senators, in round one.

The Maple Leafs’ final two games come in Buffalo and at home against Detroit, while Tampa Bay hosts Florida and then heads to New York to face the Rangers. No matter what, Toronto’s fate will be in its own hands.

The Leafs will look to lock up the Atlantic when they return to action in Buffalo against the Sabres on Tuesday night. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST at KeyBank Center.