The Toronto Maple Leafs are battling it out for third place in the Atlantic division as of Monday morning.
With 59 points, the Tampa Bay Lightning are presently in third place. The Toronto Maple Leafs are immediately behind them with 58 points, and the Detroit Red Wings are just behind them with 57 points. It’s crucial to remember that the Red Wings (49) and Lightning (50) have both played in more games than the Leafs (47). Notes adapted from NHL.com
Right now, the Red Wings have the second wildcard position, while the Leafs have the first. It is evident how competitive the Atlantic Division is when five of its teams are vying for postseason slots.
With a few games remaining, the Leafs should be able to hold off the Red Wings and get over the Lightning for third place. Nevertheless, the Leafs’ worst-case scenario might not be to finish in a wildcard slot.
The team that finishes the season as the third seed in the division will play the team that finishes as the second seed, as the majority of you are aware.
The Florida Panthers hold the second seed in the Atlantic Division. They remain five points behind the Boston Bruins in first place, though, so their position in the standings could shift before the playoffs begin. Many fans, I’m sure, would enjoy seeing the Panthers and Leafs rematch their round two encounter from previous season; hopefully, the Leafs win this time.
The Leafs might still play the Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs if they secure one of the wildcard places. If the Panthers are the best club in the Eastern Conference and win the division, they will face the second wildcard team.
On the other hand, the winning team from the Metropolitan Division will face the second wildcard team in the conference. The Leafs could face the Lightning, Panthers, Bruins, or the best club in the Metropolitan Division in the opening round of this extremely close competition.
There are 35 games left in the 2023–24 regular season for the Leafs. They must have a strong finish following the NHL All-Star break, which starts on Thursday, February 1. The Leafs have had a fairly hit-and-miss season.
Five games or more of winning would be wonderful. Right now, the Leafs have won three straight games. When they host the New York Islanders on February 5, they will want to extend their winning run.
