February 15, 2025
The Maple Leafs may be headed for a playoff battle with the Senators or Canadiens
NHL

The Maple Leafs may be headed for a playoff battle with the Senators or Canadiens

Max Domi kämpft mit Alex Newhook

<p>Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images</p>
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Max Domi fights with Alex Newhook for the puck

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Whenever the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens face off, there is always a special magic in the air. It will be no different when the two teams face off Saturday night in Montreal at the 25th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada. And the way things are shaping up this season, there could be a fateful date for the two Original Six franchises – or for the Leafs and another of their rivals.

In fact, the Leafs are currently at the top of the Atlantic Division, and if they stay there they will play one of the two wild card teams in the Eastern Conference. And guess who is just one point behind a wildcard spot? Exactly, the Canadiens. And the Habs could face the Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Wouldn’t that be a thrill? Two arch-rivals face off against each other with no assurances for either side. As is almost always the case, the regular season does not carry over into the postseason, so there would be a legitimate chance for both the Buds and Habs to pull out the series win and face one of the Florida teams. the Boston Bruins or possibly even the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round.

But wait — it could get even better: If the Canadiens fail to secure a wild-card spot or face the Metropolitan Division’s top team in the opening round, there’s another Leafs rival vying for a spot in the Securing the playoffs and being the Leafs opponent. And that team is the Ottawa Senators, who are also currently just one point out of a wildcard spot. So instead of a first-round duel between the Canadiens and the Leafs, there would be a “Battle of Ontario” between the Sens and the Leafs, which would lead to a classic in its own right.

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Either way, if Toronto played Ottawa or Montreal in the opening round, the intensity would be unimaginable. Of course, everything has to be right for such a showdown to happen. For the top spot in the Atlantic, the Leafs have to beat the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. And either the Canadiens or Senators would have to outlast teams like the Bruins, Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers to qualify for the postseason.

However, there is a reason why a Leafs/Sens series or a Leafs/Canadiens series would be so special. In either case, you would have Leafs fans in the opponent’s building and Sens or Canadiens fans in Scotiabank Arena. Not to mention the watch parties that take place in Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa when a team plays away. So there’s no question that a showdown between the Leafs/Senators or the Leafs/Canadiens would only deepen the rivalry between the teams.

The last time the Leafs faced the Canadiens in the playoffs was in 2021 – and in that series, Montreal pulled off a major upset by defeating Toronto in seven games. The Leafs and Senators’ last postseason meeting was in 2004, when Toronto defeated the Sens in seven games. And the only thing you can be almost certain of is that it is highly unlikely that the winning team will defeat their opponent. It would be a tough emotional battle that would live on in the hearts and minds of the teams’ fans for decades to come.

The Leafs are 1-1-0 against Montreal so far this season, and after Saturday’s matchup, the Leafs will face the Canadiens again on April 12 in Toronto. And as far as the Leafs/Senators regular season series goes, Toronto is 0-1-0 against Ottawa this season, with a showdown on January 25th in Ottawa and a finale on March 15th in Toronto. And at a time when the Atlantic standings are so tight, the Leafs’ remaining games against the Senators and Habs could be the difference between Ottawa and/or Montreal making or missing the playoffs.

The NHL’s business plan focuses on divisional rivalries, but some divisional opponents are hotter rivals than others. In the case of the Leafs, Sens and Canadiens, one would have to say that a first-round series involving one of the three teams against, say, the Detroit Red Wings would not have the same emotional resonance as a series between Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal would have.

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This is not a negative comment about the Wings, but rather a comment about the dislike that Leafs fans have for Montreal, Ottawa and vice versa. The existing history between the three teams would only become more colorful with further series against each other. And at a time when the Sens, Habs and Leafs are all either good teams or in the process of contending, the prospect of more playoff games between them is tantalizing indeed.

Ultimately, there will be incredible emotions on display no matter which team Toronto faces this spring. Whether it’s the Lightning, Panthers, Bruins, Blue Jackets, Senators or Canadiens, there’s a recent history of high-stakes hockey involving those teams and the Leafs that are guaranteed to appear again in the first round of the 2025 playoffs .

But there’s something particularly fascinating about a Leafs/Canadiens or Leafs/Senators series. Part of it is based on geography and part of it is based on history, but the bottom line is that there would be a lot more to the NHL’s entertainment product if the stars aligned and Toronto faced Montreal or Ottawa in Round 1.

Even if you’re not a fan of any of the three teams, you’re still well advised to tune in and follow a matchup between the Leafs/Canadiens or the Leafs/Sens closely. They’re one of the best rivalries in the league – or any league for that matter – and they’ll only get better as more chapters are added to everyone’s books.

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