Are the Florida Panthers tanking to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round?

As the Toronto Maple Leafs enter their final six games, the race to win the Atlantic Division is still tight. The Maple Leafs are coming off of a dominant 5–0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. They now sit first in the Atlantic with 98 points, four points ahead of the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning. The Maple Leafs have posted an impressive 8–1–1 in their last 10 games, winning several games against tough playoff-bound opponents. 

Many fans are hoping to win the Atlantic Division so they can play an “easier” opponent in the first round. If the playoffs started today, the Maple Leafs would face the Ottawa Senators in the first round, while the Tampa Bay Lightning would face the Florida Panthers. However, with the Panthers’ recent play, some are starting to think that the Panthers are deliberately trying to fall into a wild card spot to play the Maple Leafs in the first round.

The Panthers are tanking rumour

Let’s address this rumour. The Panthers have gone 3–6–1 in their last 10 games and recently lost to the Detroit Red Wings, who handed the Panthers their third loss in a row. Combined with their recent drop-off in play, I feel this rumour has started because no one wants to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in what is going to be an absolute blood bath of a first-round match-up. 

Perhaps Paul Bissonnette poured gasoline onto the fire after making the same joke during the Panthers-Red Wings game. This rumour is similar to last season, where the Boston Bruins supposedly threw their final game against the Ottawa Senators to face the Maple Leafs in the first round.

It seems rather foolish to think that the Panthers would be scared of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers curb-stomped the Lightning in the first round last year 4–1 en route to win their first Stanley Cup. What people are not realizing is that the Panthers are starting to feel the impact of their injured players.

Aaron Ekblad is out until the third game of the first round for failing a PED test. Matthew Tkachuk has been on LTIR, and it is uncertain when he will return. Injuries to other key players include Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, and more recently, Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling, to name a few. With these injuries, it’s no wonder why the Panthers have gone 3–6–1 in their last 10 games.

The playoff opponent does not matter

What has disappointed the Maple Leafs’ fan base is that the Maple Leafs have won one series in the last eight seasons. Management has bet their horses on the “Core 4”, with the forwards remaining largely stagnant during the last nine years. The Maple Leafs’ window is closing fast, and fans have yet to see a deep run in this era. So, if the Maple Leafs can play an “easier” opponent in the first round, then do so.

However, if the Maple Leafs’ eight years of playoff failures have shown anything, it’s that there are no easy playoff opponents. First, it was in 2020 when they played the Blue Jackets in the qualifier round. Then, it was the following year against the Montreal Canadiens. Then, it was the following year against a “tired” Tampa Bay Lightning team. The following year was again against a “tired” Lighting team, for which they won. However, they decisively lost against the Panthers in the second round.

I am not going to make us all relive the trauma of those playoff series one by one. My point is that if there is an “easier” opponent on paper, there are no “easy” opponents to play against. If the Maple Leafs played the Ottawa Senators, would that be easy? The Senators have beaten the Maple Leafs 3–0 in the season series, and like the Maple Leafs, are starting to get hot at the right time. What about a slumping Panthers team? Once the Panthers get those injured players back over the next two weeks, with the addition of Seth Jones and Brad Marchand, would they be “easier?”

The Maple Leafs are their own worst enemy

The Maple Leafs are their worst enemy when it comes to the playoffs, and they need to slay their demons. Toronto is a tough hockey market to play in, especially one as illustrious and storied as the Maple Leafs. Combine this with the big dollar contracts handed out to the superstars and the same superstars not getting it done in the playoffs, especially against “easier” teams, no wonder why fans are frustrated. Myself included.

The Maple Leafs should have the view that no matter the opponent in the first round, they’re going to be challenging. Furthermore, they will have to play these “harder” opponents en route to a Stanley Cup anyway. The recent Maple Leafs’ play against both the playoff-bound teams and bottom teams is encouraging. 

Normally, the Maple Leafs slide into the playoffs with horrible March and April records and a non-existent power play. However, unlike in years past, the Maple Leafs are ramping up their playoff-style play. Their power play is scoring, and the team is coming together in a way we have been wanting for years. Like every season, only one team can win the Stanley Cup. Time will tell if the Maple Leafs can get over the hump this year, but make no mistake: there are no easy opponents on the way to the top.