Maple Leafs on Longest Postseason Run With Superstar Core

In the last eight years with superstars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and six years with John Tavares, the Maple Leafs have won just one playoff round. This year, they added a second, and seem to be on their way to a third.

The last time the Maple Leafs made it to the second round was in 2023, also against the Panthers. The Panthers handled the Maple Leafs with no problems, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead over Toronto before closing out the series in five games.

Thanks to the Maple Leafs' second win in the second round, this is officially he furthest this group of star players has made it in the postseason. Those key stars have changed the narrative around them, too, but stepping up and being the productive leaders everyone knows they can be.

Nylander leads the team with six goals and 13 total points, a career-high for postseason points. Marner has 10 points in eight games played while Matthews is at a point-per-game pace through eight.

The Panthers still have a window of opportunity to strike back with the series shifting to Florida, but the Maple Leafs entered this postseason determined to end a legacy of failure. There is still a lot of road to go, but they’re already on the right track.

Even dating before the debut of the "Core Four," this is the best playoff run in Toronto since 2004.