The 2023-24 regular season for the Maple Leafs has come to a close, and they enter yet another year of postseason hockey. Their opponents, a team they know all too well: the Boston Bruins. With yet another matchup between these two clubs, Toronto has the opportunity to finally rid themselves of the demons that have been haunting them since 2013. With 3 playoff series between the two teams, Toronto has not won a single one, usually blowing leads late in the series. On paper, the Maple Leafs should wipe this Bruins team up and down. But, the big bad Bruins always find a way to be one of the best teams heading into the postseason, no matter the makeup of their squad. This season, the Maple Leafs have not had the Bruins number at all.

Maple Leafs will square off against the Bruins in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

A team Toronto hasn't beaten in the postseason since 1959 pic.twitter.com/KQLlcXhHvo

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 17, 2024

The Leafs need to win this series. This series has the potential to be the series of the playoffs. Both teams score a lot of goals, and they do not like each other. With the physicality that will be on display here in the next couple weeks, this shapes up to be a great and enjoyable series.

If Toronto wants to win the series they need to play the best hockey that they’ve played all year. They need great goaltending and for their goaltender to make the saves when it matters. With how the Maple Leafs tend to play in the playoffs, Samsonov will have to bail them out time and again. The Leafs rank 22nd in save percentage and 18th in high-danger save percentage this season. They combat this by just simply scoring more goals. Against a strong, tight team like Boston, they will need to have their defenders up and ready to make the plays needed to win playoff games. Another factor that needs to be at the top of their game, is the special teams. The Leafs had the No. 7 ranked power play, but that unit struggled against Boston and only scored one goal in 11 opportunities when on the powerplay. With how physical this series shapes up to be, referees might want to call more penalties so the games do not get out of hand. No matter what, Toronto needs their powerplay to be able to capitalize when given the opportunity.

This series matters a lot closer to how Boston is able to handle themselves and how their goaltending shapes up as well. If Swayman is able to play to the elite level that has been seen over the last few years, the Leafs are in for a rough series. No matter how Boston plays, Toronto has to find a way to capitalize on their miniscule mistakes, to have an advantage in the series.

Projected Game One Lineup:

Bertuzzi – Matthews – Domi

McMann- Tavares – Marner

Knies – Holmberg – Nylander

Dewar – Kampf – Reaves

Rielly – Lyubushkin

Benoit – McCabe

Edmundson – Liljegren

Samsonov

With a playoff series win last year against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Maple Leafs look to try to rebuild their postseason repitoire against Boston with a tough matchup this year. To continue to legitimize themselves aas a tough test in the postseason, Boston proves to be a great way to get back on the right track. The first game between the two clubs begins on Saturday, April 20th, at 8PM ET.