We've become accustomed to Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs matchups holding plenty of playoff implications, but tonight, the results affect the draft lottery instead.
The Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs have built a bit of a rivalry over the past three seasons.
Because they play in the same division, they’ve met three to four times during the regular season, and they’ve also faced off in the playoffs twice, with the Panthers collecting series wins both times.
While recent encounters between the two teams have been fast-paced, physical and vital to their season’s success, tonight’s matchup is the complete opposite, and if we are being frank, the loser of tonight’s game will likely be happier due to their improved draft lottery odds.
The Panthers and Maple Leafs sit in sixth and seventh last place in the NHL with 78 points in 79 games. Due to regulation wins, the Panthers sit a spot ahead in the standings.
Additionally, the Seattle Kraken remain a point behind both clubs with a game in hand, and the St. Louis Blues sit ahead in the standings due to points percentage, as they have 78 points in 78 games.
While losing helps both teams, the Maple Leafs need to finish in the bottom five to retain their draft selection, and the Panthers need to finish in the bottom 10 to keep theirs. Players on both clubs have repeatedly stated that they are not actively trying to lose. But it’s been a real challenge for these teams to string extended runs of success.
For starters, injuries have hampered the organizations. The Panthers have been without their captain, Aleksander Barkov, for the entire season. At the same time, the Maple Leafs have witnessed their captain, Auston Matthews, miss stretches of play on multiple occasions, and he, too, had his season cut short by a knee injury that required surgery.
The Panthers have dealt with more injuries, and more significant injuries, but the Maple Leafs have dealt with their fair share.
But what’s hampered the Maple Leafs is the shift from losing Mitch Marner, the failed experiment of coach Craig Berube’s system, and former GM Brad Treliving’s roster construction. Because of this, the Maple Leafs have already relieved Treliving of his job, and the expectation is that Berube is next.
Several reports from both Elliotte Friedman and Pierre LeBrun indicate that the Maple Leafs are strongly considering hiring Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta. According to LeBrun, the Panthers have granted the Maple Leafs permission to speak to Mehta.
In all, tonight’s contest will feel different, something these two teams haven’t felt in quite some time. A matchup that is usually filled with motivated stars will be without several of those stars.
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