The Toronto Maple Leafs have clinched a playoff spot thanks to the Ottawa Senators who beat the Florida Panthers in OT.
With the win by Boston over Tampa, the Leafs would play the Lightning if the playoffs began tomorrow. They don’t, of course, and Tampa and Boston play each other again, so that can change.
But the Leafs just need to play out their last five games, get everyone healthy and ready and then grind whoever it is into dust.
Obviously, making the playoffs is a big deal. Not every team makes it. As such, we’d like to pay tribute to some of our fallen comrades along the way.
Detroit Red Wings: You lost the best coach in the league and thought you’d be better off without him. Don’t worry, Darren Helm’s contract expires in 2021, so you’ll be ready to overpay some third-line plugger in no time at all.
Montreal Canadiens: I’d make the tired joke about how your NHL team is so bad that they’re about as good as your AHL team, but the Habs are so incompetent that their AHL team is basically an ECHL team. You let Andreas Borgman, the guy who isn’t good enough to play on the Leafs defense, do this:
It’s a good thing you traded PK Subban for Shea Weber... in today’s NHL, teams are always looking to get slower, older, and more expensive. And more injured too! Speaking of injured, old, and slow, your goalie has a .902, and starts an 8 year deal worth 8 figures annually next year.
Ottawa Senators: I’m afraid of Ukrainian hackers, so I’ll just say that Eugyne Melnyk is doing an awesome job, and should be made mayor of Ottawa.
Buffalo Sabres: About a year ago, Arvind wrote this. The most damning thing about Buffalo is how well that piece holds up.
We hope that our friends mentioned above have a great time watching the playoffs, and in particular, watching Auston Matthews do this.
Enjoy the playoffs. We definitely will.