As the NHL schedule comes to an end, the Maple Leafs still have two possible predators hiding in the playoff forest.
Toronto might still play the Boston Bruins in the first round, but only in extremely rare conditions.
With their 2-0 loss in Washington on Monday, the Bruins were only one point ahead of Florida in the Atlantic Division and were temporarily eliminated from contention.
To get back to the playoffs, the Maple Leafs (sealed in third place in the Atlantic) would need to defeat the Florida Panthers in regulation on Tuesday.
In any other case, should the Bruins lose their final game on Tuesday against Ottawa at home, the Panthers may defeat them.
The winner of the Atlantic Division will play the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be both the most adored and despised NHL team.
According to an Angus Reid Institute poll, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be both the most adored and despised NHL team in Canada.
Of Canadian hockey fans, 29% have the Leafs as their favorite NHL club; the Montreal Canadiens, 25%, Vancouver Canucks, 13%, and Edmonton Oilers, 9%, are the next most popular teams.
Of all the NHL teams, the Leafs are the least popular among Canadian hockey fans, ranked second only to the Montreal Canadiens (21%) and Ottawa Senators (17%).
The team that Canadian hockey fans would most like to see win the Stanley Cup this year was another question posed by the Angus Reid Institute. When forced to select, the Toronto Maple Leafs garner the most support due to Ontario’s higher population. Comparable percentages favor Vancouver (23%) and Edmonton (22%), with 13% supporting Winnipeg.
