The Toronto Maple Leafs have looked sharp this season under new Head Coach Craig Berube and currently occupy the top spot in the Atlantic Division. And although nothing is set in stone, the Leafs will more than likely make it to the postseason where they will hopefully do better than the first-round exit that they put up in the 2024 playoffs.
No matter how far the Leafs go in the 2025 postseason, they will start their playoff journey in the opening round. But, who will their first opponent be? Let’s take a look at seven potential matchups for the Leafs based on the current standings. The possible opponents will be ranked from seventh to first based on how fun they would be to see, as well as their history with the Leafs.
Let’s get to it.
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets currently sit just one spot back of an Eastern Conference wild card spot, but if they can pass the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Leafs remain at the top of the Atlantic, the two squads could link up in the first round. The Leafs and Blue Jackets don’t have an extensive history by any means, but the two teams did clash in the one-off qualifying round matchups that were featured in the pandemicshortened 2019–20 season. Though the best-of-five series was tightly contested, the Blue Jackets prevailed in five games.
This season, the Leafs haven’t had the best of luck against the Blue Jackets either, losing both of the two games the teams have had by four goals in each. While an opening round tilt with the Blue Jackets could be interesting, it just doesn’t have the wow factor compared to the others to come on this list. Although given the team’s record against Columbus this season, it could potentially be one of the scarier matchups for the Leafs if it comes to fruition.
6. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings sit just one spot below the Blue Jackets in the standings and just two points behind as well. What gives the Red Wings the edge over Columbus as a potential opponent, though, is the Original Six connection with Toronto. While the two teams have not met recently in the postseason there is still a long history between the two teams dating all the way back to 1940 when the two teams met in the Stanley Cup semi-final and engaged in a bench clearing brawl that lasted more than 10 minutes. Their most recent playoff series came in 1993 when Toronto bested Detroit in seven games.
This season, the Leafs have won two out of three games versus the Red Wings, with the most recent victory being a 5–2 win on December 27. This potential matchup might be easier for the Leafs than the Blue Jackets would be given their winning record against Detroit, but the Original Six aspect and Toronto’s proximity to Detroit make this a solid series option.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
Whereas the Red Wings option had more of a deep history, the Lightning began their rivalry with the Leafs back in 2022 when the teams met in the first round. The Lightning took that series in seven games before eventually taking home their second Stanley Cup in a row. But the following season, the Leafs took their game to a higher level, eliminating the Lightning in six games before losing to the Florida Panthers in the second round.
While Leafs fans would like to believe they conquered that dragon already, anyone who has watched the sport of boxing knows that when the matchup is tied at one apiece, you must complete the trilogy. While the lightning don’t look exactly the same as they did in 2022 and 2023, neither do the Leafs, so seeing a clash of these titans once again would be must see hockey, even if it is sometimes hard to tell which team is which given their nearly identical jerseys.
4. Boston Bruins
The Bruins are an option that could’ve either been at the top of the list or the bottom depending on how you view the modern playoff rivalry the two squads have shared. The Leafs have played in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs eight times since 2013, and in half of those appearances, the Leafs have lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins. No matter how hard the team has tried to shake the seemingly cursed matchup, the result is always the same. Even last season after not seeing the Bruins since the 2019 post-season, they once again lost in seven after coming back from a 3–1 series deficit.
The Leafs have looked solid against the Bruins in 2024–25, currently at a 2–0–1 record against Boston on the season. But, Leafs fans know all to well that everything can change come playoff time. And while a fifth bout between Toronto and Boston would be undoubtedly electric, it also opens the door for continued humiliation if things don’t finally go Toronto’s way.
3. New Jersey Devils
What’s better than the Leafs playing the Bruins in Round 1? How about the Leafs taking on their former coach, Sheldon Keefe, who was let go this past summer. The former Toronto coach has been a great addition behind the Devils bench, taking the Devils from a team that was 11 points out of a wild card berth last season, to the third best team in the Metropolitan division. And while his team has lost all three games against the Leafs this season, you can’t deny the narrative that could be told if the two teams were to meet.
For Leafs fans, the matchup would go beyond Keefe too. The Leafs were eliminated by the Devils during the playoffs in back-to-back seasons back in 2000 and 2001, the first of which was during a playoff run that saw the Devils win the Stanley Cup. Leafs fans would not only want to best their former bench boss, but also get some sweet revenge for those early eliminations. And with both teams being tied for points currently, the series would likely be a close battle.
2. Ottawa Senators
For the past couple years, the Senators have shown promise to return to the postseason for the first time since 2017, but they just haven’t been able to take the next step. This season, Ottawa—currently third in the Atlantic Division—look like they have finally turned the page. And if the Leafs slip to the second spot in the division by seasons end or the Senators fall back into a wild card spot, the Battle of Ontario could set stage in round 1.
The Leafs and Senators have had a very lopsided playoff history. The two teams faced off four times in the playoffs between 2000 and 2004, with the Leafs winning every series. This season, Ottawa has had Toronto’s number, winning both of their games against the Leafs so far, including a 2–1 victory on Saturday. Anything can happen come playoff time though, and with both teams playing as well as they have, a Battle of Ontario in the opening round would be a battle indeed.
1. Montreal Canadiens
The Battle of Ontario would definitely be cool, but I and many others would argue that you just can’t beat the Leafs versus the Canadiens—possibly the most storied rivalry that the NHL has to offer. These two Original Six teams last saw each other during the opening round of the 2021 playoffs when the Leafs blew a 3–1 series lead, losing in seven games to Montreal. So, if they were to meet again, the Leafs would likely be out for revenge.
The 2024–25 season has seen the Leafs win two out of the three games the teams have played against one another. Most recently on January 18, the Leafs came back from a 3–0 deficit, scoring seven unanswered goals to beat the Canadiens 7–3. If Montreal can pick up some needed wins as the second half of the season wears on, they might be able to snag a wild-card berth and meet the Leafs in the first round. And if that happens, fans will be treated to some of the loudest arena experiences in recent memory, and potentially, another epic chapter to add to the rivalry.
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