Playoff Preview: Can Toronto Finally Pass the First Round?

The worst kept secret in hockey is that the Toronto Maple Leafs cannot win a playoff series. They truly seem allergic to winning playoff series. However, they have a phenomenal team right now & stylistically, you can't write a better story for them either winning or losing to the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs.

Is this the year that Toronto finally passes the first round?

Toronto will have to mitigate Tampa's lethal offense, either with stellar defense or a great series from Matthews & Marner. However, neither of those things have happened in years prior, so it's fair to question if either of those take form.

Tampa is still one of the best teams in the NHL, & they have one of the top goaltenders. Ultimately, that could be the difference, but with Toronto's superstars you can't be too sure.

The Maple Leafs know what is at stake, and the saying holds true; the bigger they are, the harder they fall:

Will this finally be the year when Toronto wins a playoff series?

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