Leafs Notebook – Observations at the All-Star Break, Early returns on lineup changes, Jake Gardiner’s second-half pattern – January 29

For the Leafs, there are only 31 games left in the season. Of those games, 13 will be on the road and 18 are at home. In fact, never again this season will they play more than two in a row on the road. Conversely, they have a five-game home stand and two separate three game home stands remaining. There are four back-to-backs left in the season, two of which take place on the road (the other two have one road game in each).

Not only is the schedule favourable, they are also up 15 points on Montreal and Detroit, who are both tied for fourth in the division.