It’s shaping up to be one of the tighter finishes in recent memory, as all but roughly three teams in the Eastern Conference can claim a path to making the playoffs. That has not been the norm for almost a decade, and the Atlantic Division, in particular, is no longer a four-team powerhouse. The gap is starting to close.
Even with increased competition and many injuries, the Leafs find themselves in a comfortable playoff spot with a real chance to win the Atlantic for the first time in the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner-William Nylander era.
We all know they are going to buy at the deadline.