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Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Whenever the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens get set to play one another, there’s always a special kind of magic in the air. That will be no different when the two teams battle it out Saturday night in Montreal during the 25th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada. And the way things are shaping up this season, there could be a date with destiny for the two Original Six franchises – or for the Leafs and another of their rival opponents.
Indeed, the Leafs are currently at the top of the Atlantic Division, and if they stay there, they’re going to be playing one of the two wild-card teams in the Eastern Conference. And guess who is just one standings point back of a wild-card berth? That’s right – the Canadiens. And the Habs may wind up taking on the Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Wouldn’t that be a thrill? Two arch-rivals taking each other on, with no assurances for either side. As is almost always the case, the regular season doesn’t carry over into the post-season, so there would be a legitimate chance for both the Buds and the Habs to pull out the series win and take on one of the Florida teams, the Boston Bruins or potentially even the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round.
But wait – it potentially gets better: if the Canadiens fail to earn a wild-card berth or end up facing the top team from the Metropolitan Division in the opening round, there’s another Leafs rival that could grab a playoff spot and slide in as the Leafs opponent. And that team is the Ottawa Senators, who also are only one point back of a wild-card berth right now. So, instead of a Canadiens/Leafs first-round matchup, we’d get a “Battle of Ontario” between the Sens and Leafs instead, leading to an instant classic in its own right.
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Either way, if Toronto draws Ottawa or Montreal in the opening round, the intensity would be off the charts. Of course, lots has to go right for that type of showdown to materialize. The Leafs will have to fend off the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning for the top spot in the Atlantic. And either the Canadiens or Senators would have to outlast teams including the Bruins, Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers to qualify for the post-season.
That said, there’s a reason why a Leafs/Sens series or a Leafs/Canadiens series would be so special. In both cases, you’d have Leafs fans in their opponent’s building, and Sens or Canadiens fans in Scotiabank Arena. And that’s to say nothing of the watch parties that will take place in Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa when a team is playing on the road. And so there’s no question a Leafs/Senators or Leafs/Canadiens showdown would only deepen the rivalry between the teams.
The last time the Leafs took on the Canadiens in the playoffs, it was in 2021 – and in that series, Montreal pulled off a huge upset by beating Toronto in seven games. Meanwhile, the most recent post-season meeting between the Leafs and Senators was in 2004, when Toronto beat the Sens in seven games. And the one thing you almost assuredly can bank on is that the winning team would be highly unlikely to sweep their opponent. It would be a nasty emotional battle and one that would live in the hearts and minds of the teams’ fans for decades to come.
Thus far this season, the Leafs are 1-1-0 against Montreal, and after Saturday’s tilt, the Leafs take on the Canadiens one more time, on April 12 in Toronto. And as far as the Leafs/Senators regular-season series goes, Toronto is 0-1-0 against Ottawa this season, with a showdown on Jan. 25 in Ottawa and then a final one on March 15 in Toronto. And at a time when the Atlantic standings are so close, the Leafs’ remaining games against the Senators and Habs could be the difference between Ottawa and/or Montreal making and missing the playoffs.
The NHL’s business plan is centered around divisional rivalries, but some divisional opponents are hotter rivals than others. In the case of the Leafs, Sens and Canadiens, you’d have to say a first-round series involving any of the three teams against, say, the Detroit Red Wings wouldn’t have the same emotional resonance that a series between Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal would have.
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That’s not a negative comment on the Wings, but rather, more of a comment about the loathing that Leafs fans have for Montreal, Ottawa and vice versa. The history that’s already there between the three teams would only get more colorful with additional series against each other. And at a time when the Sens, Habs and Leafs are all either good teams or are coming into their own, the prospects of more playoff games between them are tantalizing indeed.
Ultimately, there’s going to be amazing emotion on display no matter which team Toronto takes on this spring. Whether it’s the Lightning, Panthers, Bruins, Blue Jackets, Senators or Canadiens, there’s a recent history of high-stakes hockey involving those teams and the Leafs that are guaranteed to replicate themselves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs.
But, there’s something especially compelling about a Leafs/Canadiens or Leafs/Senators series. Part of it is based on geography, and part of it is based on history, but the bottom line is the NHL’s entertainment product would have that much more going for it if the stars align and Toronto squares off against Montreal or Ottawa in Round 1.
Even if you’re not a fan of any of the three teams, you’d still be well-advised to tune in and pay close attention to a Leafs/Canadiens or Leafs/Sens battle. They’re one of the best rivalries in the league – or in any league, for that matter – and they’re only going to get better as more chapters are added to the books of all involved.
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