The Leafs have now:

  • Clinched a playoff spot
  • Reached 100+ points in a season for the first time in over a decade
  • Had an actually good goalie tie (and hopefully break) the record for most wins in a regular season
  • Crushed Tavares’ soul so it can be reforged in the fires of a Stanley Cup run in a Toronto Maple Leafs’ jersey/

You can read more about Tavares’ crushed soul in Katya’s recap on last night’s 5-4 win.

Tonight, the Leafs will take on the rested Winnipeg Jets. After playing Andersen last night, the Leafs will likely go with McElhinney in net for this game. What you didn’t know is that the Leafs decided to follow the Chicago model and call up a mid-30’s accountant who last played serious competitive hockey more than 10 years ago as their backup.

You won’t be able to tell the difference between him and McElhinney!

(I say with love. McElhinney is getting the results but seeing that accountant with Chicago play was eerily reminiscent of our backup).

Onto the links!

European Report: Carl Grundström’s SHL playoffs are over | by Katya

An end-of-season look at the play of a growing Marlies roster | by Scooter Wheels at the Athletic

MLHS shares a transcript with some glowing statements by Babcock about Andreas Johnsson

TLN staff have a round table about what they want to see in the remaining games this regular season

KiwiLeaf, our Australian commenter, looks into the Leafs’ 3C conundrum this off season in a fanpost

From The Branches