Maple Leafs Clinch Playoff Spot

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the latest team to clinch a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) celebrates after scoring in the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) celebrates after scoring in the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are one step closer to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. After defeating the Florida Panthers, the Leafs have clinched their spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is the ninth straight year Toronto has made the postseason.

The Maple Leafs aim again to end the organization's nearly 60-year Stanley Cup drought. The franchise last lifted the trophy during the 1966-67 campaign, and it's been a heartbreaking six decades since.

That can all be erased with a championship run in 2025. The team has an excellent chance to do so. Their offensive core remains as dangerous as ever, headlined by the incredible season Mitch Marner is producing. The pending free agent leads the team with 91 points in 73 games.

What's especially impressive about the Maple Leafs' offense is that they've made captain Auston Matthews their fourth-leading scorer. Injuries forced him to miss 15 games this season, and in his absence, Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares have overperformed.

Nylander is the second-leading goal scorer in the entire league with 42 goals. This is the most goals he's scored in a single campaign, and there are still eight games left to play in the regular season. He's hit the 40-goal mark for the third consecutive season.

Tavares is averaging over a point per game in his age-34 campaign. Through 67 games, he has 35 goals and 34 assists for 69 points. Like Marner, he's putting himself in line to make a rich contract after the season.

The Leafs also have a goaltending tandem that the organization fully trusts. Veteran Anthony Stolarz brings championship experience after backing up for the Panthers last season. He's posted a 2.35 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage, which has been a perfect complement to Joseph Woll. Woll's made 38 starts in 2024-2025, which is already more NHL starts than any other season in his career.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.