Maple Leafs on Longest Postseason Run With Superstar Core

With a second win over the Florida Panthers, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the midst of their most successful playoff run in just over 20 years.

Apr 24, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate a goal goal scored by center Auston Matthews (34) in game three of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images / Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a long history of playoff failures, last winning the Stanley Cup in 1967, just before the NHL expanded from six to 12 teams. With another win over the Florida Panthers, the Maple Leafs have taken a 2-0 lead in their second round series.

Thanks to also taking a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators in Round 1, this is the first time since 1963 the Maple Leafs have had multiple 2-0 series leads in the same postseason.

While this successful start to the playoffs doesn’t guarantee a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, it is already the most successful postseason with the current Maple Leafs superstar core.

With their 6th playoff win, this is now the LONGEST postseason run for Matthews, Marner, Nylander, & Rielly 🤯

Furthest they got was their Round 2 4-1 loss to Florida in 2023

(h/t: @lukefoxjukebox) pic.twitter.com/74bvu0knfh

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 8, 2025

In the last eight years with superstars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and six years with John Tavares, the Maple Leafs have won just one playoff round. This year, they added a second, and seem to be on their way to a third.

The last time the Maple Leafs made it to the second round was in 2023, also against the Panthers. The Panthers handled the Maple Leafs with no problems, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead over Toronto before closing out the series in five games.

Thanks to the Maple Leafs' second win in the second round, this is officially he furthest this group of star players has made it in the postseason. Those key stars have changed the narrative around them, too, but stepping up and being the productive leaders everyone knows they can be.

Nylander leads the team with six goals and 13 total points, a career-high for postseason points. Marner has 10 points in eight games played while Matthews is at a point-per-game pace through eight.

The Panthers still have a window of opportunity to strike back with the series shifting to Florida, but the Maple Leafs entered this postseason determined to end a legacy of failure. There is still a lot of road to go, but they’re already on the right track.

Even dating before the debut of the "Core Four," this is the best playoff run in Toronto since 2004.

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