Just another manic Monday, hockey fans.
Following the NHL’s Draft Lottery, the Toronto Maple Leafs will open their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers on Monday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT at Scotiabank Arena.
It’s the second time in the past three years that the two teams will clash in an Eastern Conference semifinal. The Panthers won the series 4-1 in 2023 en route to an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
Last year, the Panthers won the Cup while the Leafs bowed out in the first round against the Boston Bruins.
Three current Leafs played for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup team last season — Anthony Stolarz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Steven Lorentz.
Toronto is coming off a six-game win over the Ottawa Senators, while the Panthers finished off the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.
The Panthers were 3-1 against Toronto this season.
The Leafs-Panthers series opener follows a pair of Game 7s this weekend.
The Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, while the Winnipeg Jets entertain the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.
