Two years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs walked into a second-round series against the Florida Panthers riding high from their first playoff series win since 2004. It was a long-awaited breakthrough for the franchise and the ‘Core Four,’ finally getting over the hump after years of early playoff exits. But the success was short-lived.
The Panthers made quick work of Toronto in that 2023 series, jumping out to a 3-0 lead and closing it out in five games. The Leafs had home-ice advantage then, as they do again this year, but couldn’t capitalize, dropping the first two games at Scotiabank Arena before eventually bowing out in overtime of Game 5.
Now, the two teams are set to meet again in the second round, this time in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 1 goes on Monday night in Toronto, and while the opponent is familiar, with certain similarities, the Leafs insist there are differences.
“I think it’s always different,” said defenseman Morgan Rielly following Saturday’s optional skate. “They have different people over there. We have different people in here. So I think the playoff mindset in general remains the same, but I think there are differences with both teams and with structure and systems and whatnot. But the focus here over the next few days is going to be on us and doing what we need to do to get ready to play.”
The Leafs earned their spot in the second round after six games against the Ottawa Senators, closing out the series on Thursday. Compared to the emotional high of beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023 – their first series win in nearly two decades – this year’s result came with more composure and a business-first attitude.
“I think it’s a bit different but equally as important,” Rielly said. “If you look at that series, look at this past series. On paper, there’s no difference. You’re doing what you came to do, and you move on. But inside of that, there’s always going to be little differences. But I think for a group, we’re happy with our result. But we’re going to focus on what’s to come and try to get ready for that.”
Maple Leafs Dismiss Tkachuk’s Intel Moves Ahead of Panthers ShowdownFlorida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will study extensively before the second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and part of that session includes getting intel from his brother, Brady, who just played Toronto in the first round.
One of those differences is the experience of having been through that Florida series for the first time. While it ended abruptly, the group looks to apply what they learned, especially about falling behind early in the series.
“Well, we lost the first two or first three, but the first two at home. So we’ll look to improve on that,” Rielly explained. “But certainly we’re going to look at everything. We’re not going to leave any stone unturned. If you look at that series, going down early is not what you want, and so obviously we’ll look to improve on that.”
That series in 2023 was also the beginning of Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, where they eventually lost to the Vegas Golden Knights. A year later, the Panthers finished the job, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games to capture their first championship in franchise history. Over the past two seasons, no team in the NHL has played more playoff games than Florida.
As the 31-year-old points out, the Leafs are equipped with three former Panthers in Anthony Stolarz, Steven Lorentz, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson – all of whom won the Stanley Cup with Florida last season. They all offer some insight into the Florida system ahead of the rematch.
“I think that could help us for sure,” Rielly said. “Obviously, there’s differences in both teams in every team year after year, but we’ll take any advantage we can get to those guys playing over there,” Rielly explained. “It might offer some insight, but it’s important that we take these next couple of days get focused and get dialed in on structure and just get ready to play.”
Maple Leafs Tap Ex-Panthers to Gain Mental Edge in Stanley Cup Round 2The Toronto Maple Leafs will leverage the experience of former Stanley Cup champions Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Steven Lorentz, and Anthony Stolarz when the club opens their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers on Monday.
In the regular season, Toronto went 1-3-0 against Florida. With another crack at the Panthers, it’s another opportunity to take the next step. This time, Toronto hopes the story ends differently.
Rielly finished with two goals, one assist, and three points against the Senators in the opening round.
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