With the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs just around the corner and five Canadian teams currently holding postseason positions, the Leafs could be in line to match up against another team north of the border.
But for Steven Lorentz and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the bigger picture doesn’t matter. Their focus remains strictly in-house on winning the Atlantic Division and setting themselves up for success.
“I know people want to see another Canadian team in the playoffs, but we don’t care about another Canadian team in the playoffs,” Lorentz said following Saturday’s optional skate at Scotiabank Arena. “We care about our team, and that’s it… It’s our job to not let that happen.”
Steven Lorentz, beauty: “I know people want to see another Canadian team in the playoffs, but we don’t care about another Canadian team in the playoffs. We care about our team, and that’s it…. It’s our job to not let that happen.”
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 12, 2025
The Leafs are set to host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, with both teams looking to earn points in a tight race in the Eastern Conference. As it stands, the Ottawa Senators, who defeated the Canadiens on Friday night, 5-2, are slotted into the first wild-card spot as the Canadiens trail by five points sitting in WC2. The Canadiens, however, can clinch a playoff spot with a regulation win on Saturday in Toronto.
As Lorentz, a native of Waterloo, Ont., native mentioned, it’s the Leafs’ job to not let that happen. Ahead of the game, Lorentz, who grew up a Maple Leafs fan, said there is an added “flair” to these types of games.
“Well, I mean, I’ve lived it my whole life, but now that I’ve been able to partake in it a little bit, it’s special,” he said. “I think it’s a privilege every time we get to play against these guys. There’s always that extra flair. There’s a little bit more to those games. You can obviously tell. There’s just a little bit more intensity and a little bit more of that – you take things a little bit more personally against guys or teams like this. Ottawa, the same thing when it’s nice and close to home like this. There’s always a little bit more at stake.”
As of Saturday morning, five Canadian teams – the Leafs, Canadiens, Senators, Jets, and Oilers – sit in playoff spots with a maximum of four games left in the regular season. It’s a Canadian storyline at the moment, particularly given that no team from the country has hoisted the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens did it in 1993. But for a Leafs team chasing the Atlantic Division title and in search of a deep postseason run of their own, they are paying attention – yet keeping everything internal – as Lorentz attested to Wednesday.
“Yeah, we’re paying attention,” Lorentz admitted. “I didn’t really watch a whole lot of it. I saw the start that Ottawa got off to. I think I watched a bit in the first period. But after that, I don’t even know what happened or how it really finished,” he added, referring to Ottawa vs. Montreal on Friday.
“Again, I’ve said it once, I’ve said it before, we’re focused on what’s going on in this locker room. It’s definitely huge being able to clinch a top spot. But wherever we finish, we need to be able to be at the top of our game for a round of playoffs.”
‘I Want To Keep Everything Internal’: Why Maple Leafs’ Steven Lorentz Didn’t Visit His Former Panthers Teammates In Return To FloridaToronto Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz is drawing the line in the sand ahead of the club’s clash with the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
Toronto, already locked into the postseason for a ninth consecutive year, is aiming to finish strong and secure the best possible matchup.
The only team they’re concerned about is their own.
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Read the full article here