Panthers, Maple Leafs Meet Again With Playoff Urgency Already Creeping In
It’s not quite Game 7, but when the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs face off tonight in Sunrise, it’s hard not to feel a little extra charge in the air. The last time these two saw each other, it was a lopsided 6-1 Panthers win in a do-or-die Eastern Conference semifinal. That night in May ended Toronto’s playoff run and helped propel Florida toward a second straight Stanley Cup.
Fast forward to now, and both teams are in a very different place - but with no less urgency.
Florida and Toronto each come into tonight’s matchup with 25 points, sitting uncomfortably close to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. For two teams with championship aspirations, this isn’t where they expected to be a quarter into the season. And while there’s still plenty of hockey left, the pressure is already starting to build.
Rivalry Renewed, Stakes Remain High
“Any time you play a team in the playoffs, especially over a couple of years, that’s where rivalries are built,” said Brad Marchand, who was the subject of offseason buzz linking him to Toronto before he re-signed with the Panthers. “We’re two teams that should be doing better than we are.
The intensity always seems to rise in these games. Most importantly, points are huge right now.
We need to get back to playing for 60 minutes.”
Marchand’s point hits home. These aren’t just two teams with shared playoff history - they’re also two teams trying to claw their way out of early-season funks before things spiral. And with both sitting three points behind Montreal for third in the Atlantic and five back of the wild card line, every divisional game feels like it carries double the weight.
Panthers Searching for Consistency
Florida looked like it was starting to find its footing after a 1-0 win over the Devils on November 20, pushing their record to 11-8-1 and putting them just a point out of third in the division. But since then, it’s been a rough stretch - three losses in four games, all of them at home, dropping the Panthers to 12-11-1.
Injuries have certainly played a role, and Florida’s been doing its best to stay afloat despite missing key contributors. But at this point in the season, moral victories don’t count in the standings.
“We’re handling every game right now a little more importantly,” said Sam Bennett. “We know we need more points, and divisional games are big swings.
You don’t always realize how important these games are until you’re down the stretch and both teams are fighting for position. This is obviously a big game.”
Toronto Feeling the Heat, Florida Keeping Cool
While the Maple Leafs have been facing the full force of media scrutiny from their hockey-mad fanbase, the Panthers have been able to operate in relative quiet. That’s partly the nature of the market - South Florida isn’t exactly Toronto when it comes to hockey coverage - but it’s also a reflection of recent history.
The Panthers know what it’s like to be counted out early. In 2023, they were well outside the playoff picture before going on a run that ended with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. That experience has helped keep the panic at bay.
Aaron Ekblad echoed that mindset: “There’s going to be a lot of juice in the building for both teams. These are emotional games against teams you’ve seen in the playoffs. It’s always a fun game for fans - and for us, it’s a chance to find our mojo.”
No Panic, But No Time to Waste
Despite the underwhelming starts, both Florida and Toronto still believe they’ll be in the playoff mix come April. The question is whether belief alone will be enough.
“If you think your playoff dreams are done 25 games in, you’ve got bigger problems,” Marchand said. “I know [Toronto] doesn’t think that in that room.
With the media and the fan support they have, things get blown way out of proportion up there. But they’re only four points out.
If people think they’re done, they’ve got to find a new job.”
That’s the kind of perspective that comes from experience. But experience only gets you so far - results have to follow.
Tonight’s Matchup: A Litmus Test for Both Sides
So here we are: Game 25 of the season, with two teams that expected to be near the top of the standings instead fighting to stay relevant in a crowded Eastern Conference race. The Panthers will try to snap a three-game home losing streak. The Maple Leafs will try to quiet the noise and get back to playing their game.
It may not be a playoff game on paper, but make no mistake - the urgency is real.
ON DECK: GAME NO. 25
Matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers
When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM; WCTH 100.3-FM; SiriusXM
Season Series:
- At Florida: Tuesday, Feb.
26
- At Toronto: Jan.
6, April 11
- Last Regular Season: Panthers won 3-1
- All-time Regular Season: Toronto leads 51-40-7, 7 ties
- Last Postseason: Florida def.
Toronto 4-3
- All-time Postseason: Panthers lead 2-0
Next Up: Thursday vs. Nashville Predators, 7 p.m.