There are many must-see Toronto Maple Leafs games this year. The team is stacked with offence. Most games will be must-see for goal lovers. At the very least, the Maple Leafs will be entertaining from start to finish this season. And this year’s schedule is full of early season meaningful games.
Can’t-Miss Early Season Toronto Maple Leafs Games
October 3rd Vs The Montreal Canadiens
Opening night is a can’t-miss game for every team. And it would be criminal for any self-respecting Leaf fan to miss out on a season opener against their ancient rival the Montreal Canadiens. This game is not only the season opener for both clubs, it’s the home opener for the Maple Leafs. And they won’t meet again until February.
Both teams will be 0-0-0 heading into this tilt. But by the time February rolls around, there may be a sizeable gap between them in the standings. The Canadiens have some nice young pieces in Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Max Domi if he can keep his fists and elbows to himself, but expectations in Montreal are not high this season. Carey Price can keep the team competitive in any given game. But Shea Weber is out half the season and the team looks to be rebuilding. There is a good chance the Canadiens will be out of the running for a playoff spot by the time the Maple Leafs face them for the second time.
October 6th Vs The Ottawa Senators
The schedule makers had the same idea with the Ottawa Senators as they did with Montreal. The Maple Leafs play them right away, their second game of the season, and then not again till February. Late season in-division games are typically a good idea for leagues that want to focus on division rivalry. Which the NHL does. But it’s hard to believe the Senators won’t be one of the worst teams in the league this year. Those late season games against Ottawa may be little more than opportunities for Leafs forwards to pad their stats.
This early season game marks the first Saturday night contest for both teams, and the rivalry between them runs deep. But with Erik Karlsson off to the San Jose Sharks and consistent drama off the ice, the Senators will not elicit much positive fanfare this season. Add that they may win the Jack Hughes lottery only to see him drafted by the Colorado Avalanche, who own Ottawa’s first-round pick, and this may be the worst season in Ottawa’s history. October 6th may be the only time Maple Leafs fans get to cheer against the Senators without feeling at least a little bit of pity for them.
October 13th At The Washington Capitals
Things get much more interesting for the Maple Leafs the following Saturday when they visit the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals. The Capitals have much of their same roster returning for another run at the Cup. Alex Ovechkin won his seventh Rocket Richard trophy last year and his first Conn Smythe. Games featuring him are usually can’t miss anyway, but this game is a good early season test for the Maple Leafs.
Two seasons ago the Maple Leafs and Capitals faced off in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Maple Leafs were a considerable underdog in that series and exceeded expectations. This year, they’re expected to contend with teams like Washington. Are the Maple Leafs are ready to be considered Stanley Cup contenders? This is one of many games that will start to answer that question.
October 24th and 27th against the Winnipeg Jets
Long live the home and home series, a staple of bygone seasons. It’s been a while since the NHL schedule makers have consistently slipped in a home and home series into teams’ schedules. This year, the Maple Leafs get one, sort of, against the Winnipeg Jets. These series have always been interesting. Storylines have a better chance to grow and whichever team loses the first game has a chance for immediate restitution.
The one problem with this home and home series is that it’s not a home and home for the Jets, who will have to play a game against the Detroit Red Wings between matches against the Leafs. That gives the Maple Leafs an advantage in the second game, with the Jets playing on back to back nights. A game in Toronto on a Saturday night.
It feels like the Jets and Maple Leafs could be on the verge of a great inter-conference rivalry. They’re the top two Canadian teams. Both are top heavy on offence with piles of stars on both teams. The Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine comparison will never go away. And there’s a very real chance these two teams could meet in a Stanley Cup final one of these years.
November 10th At The Boston Bruins
The entire NHL knew the Maple Leafs were going to play the Boston Bruins in the first round last year well before the matchup was officially set. This season hasn’t even started yet and the two teams are already on a collision course towards a first-round playoff rematch. Anything can happen over 82 games, but the Tampa Bay Lightning are the early pick to win the division and there isn’t much to prevent Toronto and Boston from rounding out the top three. The Florida Panthers may have something to say about that, but they’re likely headed for a wild card spot at best.
This game is in Boston and it’s another Saturday night game. It will be the first of four regular seasons meetings. It will also be the first of four times the media focuses on the last two times these two teams met in the playoffs, and the likelihood of a third matchup this spring. Boston lost some depth in the offseason but their lethal top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak is still intact.
Will the addition of John Tavares be enough to beat Boston in a playoff series? Will it be enough for the Maple Leafs to win their first playoff series since 2004? The season starts on Wednesday.
