The young Toronto Maple Leafs have clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season. This revitalization has been, in large part, due to the coaching of Mike Babcock, who is currently in his second season in Toronto. His ability to change the atmosphere and find the right line combinations has played a pivotal role in securing their first Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance in four years.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Clinch A Spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Leafs didn’t make it easy on themselves clinching, as they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. But with their win over Pittsburgh, they have secured their first postseason appearance in four seasons. A weight is lifted off the shoulders of Mike Babcock and his young squad, and the future is bright in Eastern Canada.

The season has been a good one for the Leafs, as they have been lead in scoring by young phenom Auston Matthews, who has 40 goals on the season. On top of Matthews having a strong argument for the Calder Trophy, there has been solid play throughout, including improved play between the pipes thanks to Frederik Andersen.

Along with those two names, players like Nazem Kadri, Mitchell Marner, William Nylander, Jake Gardiner, and Nikita Zaitsev have played pivotal roles in what has now been proven to be a successful second season under Mike Babcock. The future in Toronto is bright indeed.

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