Maple Leafs lineup vs. Panthers: What we’re seeing, watching heading into Game 1

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TORONTO — On Monday night, the Maple Leafs will begin their efforts to do something they have not done since 2002: Win two playoff rounds.

Their rewards for winning the Atlantic Division this season ended quickly, as after getting past the first round against the Ottawa Senators, the Leafs are now faced up against one of the more bruising and deep teams in the NHL. Oh, and they’re the reigning Stanley Cup champions to boot: the Florida Panthers.

The memories of the Panthers’ quick five-game second-round series win over the Leafs in 2023 will undoubtedly remain for some Leafs. Two years ago, the tight score lines throughout the series flattered the Leafs. They were just no match for the Panthers’ brand of playoff-ready hockey. And that style remains front of mind for the Leafs heading into Game 1.

“(The Panthers) forecheck hard and they are physical. They’re in your face the whole game. I don’t necessarily think it is mean. That’s just their game,” Leafs coach Craig Berube said after Sunday’s practice. “We are a physical team, too. We have to go out and be physical ourselves. We have to initiate as much as possible.”

Game 1 could set the tone for the series. The Panthers have had an extra day of rest compared to the Leafs after polishing off the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. They could be primed to bring that nastiness early on.

The Leafs will begin the series as underdogs. How the Leafs match the Panthers experience with an upgraded blue line and higher-end scoring talent — who found their stride in Game 6 against the Senators — could dictate how this series goes, at least early on.

The likely lines

Knies — Matthews — Marner
Pacioretty — Tavares — Nylander
McMann — Domi — Holmberg
Lorentz — Laughton — Järnkrok

McCabe — Tanev
Rielly — Carlo
Benoit — Ekman-Larsson

Berube is keeping together the lineup that won Game 6 for the Leafs, including Max Pacioretty on the second line. Though the Panthers’ first and second units are obviously a big-time threat to the Leafs, Berube seems concerned about Florida’s well-rounded third line. The Leafs coach has brought up the unit, which includes Brad Marchand, unprompted a number of times already.

Anton Lundell, the rising two-way force in the middle of that line, is of particular concern. The Panthers outscored the Lightning 4-0 when that trio was on the ice in the first round. Berube figures to lean on the threesome of Scott Laughton, Steven Lorentz, and Calle Järnkrok to try to keep that group off the scoreboard in Game 1. It remains to be how much the Leafs coach will use the line of Bobby McMann, Max Domi, and Pontus Holmberg in Game 1. — Siegel

The big questions

Can the power play continue to cook?

Given Florida’s apparent advantage at five on five, the Leafs may not be able to win this series if their power play can’t keep it rolling. It was arguably the deciding factor in round one against Ottawa. Something to be mindful of: The Panthers own a very aggressive penalty kill, including a first forward tandem of Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart that will strike if given the chance. Florida buried 12 shorthanded goals during the regular season, second-most in the league. The Leafs surrendered two shorties to the Sens in the first round. They went 1-9 on the power play against the Panthers during the regular season. — Siegel

Will the extra rest have benefitted Anthony Stolarz?

We’ve brought up the Leafs goalie a lot over the last week or so, but with good reason. After Game 2, Stolarz pitched an .876 save percentage through the Leafs’ final four games of the first round against the Senators. That’s a stark difference from the goalie who put up a .926 save percentage through the regular season — tops in the NHL. Stolarz looked to falter, only slightly, as he dealt with a workload he’d never experienced before. Now he’s going to be matched up both against his former team and Sergei Bobrovsky, a goalie who has a recent history of stopping pucks amid a heavy workload. Was the three days off for Stolarz enough to reset? Game 1 could reveal a lot. And, possibly, whether Joseph Woll will see his first playoff action this year. — Kloke

What will Mitch Marner look like in Game 1?

Congratulations are in order for Marner and his wife Stephanie on the birth of their first child Sunday morning. Marner missed Sunday’s practice but will play Game 1. As any new parent will tell you, those first days as a parent can be a blur. You’re running on adrenaline, little to no sleep and your thoughts are being pulled in different directions. It will be fascinating to see how Marner — a player the Leafs need at his best to have a chance against the Panthers — responds less than 48 hours after such an emotional experience. Could it propel him to have one of the playoff games of his career? The highest of highs and the lowest of lows might be expected in Game 1. That’s parenthood, after all. — Kloke

Pre-game reading

• Who’s favoured in this Round 2 matchup? Our in-depth series preview is here.

• How can the Leafs beat the Panthers? James Mirtle has five keys.

• The Panthers’ post-Cup free-agent selloff became the the Leafs’ gain. How will it play out?

• Matthew Knies and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had big first-round series for the Leafs. Knies is proving he’s playoff-ready. Ekman-Larsson is capping a long climb back from rock bottom.

How to watch

The puck drops in Toronto at 8 p.m. (ET) on Sportsnet, CBC, TVAS and ESPN.  

(Photo: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)

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