As the NHL playoffs approach, Toronto mayoral candidates are expressing their predictions for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of winning the Stanley Cup. While each candidate has their own opinion on how far the team will go, they all agree that the Leafs have a legitimate chance to win their first championship since 1967.
One candidate, Ana Bailao, a former long-time Toronto city councillor, believes that this is the year for the Leafs. She has full confidence in the team’s new additions, including Conn Smythe Trophy winner O’Reilly, All-Stars like Matthews and Marner, and hometown heroes like Tavares, Bunting, and Simmonds, and predicts that they will go all the way this year.
Another long-time city councillor, Josh Matlow, is excited and confident in the team’s chances, especially in their first-round playoff rematch against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who eliminated them in seven games in the opening round last year. Matlow predicts that the Leafs will win the first-round series, although it might take six or seven games against the tough Lightning team.
Former chief of the Toronto Police Service Mark Saunders is also a big Leafs fan and predicts that they will eliminate the Lightning in the first round, but in a shorter series, possibly in just five games. Other candidates, including Toronto lawyer and human rights activist Knia Singh, Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter, former city councillor Rob Davis, and current councillor Brad Bradford, all believe that the Leafs will win the series against the Lightning in six games.
When it comes to the likely second-round matchup against their U.S. rivals, the Boston Bruins, most candidates are not as confident in the Leafs’ chances, but they still expect Toronto to pull off the upset. The Bruins had an impressive regular season with a league-record 65 wins, and some candidates acknowledge their strength. However, they also hope for a Leafs victory, with Davis, Hunter, Matlow, Saunders, and Singh all predicting that the Leafs will prevail in a seven-game series against the Bruins, exacting revenge for their 2013 playoff defeat.
Many candidates believe that superstar Auston Matthews will be the key player for the Leafs in the playoffs. They emphasize his skill and ability to perform under pressure, and expect him to have a strong playoff run. However, Hunter also pinpoints newly-acquired goaltender Ilya Samsonov as a valuable player for the Leafs, and Singh highlights Matthews’ ability to be in the right place at the right time.
Beyond their playoff predictions, all the candidates agree on the significance of the Leafs to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and how a playoff run can bring the city together. They view the Leafs as a source of pride and identity for Toronto, and a symbol of the city’s resilience, passion, and determination. They express excitement about the possibility of a Leaf playoff run and the joy it would bring to sports fans in the city, drawing comparisons to the celebrations that followed the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship win in 2019.
In conclusion, Toronto mayoral candidates are optimistic about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances in the upcoming NHL playoffs. While acknowledging the challenges they may face, the candidates believe that the team has the talent and potential to go all the way and win the Stanley Cup. Their predictions vary on the number of games and the opponents they may face, but they all share a common enthusiasm for the Leafs and the unity it brings to the city of Toronto.