Nine-year playoff drought finally ends for Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have finally returned to the NHL playoffs after nine long years. The Leafs clinched a berth in the postseason with a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa on April 20. Goaltender James Reimer made 49 saves to help the Leafs clinch their position. The Winnipeg Jets lost earlier in the day 5-4 to the New York Islanders. Although Winnipeg can mathematically catch Toronto on points at 55, the Leafs would win the tiebreaker.

Since Toronto has 25 wins in regulation and overtime Winnipeg can reach just 24 regulation and overtime victories the Leafs would take the last playoff spot. The NHL doesn’t include shootout wins in its tiebreaking system. After the win over Ottawa, the Leafs were sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll finish there as there are still three games remaining for the team. They could finish either higher or lower in the standings, but are guaranteed to be in the top eight.