As the 2021 NHL playoffs have commenced, one thing Islanders fans need to realize now is this: do not be surprised when the Toronto Maple Leafs win.

Ever since July 1, 2018, the New York Islanders have not liked the Toronto Maple Leafs. When Former Islanders captain John Tavares left the only place he ever called home in his NHL career to go play for childhood home team, the Islanders fanbase felt as if they were punched in the gut. Ever since then, whenever the Toronto Maple Leafs have faced off against the New York Islanders, the atmosphere feels like it’s a playoff game, whether the game is on Long Island or in Toronto.

It has been 53 years since the Toronto Maple Leafs have last won the Stanley Cup and the last time the team won a playoff series was 2004.

In 2013, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins. In 2017, the Maple Leafs lost in six games to the Washington Capitals. In both 2018 and 2019, the Maple leafs lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins. And in 2020, the Maple Leafs lost in the qualifying round to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

However, this year the Maple Leafs will most likely win a playoff series for the first time since 2004 because the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing weaker teams than they usually would have played.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL divisions were restructured, leaving the Maple Leafs in an all-Canadian team division.

Look at it this way: the Winnipeg Jets, who finished third in the division, and the Montreal Canadians, who finished fourth, would not have even made the playoffs if they were in the East Division. The Islanders finished fourth in their division with 71 points and the Montreal Canadians finished fourth in their division with 59 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs, not surprising to anyone, clinched first place in their division, securing home ice for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Montreal Canadians in the first round and will most likely face off against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, assuming the Oilers beat the Winnipeg Jets. Barring any acts of God, the Toronto Maple Leafs will most likely be skating in the semifinals.

However, to be clear: it has a lot to do with the fact that they will be playing weaker teams. In a typical NHL season, the Leafs would have to get through a top team in the first round. Since we are in the midst of an unprecedented NHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a fast pass to the semifinals, so Islanders fans better get prepared to see Toronto finally experience some success.

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.