2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs
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2018-19 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Regular Season Record: 46-26-7, 99 points as of April 1 Clinched 68th all-time playoff appearance with a 2-1 victory over the Islanders PLAYOFF QUICK HITS Playoff History All-Time Playoff Appearance: 68th Consecutive Playoff Appearances: 3 Most Recent Playoff Appearance: 2018 (FR: 4-3 L vs. BOS) All-Time Playoff Record: 259-281-4 (58-54 in 112 series) Playoff Records Game 7s: 12-11 (7-1 at home, 5-10 on road) Overtime: 58-56-1 (38-33-1 at home, 20-23-0 on road) Facing Elimination: 53-55-1 (36-29-0 at home, 17-26-1 on road) Potential Series-Clinching Games: 56-41-1 (35-14-0 at home, 21-27-1 on road) Stanley Cup Final Stanley Cup Final Appearances: 21 Stanley Cups: 13 (1918, 1922, 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967) Links Stanley Cup Champions Playoff Skater Records All-Time Playoff Formats Playoff Goaltender Records All-Time Playoff Standings Playoff Team Records Toronto Maple Leafs: Year-by-Year Record (playoffs at bottom) Toronto Maple Leafs: All-Time Record vs. Opponents (playoffs at bottom) LOOKING AHEAD: 2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS Team Notes * Toronto is making its third consecutive postseason appearance, a first since a run of six straight playoff berths from 1998-99 to 2003-04. After nearly 40 years between playoff matchups, the Maple Leafs will face the Original Six rival Bruins for the third time in their past four trips to the postseason (also 2013 CQF, 2018 FR). * The Maple Leafs aim to win a playoff series for the first time in 15 years. Their last series victory came in the 2004 Conference Quarterfinals against the Senators, with Joe Nieuwendyk scoring twice and Ed Belfour making 36 saves in a Game 7 win. Only one player from that game remains in the NHL: current Bruins captain Zdeno Chara notched one assist over 24:21 of ice time for the Senators (at age 27). Canadiens forward Max Domi, whose father Tie Domi notched an assist on Toronto’s opening goal in Game 7, was nine years old at the time. * The Maple Leafs have played six Game 7s over their past six playoff appearances dating to 2002, contesting five of those in the opening round: 2002 CQF vs. NYI (W), 2002 CSF vs. OTT (W), 2003 CQF vs. PHI (L), 2004 CQF vs. OTT (W), 2013 CQF vs. BOS (L) and 2018 FR vs. BOS (L). * Toronto last won the opening game of a playoff series in the 2003 Conference Quarterfinals, defeating Philadelphia 5-3 on the strength of a three-goal performance by Alexander Mogilny – the last playoff hat trick by a Maple Leafs player (and one of 20 in franchise history). * Mogilny’s hat trick is one of four ever by a Toronto player in the opening game of a Stanley Cup Playoffs series. Harry Meeking scored three goals in the franchise’s first-ever NHL playoff game (Game 1 of 1918 NHL Final vs. MTL), followed by Busher Jackson (Game 1 of 1932 Stanley Cup Final at NYR) and George Ferguson (Game 1 of 1978 Preliminary Round vs. LAK). * Three series in NHL history have seen five games require overtime, with Toronto involved in two of them. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens set the NHL record during the 1951 Stanley Cup Final, playing past regulation in each of their five games (with Toronto winning the series 4-1 to claim their ninth Cup). The Coyotes and Blackhawks matched the record during the 2012 Western Conference Quarterfinals (4- 2 PHX W), as did the Capitals and Maple Leafs in the 2017 First Round (4-2 WSH W). * The Maple Leafs are one of nine teams in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to at least force a Game 7 after facing a 3-0 series deficit, and one of four to eventually win the series. * The 1942 Maple Leafs were the first to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games, rallying to defeat the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final. The others to accomplish the feat: the 1975 Islanders (QF vs. PIT), 2010 Flyers (CSF vs. BOS) and 2014 Kings (FR vs. SJS). Player Notes * Patrick Marleau, who ranks fifth all-time with 1,654 regular-season games played, is in search of his first Stanley Cup while skating in his 21st NHL season. He can join Ray Bourque (1,612 GP) and Dave Andreychuk (1,597 GP) as the third player to win his first Stanley Cup after skating in 1,500 or more regular-season games. * Marleau leads all active NHL players with 184 career postseason games, tied with Maple Leafs President & Alternate Governor Brendan Shanahan and Bobby Smith for 28th place in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. * Marleau (72-53—125), who leads all active players in career playoff goals, needs one to tie Dino Ciccarelli (73) for 13th place in NHL history. He also is tied for fifth in Stanley Cup Playoffs history in overtime goals (4), tied for ninth in game-winning goals (16) and ranks third among active NHL players in career playoff points behind Sidney Crosby (66-199—185) and Evgeni Malkin (62-103—165). * Marleau (4-4—8 in OT) is one of eight players with eight or more career overtime points in the postseason. The others: Joe Sakic (8-6—14), Doug Gilmour (3-6—9), Oates (1-8—9), Patrick Kane (5- 3—8), Wayne Gretzky (4-4—8), Brett Hull (3-5—8) and Brian Skrudland (2-6—8). * In-season acquisition Jake Muzzin ranks second on the Maple Leafs with 50 playoff games to his name, just ahead of Ron Hainsey (32 GP). They are the only Cup winners on the team’s active roster (Muzzin: 2014 LAK and Hainsey: 2017 PIT). * Though he played only five playoff games with the 2016 Ducks, Frederik Andersen (.947 SV%) matched the eighth-highest save percentage in a playoff year (min. 5 GP), allowing only seven goals on 132 shots against the Predators. * Mitchell Marner (3-10—13 in 13 GP), who led the team with 2-7—9 in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, is averaging a point per game in the postseason. Among players to make their postseason debut with Toronto, only four others have averaged at least a point per game through 13 contests: Gordie Drillon, Thomas, Gerry Ehman and Gary Leeman. * Mike Babcock is headed to the postseason for the 14th time in his career, tying Ken Hitchcock for the most among active head coaches. Only six head coaches in League history have made more appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: Scotty Bowman (28), Dick Irvin (24), Joel Quenneville (18) Al Arbour (16), Pat Quinn (15) and Jack Adams (15). * Babcock (87-70 in 157 GP) leads active head coaches in career playoff wins, two back of tying Glen Sather (89-37 in 126 GP) and Darryl Sutter (89-81 in 170 GP). Babcock (15-12 in 27 series) also shares 14th place in series victories, second among active head coaches behind Hitchcock (16-13 in 29 series). IN REVIEW: 2018-19 REGULAR SEASON Team Notes * The Maple Leafs are within reach of hitting the 100-point mark in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. It would mark the fifth 100-point campaign in club history. * With one road game remaining, the Maple Leafs (23-12-5 on road) need one victory as visitors to establish a single-season franchise record for road wins (also 23-10-8 in 2003-04). * The Maple Leafs rank tied for third in the NHL with 279 goals this season, including 200 goals at 5-on-5. Toronto also paces all clubs with a .973 winning percentage when leading after two periods. * Toronto has recorded seven multi-goal comeback wins this season, trailing only Calgary (9), Tampa Bay (9) and Philadelphia (8). * The Maple Leafs reached the 40-win mark in just their 65th game, the fewest in franchise history ahead of 1950-51 (69 GP) and 2017-18 (69 GP). Player Notes * John Tavares (46-41—87 in 79 GP) is in the midst of the best season of his career, setting career highs in goals and points. Tavares surpassed Eddie Olczyk (42 G in 1987-88) for the most goals by a player in his first season with Toronto. The only player to score more goals than Tavares in his first full season with Toronto is Dave Andreychuk, who tallied 53 goals in 1993-94 after joining the team part way through the 1992-93 campaign. * Mitchell Marner (25-67—92 in 79 GP) became the youngest player in Maple Leafs history to record 90 points in a season and first to hit the benchmark for Toronto in 22 years, following Mats Sundin (41-53— 94 in 1996-97). Marner’s 67 assists this season are the most by a Toronto player in 25 years and are the fourth-most in franchise history. * Morgan Rielly (20-50—70 in 79 GP) became the third defenseman in Maple Leafs franchise history – and first in 39 years – to record at least 70 points in a season, joining Borje Salming (1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79 and 1979-80) and Ian Turnbull (1976-77). * The third defenseman in club history to score 20 goals in a season, Rielly can become the first Toronto player in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to conclude a season leading all blueliners in goals. * Rielly also joined Salming (5x), Turnbull (2x) and Tomas Kaberle (2005-06) as the only blueliners in franchise history to collect 50 assists in a season.