A HOMECOMING IN ONE HUB CITY
A bubbly welcome to Toronto!
If the Eastern table of the NHL’S proposed playoff tournament goes ahead — and health should come first — these 11 teams will be stabled around the Hogtown Hub later this month for qualifying and round robin games.
Some skaters were born here, played here for the Maple Leafs, or are otherwise no strangers to Scotiabank Arena. But don’t expect seeing them face-to-face for autographs as they’ll be in a COVID-19 quarantine bubble encompassing the practice rink, hotel and playing rink. No fans will be allowed to enter Scotiabank Arena.
The best-of-five qualifying matchups are: Toronto vs. Columbus; Pittsburgh vs. Montreal; Rangers vs. Carolina; and, Islanders vs. Florida.
Meanwhile, the top four finishers at the halt of play on March 12 — Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia — will play to determine Round 1 seeding.
Here’s a look at each club’s Toronto-area ties. Keep in mind rosters have yet to be finalized:
Boston Bruins: Coach Bruce Cassidy has already mused about his team’s comfort level in Toronto for big games (5-4 against the Leafs in playoffs since 2013) and what an oddity it would be should they somehow meet for a third straight year.
Welcome home: F Nick Ritchie (Orangeville).
Ex-leafs: G Tuukka Rask.
Keep your eye on: Brad Marchand. Boston’s licking time bomb definitely deserves isolation for a lot more than two minutes.
Carolina Hurricanes: Please, no cheering for both goalies to get hurt again so local legend David Ayres can jump off his Zamboni into uniform.
Welcome home: F Warren Foegele, F Brock Mcginn (Fergus), F Justin Williams (Cobourg), D Dougie Hamilton.
Ex-leafs: D Jake Gardiner, G James Reimer.
Keep your eye on: Gardiner and Reimer. Especially if they’re in a deciding game.
Columbus Blue Jackets: The first-ever playoff series between the Leafs and Jackets is on tap, but they have a notable paper trade history in Nathan Horton for David Clarkson. Will the Jackets request their ear-splitting goal cannon be hauled up Bay Street for their two home games?
Welcome home: F Josh Anderson, F Boone Jenner (Dorchester), F Devin Shore, D Scott Harrington (Kingston).
Ex-leafs: Harrington, assistant GM Basil Mcrae.
Keep your eye on: Coach John Tortorella. He’s mellowed, but he’ll have some fun with the Toronto media.
Florida Panthers: No team should be more adept at playing in hot summer conditions.
Welcome home: F Mike Hoffman (Kitchener), D Josh Brown (London), D Riley Stillman (Peterborough).
Ex-leafs: Coach Joel Quenneville, assistant Mike Kitchen, F Dominic Toninato (draft choice), D Anton Stralman, director of player personnel Bryan Mccabe.
Keep your eye on: G Sergei Bobrovsky. “Bob” and his play can’t be a side show.
Montreal Canadiens: Won their last two playoff series on Toronto ice, albeit more than 40 years ago.
Welcome home: F Jake Evans, F Nick Suzuki (London), D Ben Chiarot (Hamilton), D Victor Mete.
Ex-leafs: Assistant coaches Kirk Muller, Luke Richardson, director of player development Rob Ramage.
Keep your eye on: G Carey Price. Sixty playoff games of experience and overdue for a series win.
New York Rangers: Last time they were in Toronto for a playoff game? Try 1971, when they beat the Leafs in the series and Bernie Parent’s mask ended up over the glass at MSG.
Welcome home: F Phillip Di Giuseppe, F Michael Haley, F Greg Mckegg (St. Thomas), F Ryan Strome, D Brendan Smith.
Keep your eye on: Artemi Panarin. The Hart Trophy candidate is a vocal advocate for COVID safety.
New York Islanders: Let’s assume former captain John Tavares doesn’t want to see his Leafs fail to advance while his old team wins again in the first round — on Toronto ice.
Welcome home: F Josh Bailey, F Casey Cizikas, F Cal Clutterbuck (Welland), D Michael Dal Colle, D Adam Pelech.
Ex-leafs: GM Lou Lamoriello, F Matt Martin, F, Leo Komarov, assistant coach Jim Hiller, goalie coach Piero Greco.
Keep your eye on: F Brock Nelson and his team-high 26 goals.
Philadelphia Flyers: An eventful post-season history here going back to the wars of the mid1970s.
Welcome home: F Travis
Konecny (London), F Scott Laughton (Oakville), F Chris Stewart, G Brian Elliott.
Ex-leafs: F James van Riemsdyk, Alyn Mccauley (pro scout).
Keep your eye on: G Carter Hart. Without a playoff win since 2012, Philly’s goaltending will be under scrutiny.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Can’t believe it has been more than 20 years since Garry Valk’s OT goal in Toronto’s series win.
Welcome home: F Jared Mccann (Stratford), F Evan Rodrigues, F Brandon Tanev.
Ex-leafs: GM Jim Rutherford. Keep your eye on: Sidney Crosby, who has 44 points in 34 playoff games against Canadian teams.
Tampa Bay Lightning: These boys have waited a long time for playoff redemption after a shocking first-round exit 15 months ago.
Welcome home: F Anthony Cirelli, F Barclay Goodrow, F Steve Stamkos, F Mitchell Stevens (Peterborough), F Carter Verhaeghe, G Curtis Mcelhinney (London)
Ex-leafs: D Luke Schenn, Verhaeghe (draft pick).
Keep your eye on: The Stamkos one-timer.
Washington Capitals: Their town could use the positivity of another Stanley Cup parade.
Welcome home: F Tom Wilson.
Ex-leaf: F Richard Panik.
Keep your on: F Alexander Ovechkin. The Great Eight has 126 playoff points in 128 playoff games, with 76 points in 47 regular season/playoff games against Toronto.