While the NHL regular season still has a couple of games left to resolve, the playoff matchups have mostly been set by now. Including one of the highly anticipated matchups in the Eastern conference, yet another series between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, set to start this Saturday.
Ahead of the matchup, Bruins captain Brad Marchand commented on the rivalry between the teams. Notably, the Leafs and Bruins have faced each other three times since 2013, all in the 1st round. Each series was decided in seven games, all three going to the Bruins. There most recent matchup was in 2019, when the Bruins made the Stanley Cup finals. Marchand believes that the rivalry with the Leafs has surpassed their rivalry with the Canadiens, likely due to the recent success of the Leafs while the Habs remain in a rebuild.
During his interview, Marchand also revealed that he was a Leafs fan growing up. He's been on the record saying this in the past, but it comes as a good time to remind fans how the rivalry affects players on an individual level.
Will this finally be the year the Leafs beat the Bruins in a playoff series? They last did so in 1959. Will the Bruins continue their recent success against them? Only time will tell. Regardless, it will certainly be an exciting series to watch. Be sure to stay tuned to see who comes out on top.
POLL | ||
Do you think the Bruins rivalry with the Leafs has surpassed their rivalry with the Canadiens? | ||
Yes | 153 | 52.4 % |
No | 139 | 47.6 % |
List of polls |