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Leafs clinch playoff spot and here's what fans had to say

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Apr 6 2024, 2:24 pm
Leafs clinch playoff spot and here's what fans had to say
John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a playoff spot for the eighth straight season last night, and their fans couldn’t be happier.

The Leafs weren’t in action yesterday but were able to punch their ticket thanks to both the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings losing their respective games. They became the third Canadian team to clinch a playoff spot, joining the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks, though the Edmonton Oilers also joined that list a few hours later.

The Leafs currently sit third in the Atlantic Division and would be playing the Florida Panthers in the first round if the playoffs began today. That said, they can still catch the Panthers to secure home-ice advantage, as they sit six points shy with two games in hand. They also risk falling into a wild-card spot, as the Tampa Bay Lightning sit just two points behind them.

Regardless of who they play in the first round, clinching a playoff spot is exciting news for this group and its fan base.


The Leafs’ playoff struggles have been well documented, as they had failed to advance past the first round since 2004. That changed last year, however, as they knocked off the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. They wound up being eliminated a short time later by the Panthers, but no longer having to face the heaping pressure regarding their first-round struggles may be all this team needs to go on a run this spring.

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