What a long, strange journey it’s been. We’ve just gone through our longest non lockout related break from hockey and the reality of the Leafs playing tonight is finally hitting, and it’s hitting hard. If the COVID pause wasn’t enough of a shock to the system, the fact that Sheldon Keefe was able to turnaround the trainwreck Leafs he inherited from Mike Babcock to turn them into a playoff team, only to then have them start playing their way out of the playoffs again makes it a surreal feeling that we’re talking about the Leafs as a playoff team in the 2019-20 season. Or at least talking about them as playoff qualifier participants.

Heading into this bizarre playoffs, I have firmly held the belief this situation favours the Leafs. They are offensively driven, they play an aggressive attack style that exploits mistakes, and there should be no shortage of mistakes in these playoffs. They have had a chance to heal, both mentally and physically. They have had a chance to go through a Sheldon Keefe led training camp, and finally we can treat this as his team, completely. We’re removed from the Andersen slump. We’re watching a very young and peak conditioned Leafs team take on a lot of older competition. It’s okay to be excited about the Leafs.

On the other hand we have the Columbus Blue Jackets. They aren’t star studded. They are system driven. They are defense to the Leafs offense, and they are also relying heavily on the continuation of a goaltending hot streak that occurred months ago. There’s little doubt the Leafs have studied that film and read the necessary reports. Still, assuming the Blue Jackets will be an easy out on the way to the next round is a foolish way to think, and when the Leafs haven’t moved on to a second round in any situation since before the 2005 lockout, the pressure is on.