The Battle of Ontario has been secured, and that means the Toronto Maple Leafs are off to the second round, where the reigning Stanley Cup champions in the Florida Panthers, await.

The Leafs Nation staff has come together to conduct a roundtable, giving their perspective on some key questions going into this critical matchup. Without further delay, let’s get into the roundtable!

What is your confidence level surrounding the Leafs going into round two on a 1-10 scale and why?

Nick Alberga, host and director, Leafs Morning Take: I would say a 7. Overall, I was impressed with the way the Leafs played in Round 1 against Ottawa. That said, Florida’s a different animal. Going into the series, though, I do feel fairly confident that the Leafs can give the defending Stanley Cup champs a good run, at the very least.

Arun Srinivasan, managing editor: My confidence level is at a 7, but that also disregards the opponent standing in the way. It wasn’t always easy, but the Maple Leafs’ stars delivered in five of the six games, they received strong goaltending from Anthony Stolarz, and this is clearly the most defensively sound team of the era. If we’re only measuring the Leafs by their own processes and outcomes, there’s reason to be confident. Now, when you consider the Panthers’ pedigree, the equation changes, as they pose the toughest test this Leafs’ core group has ever faced.

Jon Steitzer, writer: I’m at a 6. It doesn’t get any better than the Panthers’ playoff track record and their record against the Leafs this season and in their past playoff meeting. I’d say that even at a six, I might be dangerously optimistic, but there is no ignoring that the Leafs have a very different blueline from their last playoff meeting. The Leafs are coming in as the Atlantic Division champs, and on paper, match up very well against the Panthers. There might be plenty of reasons and detailed history to doubt the Leafs, but I’ll err on the side of hope and say, “Why not the Leafs?” That’s not really confidence, and I won’t pick the Leafs to win this series, so I’m a hypocrite to boot, but my confidence is that the team is too good to be completely written off before the series starts.

Michael Mazzei, writer and social media coordinator: My confidence level remains at a 5 to remain as level-headed as possible throughout the playoffs. The Leafs took care of business in round one, and they earned their second series win of the Matthews era, but the work is far from over. They are only a quarter of the way there, and their next test is by far the most challenging, as it is against the reigning Cup winners.

Vicken Polatian, producer, Leafs Morning Take: My confidence level is at a 2. I think this is the best version of the team we’ve seen in the Matthews era, but the way they struggled to close out the Ottawa Senators brought back memories of Core-4’s past. I’m still very unsure if the best players on this team can find yet ANOTHER level they’d need to get to in order to beat the Panthers.

Dylan Nazareth, writer: About a 6 at this point. They looked like a new team to start the playoffs, but then midway through that Senators series, there were some flashes of their old selves. The depth contributions and physical style of play give me hope, but there are still some lingering concerns about the star players stepping up when it counts.

Alex Hobson, associate editor: I’d put myself at about a 6. We saw firsthand what happens when you underestimate the Florida Panthers (enough of the chants!), but there’s no arguing that this team’s defensive corps is light years better than the one that went up against the 2022-23 Panthers. Factor in an improved goaltending situation and two years of growth for Matthew Knies, and it’s hard not to feel a little extra confidence this season. That said, this number could easily fall to a 1 depending on how Game 1 goes.

Who or what will be the biggest x-factor in this series?

Alberga: For me, it’s goaltending. Weirdly enough, entering Round 2, Anthony Stolarz and Sergei Bobrovsky have identical numbers. If the Leafs are going to win this series, Stolarz needs to play the way he has all season —and then some. Simply put, he needs to outduel his former battery mate. Florida’s a handful, and without question, the Leafs will need some timely/big stops in order to keep things interesting.

Srinivasan: Anton Lundell is the x-factor in this series. Lundell has outgrown the ‘Baby Barkov’ nickname, and he’s a genuine two-way force in his own right. Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen (perhaps the most underrated player in the NHL!) are on Lundell’s wings, and they are heavily favoured to win their minutes against the Maple Leafs’ third line. If the Panthers grind the Leafs’ checking line into a paste while winning the possession battle, this is where the series could tilt in the champions’ favour.

Steitzer: Chris Tanev with honourable mentions for Brandon Carlo, Simon Benoit, and Jake McCabe. There’s going to be a lot of traffic in front of the Leafs’ net this series, and these are the guys who are going to be tasked with dealing with it. This is going to be a greasy goal series, and the defencemen tasked with dealing with the grease will make the biggest difference.

Mazzei: I would argue that the special teams battle will be the biggest x-factor in this series. After all, the Panthers won them handily during the regular season clashes, and it remains to be seen just how many calls there will be in this series. If the Leafs want to neutralize Florida’s potent forecheck, making them pay on the power play would go a long way towards forcing them to change their game plan to avoid being in the box. The Leafs will also need to not be baited by the Panthers’ antics because they will surely want to drag them down to the mud.

Polatian: Goaltending! Goaltending! Goaltending! As much praise as Anthony Stolarz has received for his play against the Senators, I thought he left a lot to be desired. If he can’t find his regular-season form, I wouldn’t hesitate to have a look at what Joseph Woll can bring to the table. After all, he’s been here before.

Nazareth: The big guys on the blue line. We know the Panthers are gonna come out hard and will be relentless physically. I thought Toronto’s defence was the strongest element of their game in round one, and if they can keep up that work and shut down Florida’s attack while matching their physical play, they’ll have a real shot at making it through.

Hobson: I’m going to say Matthew Knies is the X-Factor. He had three goals in the first round against the Ottawa Senators and scored his first-ever NHL goal against the Panthers two years ago. He’s built for the playoffs, and he’ll be after some revenge after Sam Bennett concussed him only two games into that series in 2022-23.

Which of the Core Four elevates their game during this series?

Alberga: John Tavares. And the reasoning is simple, too. Of the four, his style of play translates the best to a hard-nosed, tight-checking type matchup with the Panthers. There’s going to be no space out there. I think Tavares is going to go to grind town and continue to play at an elite level. When it comes to the other three, I’m curious to see how they perform. Dating back to their series with Florida a few seasons ago, the Cats play them tough. There’s no time, no space, and they make things severely uncomfortable for them.

Srinivasan: Auston Matthews. Matthews will likely face off against Aleksander Barkov, the Panthers’ all-around specialist, and he’ll be tasked with scoring at a prolific rate against two elite defensive players in Barkov and Sam Reinhart. Although Matthews is an elite defensive player in his own right, he’s tasked to score, and for a group that has often been defined by their offensive shortcomings in the playoffs, it’s incumbent upon Matthews to lead the way.

Steitzer: I’m not sure anyone feels they have more to prove against Florida than Auston Matthews, and I expect him to show it. Maybe even at the expense of not leaving any gas in the tank for future rounds, I think this round will feature the best of playoff Auston Matthews.

Mazzei: I think Mitch Marner still has something to prove in the playoffs, and this series will be a big chance to do just that. He was productive against the Senators, but he needs to start finding the back of the net more because he only has one goal, which came all the way back in Game 1 of the first round. Getting Marner rolling from a goal-scoring perspective would add another layer to the top line that will be critical to this series.

Polatian: Back to question 1. I’m not sure they have it in them. I look more to guys like Matthew Knies, Scott Laughton, and the stellar play of the back-end to keep the Leafs in this series.

Nazareth: I really liked how Nylander showed up for Toronto in their series-clinching game in the first round. I think he’ll build off that and come out hot in Round Two. I also still think Matthew Knies (though not technically Core Four) has another level to his play that we’re going to see continue to increase throughout this series, and he’ll bring a lot of energy after only playing in two games against the Panthers two years ago in the playoffs.

Hobson: William Nylander strikes me as the most likely candidate here. Matthews will have his hands full with Barkov, Marner will be running on minimal sleep after the birth of his son, and although Tavares has had a solid playoff run so far, asking him to outperform the other core players seems like a tall task. Nylander has displayed an ability to show up in big games, and I can see him taking advantage of not being matched up against Barkov, even if that means facing Sam Bennett or Anton Lundell.

What changes do you think the Leafs need to make to ensure they have success against the Panthers?

Alberga: Sign Sam Bennett on July 1.

Srinivasan: It’s just a matter of how they deploy the John Tavares-William Nylander line. There are no real weaknesses for the Panthers, but it may make sense to keep Pacioretty on the Tavares-Nylander line against Evan Rodrigues, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk, in what will be a matchup that combines elite skill and physicality. If Pacioretty can’t keep pace, it may be on Berube to elevate Bobby McMann, who struggled against the Senators, into a scoring role. Beyond that, it’s just on the Maple Leafs to remain disciplined against a Panthers team that excels at baiting their opponents into silly penalties.

Steitzer: Play like Game One against Ottawa consistently throughout an entire series. They don’t need to hit anyone, but they need to be comfortable getting hit. They drew a ton of penalties, they occupied the slot area, they were winning races to the puck, and they were unyielding in puck battles. It was a perfect display of what is often associated with playoff hockey, and they used their talent to play tough instead of trying to trade hits or interference penalties. More of that, please.

Mazzei: The net-front battles will be a critical component of this series because a lot of the goals the Panthers scored were because of bodies parked in front of the crease. The Leafs need to do their best to neutralize that so the Panthers can’t get to their bread and butter on offence. This also applies on the opposite side of the ice, as Sergei Bobrovsky has not been off to a flying start to the postseason so far despite getting a shutout. He was swimming in his crease in round one, and that is an area the Panthers are going to do their best to protect. If the Leafs can get Bobrovsky to continue to swim in his crease and take his eyes away from the puck, it will go a long way.

Polatian: I’m not sure anything could ensure success against a team like the Panthers, but I think having Bobby McMann in the top-six is a great first step. McMann has a lot more in his game than he showed in the first round, but a strong showing in Game 6 could be just what the Maple Leafs need as they head into the second round.

Nazareth: There’s not a lot I would change about this lineup, but the Battle of Ontario clearly showed there’s still work to be done on their mental game. Craig Berube’s leadership had played a big part in this, with his no-nonsense, level-headed approach, and I think if they can really embrace that, then we may see a whole new Leafs team this series.

Hobson: They need to get production from all 4 lines. The Panthers have a roster deep enough to have the luxury of icing Lundell and Brad Marchand on the third line, and the Leafs don’t have that. Although the bottom-six unit of Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Jarnkrok has been effective, and the makeshift line featuring Max Pacioretty and Max Domi contributed to the series-winner in Game 6, they need consistent production throughout the series from everybody. Despite the Domi line scoring a couple of big goals in Round 1, they were caved in defensively, and it won’t get any easier against the Panthers, so they’ll need to make up for those shortcomings with more offence.