With the Leafs idle last night, the eyes of Tank Nation turned to the out-of-town scoreboard. The Leafs began yesterday’s action in 15th place in the Eastern Conference and 25th overall in the NHL. Despite early setbacks with Vancouver and St. Louis failing to secure points, the Blue and White got some much-needed help thanks to victories from the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Seattle Kraken.

The Blue Jackets’ win vaults them into 15th in the East, dropping the Leafs into sole possession of last place in the conference. Meanwhile, the Kraken victory creates a logjam just one point behind Toronto for 26th overall.

If the puck bounces the right way tonight, the Leafs could wake up on Christmas Eve sitting as low as 29th place, a true Christmas miracle for those eyeing a high lottery pick.

There are 13 games on the schedule ahead of the holiday break. While most have no direct Impact, the following matchups have direct implications on the Leafs’ quest to retain their first-round pick.

The Tank Watch: Best-Case Scenarios for Tonight

Leafs (35P) vs. Penguins (39P)

Ideal Result: Penguins win in regulation

Tank Impact: The quest for the bottom five begins and ends right here. Less than 24 hours after the firing of Marc Savard, the Leafs have a choice: bounce back or put another nail in Craig Berube’s coffin. A win moves the Leafs into a tie for 23rd overall, while a regulation loss keeps the door wide open for a plummet down the standings. Plus, helping Kyle Dubas’ Penguins gain ground is a necessary evil for the greater good of the draft lottery.

Sabres (38P) vs. Senators (40P)

Ideal Result: Sabres win in overtime or shootout.

Tank Impact: This is about point distribution. A three-point game pushes Buffalo to 40 points and creeps the Senators up to 41, creating more separation between them and Toronto.

Predators (34P) vs. Wild (49P)

Ideal Result: Predators win.

Tank Impact: A Nashville victory improves them to 36 points. Coupled with a Leafs loss, this would see the Preds pass Toronto.

Blackhawks (32P) vs. Flyers (43P)

Ideal Result: Blackhawks win.

Tank Impact: Chicago is currently in last place in the league and a win climbs them to 34 points, moving them within a single point of the Leafs and tightening the race for the best lottery odds.

Flames (34P) vs. Oilers (42P)

Ideal Result: Flames win.

Tank Impact: A Flames win leapfrogs them over the Leafs in the standings, pushing Toronto closer to the bottom.

Kraken (34P) vs. Kings (39P)

Ideal Result: Kraken win in overtime or shootout.

Tank Impact: A Kraken win combined with a Leafs loss sees Seattle jump ahead of Toronto in the standings.

The Bottom Line

With five games carrying immediate lottery implications tonight, the Leafs have a large swing potential of up to three spots in either direction. It all kicks off at 4 p.m. EST against Pittsburgh and former GM Kyle Dubas, a narrative-heavy matchup that could define the holiday break for Tank Nation.