The Toronto Maple Leafs capped off a record-setting regular season with a shutout win on Tuesday night, marking a milestone the franchise had never achieved before in the Atlantic Division.
With their 4–0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, the Leafs secured the division title and set up a long-awaited playoff rematch against the Ottawa Senators.
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This is the Leafs’ first full-season division crown in 25 years and their first since the NHL created the Atlantic in 2013.
The NHL’s official account acknowledged the moment on X with a post capturing the Leafs’ achievement:
“HERE COME THE BUDS! 🍁 The @MapleLeafs have clinched the top spot in the Atlantic Division!”
Star forwards Auston Matthews’ and Mitch Marner’s historic performances led the Leafs to their win on Tuesday. Each hit major personal milestones in the process.
Matthews scored his 400th career goal, becoming the sixth-fastest player in league history to reach the mark.
Marner, meanwhile, notched his 100th point of the season with a third-period goal, joining Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmour and Matthews as the only Leafs to reach triple digits in a single season
The Leafs now turn their attention to the Senators, who swept the two teams’ regular-season series and have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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Toronto will enter its ninth straight postseason looking to make a deep run, starting with the upcoming “Battle of Ontario” series, which marks the fourth playoff meeting between the two rivals and the first since 2004.
Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Mitch Marner (16) and Auston Matthews (34) during a break in action at Scotiabank Arena.John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
“It’s going to be a bloodbath,” Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz said. “It’s going to be a war.”
Toronto (51-26-4) will close the regular season Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings before hosting Ottawa in Game 1 this weekend.
The Senators (44-30-7) will face the Hurricanes on the same day before making their trip to Toronto for the start of the playoffs.
Related: NHL’s Historic Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Announcement Turns Heads
Related: NHL Makes Historic Mitch Marner Announcement