The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is about to begin, and there are plenty of strong matchups upcoming. One of the more intriguing ones comes from the Eastern Conference, where the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers are set to square off.
The NHLÂ has announced a massive update to this series just days before it starts. The league has announced that Game 1 will start on Monday, May 5 at 8 p.m. ET.
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Toronto will have home-ice advantage in this series, potentially giving them a slight edge in the matchup. But the Maple Leafs did struggle with the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs, offering some concern for how they will fare against Florida.
Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) takes up a position in front of Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov (35).Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Florida is the reigning Stanley Cup champion, so they will be looking to keep the repeat chances alive. The Panthers have turned themselves into a true juggernaut on the ice, and the Maple Leafs could be in some trouble.
One issue for the Maple Leafs in recent years has been the inability to get over expectations placed on them. Toronto has continuously fallen short in the playoffs, despite having an extremely talented team to work with.
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If the Maple Leafs can take down the Panthers, it could silence many doubters once and for all. Toronto was the best team in the Eastern Conference this season and will be looking to prove itself in this series.
This is the second time that these two organizations will play each other in the postseason, with the Panthers winning in five games in the 2023 second round. Florida also took three of four games in the regular season from Toronto.
Related: Wild Maple Leafs-Panthers Playoff Prediction Turns Heads