The Stanley Cup playoffs will feature the Toronto Maple Leafs for only the second time in the shootout era.
The Maple Leafs clinched their first playoff appearance in a full season since 2004 with a win over the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
It's a development few expected after a 30th-place finish last season, but made possible thanks to the infusion of high-end talent via the draft and trades, as well as the dedication and leadership exemplified by veterans who've experience the highs and more frequent lows over the past several years.
Toronto's last playoff appearance, of course, resulted in a seven-game, opening-round loss to the Boston Bruins, highlighted by a near impossible comeback by the latter in the final game. One gets the sense this group is ready to exorcise those demons once and for all.
What's left to be determined is Toronto's first-round opponent, as well as the status of goalie Frederik Andersen, who left the clinching win with an apparent head injury.
For now, Toronto will celebrate, with a final regular-season game against Columbus on tap Sunday. If the Maple Leafs get a point, they'll face Ottawa in the first round. If not, Toronto will have a date with the Washington Capitals.
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