As such, the legacy of this edition of the Maple Leafs, one that has featured a core of forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares and defenseman Morgan Rielly since 2018, could be cemented in the next few days.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been in this position before, and the Florida Panthers present a difficult challenge. It’s slowly starting to slip away from the Leafs after taking a 2-0 series lead, and they must turn it around in a crucial Game 5.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are preparing for a crucial Game 5 against the Florida Panthers but are dealing with a few injuries and illnesses. During an optional morning skate, it seemed clear the Maple Leafs might make some lineup changes after two straight losses to the Panthers,