On Sunday, Leafs captain Auston Matthews spoke to the media ahead of Game 1 and insisted that this group is different and ready to go against the Panthers. “We’re a prepared group, we’re ready to go,” Matthews said. “We know the challenge that lies ahead, and it's just taking it one step at a time.”

Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with center Carter Verhaeghe (23) and center Aleksander Barkov (16) during the third period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

The Panthers’ second-round playoff opponent, the Toronto Maple Leafs, feature a few members of Florida’s Stanley Cup-winning team last year. Toronto also still has several of the stars