4 first-round Stanley Cup playoff matchups we’d love to see

Toronto vs. Tampa Bay

While a showdown between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning might look like a “blue vs. white” scrimmage for each city, the two Cup hungry squads facing off in the playoffs is more than intriguing.

Since the NHL’s division realignment back in 2013-14, these Atlantic Division foes grew serious dislike against each other but more so since the Leafs transformed into a perennial playoff contender back in 2016-17.

Both teams entail superstar skaters. Look no further than Auston Matthews and John Tavares for Toronto, while Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov headline Tampa’s notable faces. There are just four examples of all-star power on both sides.

Between the pipes, the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy has risen as a top-five netminder in the NHL, while the Leafs’ Frederik Andersen could play the role of spoiler while becoming Toronto’s biggest hero of the decade if the Maple Leafs eliminated the Bolts in Round 1.

Anytime an underdog, or notable team such as Toronto, has an opportunity to defeat a Stanley Cup favorite in the Lightning — fans should take notice and appreciate the entertainment value the matchup will offer.

The Lightning are hoping to rebound after last year’s embarrassing elimination to the likes of the Columbus Blue Jackets, after accomplishing a record-setting regular season. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ice, Toronto is aiming to simply advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2003-04 — yikes.

The beauty behind this matchup is that it’s likely that these two division foes will meet in the playoffs on a few occasions over the next decade. While Toronto entails a youthful and all-star caliber squad, so does Tampa with skaters such as Brayden Point and Mikhail Sergachev.

It would seem this rivalry would only get better by each passing season with “Chapter 1” of the playoff story leaving fans eager for more action, much more.