Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs: Which Playoff Team Has the Most to Lose?

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe recently noted that the Montreal Canadiens are a lot like his team, in that they are facing similar playoff pressure. He noted, “They’re a team that was built for this season and invested significantly in changing their team and their culture this season.” Now that Leafs Nations is in full panic mode ahead of Game 7 on Monday night, that’s never been more accurate.

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The comments were made a couple of weeks ago and they pose for an interesting question now that the Leafs are on the verge of either moving on after struggling to put away the Canadiens are going home again, eliminated far too early from the postseason. Who has the most to lose? Considering both the Canadiens and Maple Leafs made some major changes this offseason, and both teams were doing so specifically to see success in this year’s playoffs, only one team can advance. Who suffers most and who makes the greatest change if they get bounced in the first round?

Canadiens Have a Lot to Lose

If the Canadiens lose out, there could be some drastic changes. The team has eight pending unrestricted free agents, among them Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault and Joel Armia. Beyond that, the team believed that young stars like Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki could solve their problems at the center ice position. If it turns out they were wrong, GM Marc Bergevin is going to be looked at as having made an egregious error.

There has been talk that Bergevin and the Canadiens might look at an extension on a new contract (The GMs deal expires soon), but a series sweep or real lack of success might make the Canadiens think twice about re-upping a man who spent more money than any other franchise in the NHL during a flat cap salary offseason where teams were hurting financially.

There will also be talk about the goaltending. Could Carey Price be on the move? If so, that would be a huge trade that would change the face of the franchise. Does this team have the right mix? Was this their one window to do something and they blew it?

Related: Toronto Maple Leafs Make Lineup and Organizational Changes

Maple Leafs Could See Massive Changes

Where the Maple Leafs differ from the Canadiens is that there’s a huge expectation for Toronto to go far this season. While the Canadiens were a team insiders believed would do well at the outset of the season, Toronto was pegged by many to be the top team in the North Division. They started out that way and stayed that way throughout the entire 2020-21 campaign.

If they don’t play well, and a struggling Montreal team beats them in a seven-game series, heads will roll. GM Kyle Dubas could be on the hot seat as the man calling the shots. A number of players could be looked as assets the team might have to trade, including a player like William Nylander. And, the team might have to reconsider how they built their club.

Toronto added a ton of veterans in the offseason and before the deadline, all in the hopes that the experience and leadership ushers the young talent through more than a round. If that strategy doesn’t work, as many as 11 pending unrestricted free agents could be leaving the organization, with other changes likely to follow.

Among them, Frederik Andersen will only get one more shot to prove he’s worth hanging onto.

Regardless of which way this series unfolds, one team will be undertaking some big offseason changes. The question is simply which one?

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