Maple Leafs Win Atlantic Division, Battle of Ontario Now Set

For the first time since 2004, the Battle of Ontario is officially back in the NHL postseason. Fans, players, and the media are excited about the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Ottawa Senators as Round 1 of the 2025 NHL is set to get underway this weekend.

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The Maple Leafs clinched the Atlantic Division title for the first time in franchise history and will face the Senators in the opening round of a series that starts Sunday, April 19.

Toronto sealed the division crown with a dominant 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, putting them out of reach of the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning. The win featured two major milestones—Auston Matthews’ 400th career goal and Mitch Marner’s first-ever 100-point season.

Maple Leafs The Favorite In The Battle Of Ontario

This first-round series marks the fifth postseason meeting between the Maple Leafs and the Senators. It’s been more than 20 years since these two teams last met in the playoffs, and this season, the Maple Leafs are considered the favorite. That said, the Senators swept the season series in 2024-25 by a combined score of 9-3. With a retooled goaltending tandem and confident offense, the Senators could be a problem for the Leafs.

The Leafs have won all four previous matchups (2000, 2001, 2002, and 2004), but the Senators are eager to make their first trip to the playoffs since 2017 count. Senators captain, Brady Tkachuk, will lead the Senators against Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. The Maple Leafs enter the series with everything to lose, while the Senators can play the part of the spoiler.

Both Senators and Maple Leafs Expect a War

Matthews said when the matchup was made official, “It’s been a long time. They’re a good, young team. They’re hungry. They’ve taken steps as well. It’s going to be great. It’s going to be fun. It’s good for hockey. It’s going to be intense. We’re looking forward to it.” Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, added, “It’ll be fun, for sure. They’re a hungry team. I just think we have to continue to do what we’re doing right now. I think we feel good about our game. It’s going to be a bloodbath, it’s going to be a little bit of a war, so we’ll be ready.”

With the Atlantic Division title now secured and home-ice advantage in hand, this rivalry has the potential to get heated, and anything can happen. Senators owner Michael Andlauer said of the matchup, “I love it. That’s what our fans want, right?. I know they’ve had hard luck in the Battle of Ontario, but they’ve got a new owner right now.”

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