The NHL has set May 5th at 8 p.m. ET for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, taking place in Toronto. Toronto advanced after defeating the Ottawa Senators in six games, while Florida eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five. The Maple Leafs enter as Atlantic Division champions with home-ice advantage but faced challenges, as Florida dominated in the regular season, winning three of four matchups.

This series marks their second playoff meeting in three years, with Florida having won their last encounter en route to the Stanley Cup Final. Both teams have familiar faces from past seasons, with Toronto acquiring Anthony Stolarz and Oliver Ekman-Larsson from Florida’s Cup-winning roster. Coaches Paul Maurice and Craig Berube expressed respect for each other's teams, setting the stage for a highly competitive series.