The Toronto Maple Leafs are at a precarious juncture as they prepare for an impending playoff elimination, echoing past failures that haunt their franchise. After a strong regular season, the Leafs have faltered in crucial moments, failing to close out games against lower-seeded opponents. Despite boasting talent like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, their performance in pivotal games has been underwhelming, with limited production in high-stakes situations.

As they face the Ottawa Senators in a must-win Game 6, the ghosts of playoff failures loom large. The pressure mounts as the team must confront their historical struggles when leading in playoff series. Recapturing their confidence and showing resilience could redefine their narrative this season, but the stakes have never been higher.