Bruins Victory in Toronto Would Carry Double Significance

The Bruins are in desperate need of a victory, not only to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff race but also to calm the fan base — at least temporarily. Yet Saturday's game in Toronto carries as much importance in the playoff picture as it does in the Conference basement.

With the Bruins holding the Maple Leafs' first-round pick in the upcoming draft, one more Toronto loss is one step closer to guaranteeing a top-three pick. The Leafs currently own the second-fewest point in the NHL with 71, with the next crop of cellar dwellers owning 74 points at the start of the day on Saturday. If the season were to end today, the Bruins would hold an 18.8 percent chance of winning the draft lottery and the No. 1 overall pick, and they'd also be guaranteed to move down in the order a maximum of one spot. With Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin drawing all sorts of attention, landing in the top two spots will make a huge impact on the future of the Bruins.

So keeping the Leafs from earning two points is essential for the B's. Oh, and there's that whole "logjam in the standings" for a playoff spot thing … and the little rivalry thing with Phil Kessel … and, well, you get the picture. Every game from here on out is important, but Bruins fans have a number of scores to keep an eye on for the next two weeks.