When you are sitting atop the league, like the year-long dominance of the Bruins, it’s easy for other teams to look on in awe as Boston continues to break NHL and franchise records before they embark on the mission of capturing the Stanley Cup.
The division rival Maple Leafs are heading to Boston on Thursday night to face the Bruins, and Toronto’s head coach Sheldon Keefe is pleased to have a game of this magnitude late in the season.
“It is nice to have a game like this at this stage of the schedule that is going to demand the best out of you. They are going to challenge you,” Keefe told reporters after Toronto’s practice on Wednesday, per team-provided video. “It’s hard to see the big picture of what it might mean, but any time you play Boston, you are in for a tough night.”
The Bruins have the 2-1-0 series edge over the Leafs this season, and Keefe is prepared for Boston to bring their A-game in the clubs’ final meeting of the regular season.
“That is why they have been one of the best teams in the history of the league — because of the level of consistency they bring to every game,” Keefe said. “You have to be at your best, or you are going to be in for a real tough game.”
Although the Leafs haven’t had much success in the postseason, Keefe did coach the Toronto Marlies to a Calder Cup win in 2017-18. He understands what it takes to win but hasn’t seen a team quite like Boston in his career.
“It has just been impressive to watch and see the way that the players have just done it night in and night out,” Keefe said. “The coaches have kept things moving and kept guys on board there.
“It has been really impressive. They could host the NHL Awards in their building this year. To me, they should be cleaning up. It has been so impressive all the way through their group and what they’ve done and what they have been able to do. To be so far away from the pack is impressive.”
Keefe has made a few changes to his lines to try and get guys going, especially Auston Matthews. He’s paired Matthews on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and Michael Bunting instead of Mitch Marner and William Nylander.
“It is going to be on the wingers to do a little more work to get him the puck, earn pucks back, and stay involved and stay engaged,” Keefe said of the change.”… Tomorrow will give us a better indication of what it looks like against an elite opponent with great depth. There are not going to be very many easy matchups.”
Keefe knows his team will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the same team that eliminated Toronto in last season’s playoffs. If Toronto can get out of the first round for the first time since 2004, it could possibly set up a second-round matchup with the Bruins if Boston also wins their first round.
