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The priority utmost in the minds of everyone right now is that their family and friends stay healthy as the world deals with the Coronavirus. It is a stretch to find any reason for optimism about what is going on, but lets look at what might happen in the NHL steering the conversation away from the pandemic.
Depending on when the league gets the go-ahead to start playing games, the NHL may have to implement an expanded playoff format of anywhere from 20 to 24 teams. This would only be necessary if it is next to impossible to finish the remaining dozen or so regular season games left on the schedule and be fair to teams that are one or two points out of a playoff spot.
Unlike a play-in scenario that may occur in the next few years when a new collective bargaining goes into effect, the expanded playoffs will happen after a respite of a month or longer. That could mean the clubs will be slightly rusty, but also means they will be well-rested as opposed to 16-to-20 clubs embarking on two-and-a-half month postseason immediately after a grueling 82-game schedule.
Looking specifically at the Toronto Maple Leafs, the club has not had the benefit of a completely healthy blueline since December 27 when Jake Muzzin was injured in New Jersey. Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci returned just prior to the suspension of play, but Muzzin was not expected to return until late March from a hand injury.
If the league resumes in early-to-mid April as some project is possible, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe will not only have a completely healthy defense available to him but will also get winger Ilya Mikheyev back from a wrist laceration.
Concerns about goaltender Frederik Andersen’s overuse and top forwards John Tavares, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner being weary heading into the playoffs would no longer be an issue.
Rest and recuperation would also be a factor with all other clubs, such as Tampa Bay (the Leafs likely first round opponent), who could have a fully recovered Steven Stamkos available after core muscle surgery last week, but having both Rielly and Muzzin available would allow the Leafs to not have to play an untested rookie like Rasmus Sandin or an extremely flawed veteran like Martin Marincin at the most critical time of the year.
Having everyone except Andreas Johnsson on hand may not guarantee any kind of playoff success, but it does give Toronto a better chance of advancement than if they had entered the postseason in early April with a barely-healed Muzzin and Mikheyev, and with Andersen having played 12 of the last 13 games.
Hopefully we can find out over the next month or so if this the case or not.
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