For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter Many experts predicted the Toronto Maple Leafs to be a Stanley Cup contender this season, but with 13 games to go, the club is in a tight race to qualify for the playoffs and take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. The contest is the start of a stretch of seven games over the next two weeks in which six are on home ice, where the Leafs have gone a mediocre 17-9-7. Toronto appeared to be in good position to finish third in the Atlantic Division after victories over Tampa Bay, Florida, and Vancouver, but their inconsistency reared its ugly head in West Coast road losses to San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim. The Panthers earned five of a possible six points against Boston, Montreal, and a 2-1 win over St. Louis on Monday and has narrowed Toronto’s lead down to one. "It's definitely frustrating, it's not from (the media's) point of view and the fan's point of view, (we are a) difficult team to get a read on obviously, because there are nights where we play extremely well and we can beat anybody and there are nights where we don't live up to expectations and the efforts aren't there." Zach Hyman said on Tuesday morning. "From a player perspective, we try to go by things day by day and try to get better every day and try to build, so we're still on that path." The Leafs are getting some help in the form of the return of Morgan Rielly, who returns after missing 23 games with a fractured foot. Rielly has practiced at full speed leading up to his return and will benefit from pairing with a familiar defense partner in Cody Ceci, but it is expected that it will take some time for the longest-tenured Leaf to get back to up to speed. "You work hard during the time where you're trying to come back to make sure that you make the transition as easy as it can be, but I think that regardless it's going to take a little bit of time to get back up to speed, especially this time of year when teams are preparing for playoffs, the game picks up a little bit.… Rielly said. "I'm a little nervous(about returning), but it's also excitement. It's also very serious, I mean this time here you want to win, you want to collect points and prepare yourself for playoffs. But most of all, I'm looking forward to being back." The match between potential first-round opponents is the third of four meetings, with a one-sided 7-3 Lightning win in Toronto on October 10 and the Leafs victory at Amalie Arena on February 25. Tampa will be without center Steven Stamkos and defenseman Victor Hedman, who skated on Tuesday morning but has been ruled out with a lower-body injury.
Andrei Vasilevskiy will be in goal for the Lightning, while Frederik Andersen will be between the pipes for Toronto. *******
The Leafs announced the signing of 2019 draft pick Mikhail Abramov to a three-year entry-level contract on Tuesday. The 18-year-old has 76 points (35 goals, 41 assists) skated in 63 games with Victoriaville(QMJHL). The three-year deal is effective beginning in the 2020-21 season. *******
We’re exasperated.
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) March 8, 2020
Podcast. #TheLeafsConvo #LeafsForever @MikeInBuffalo @TheLeafsConvo https://t.co/FivfNPX9MG
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******