TAMPA, Fla. — Sheldon Keefe usually spends time during intermissions breaking down film of that evening's opponent.With the NHL playoffs resting just over the horizon, however, the Maple Leafs head coach was focused elsewhere between periods during Toronto's largely meaningless regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Toronto, meanwhile, had little to play for over its final few weeks of the schedule — other than Auston Matthews' pursuit of 70 goals — before finishing with four straight defeats. Boston has six players remaining from that squad in Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. Trent Frederic was on that team, but didn't suit up in those playoffs.
Boston's backbone remains the two-headed goaltending monster of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman as it weathered the retirements of captain Patrice Bergeron and fellow centre David Krejci this season. The Leafs appeared on course for a playoff rematch with Florida, which downed Toronto in five games in last spring's second round, earlier this week before Boston's late stumble."Either way we were going to be facing a very good team," Keefe said."We'll do all that we can to prepare for it."Nylander seemed like a lock to easily crack 100 points when he signed the richest contract in franchise history just over four months ago.
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