TORONTO -- It was almost a year ago that the lottery ball fell the Toronto Maple Leafs' way. On April 30, 2016, the last-place Maple Leafs won the Auston Matthews sweepstakes. Some 353 days later, hockey's lovable losers are two wins away from knocking off the No. 1 team in the NHL. And whether or not Toronto ousts the Washington Capitals -- on whom it has taken a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round series -- it's clear that the Leafs are light years ahead of schedule.
The learning curve for a team that dressed anywhere from six to eight rookies on any given night this season, and features 10 players who are playing in their first Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, has been nothing short of stunning.