Toronto Maple Leafs fans were crushed last spring when their team lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 7 of the opening playoff round. Why should we expect a different result this time around?
First of all, the Toronto Maple Leafs are a year older. Their top three scorers (Marner, Nylander, Matthews) average 25 years old, and are just coming into their prime.
They are hungry for success.
The Lightning are also a year older. Their top three scorers (Kucherov, Point, Stamkos) average 29 years old, with Stamkos and perhaps Kucherov past their peak (although still excellent).