The Toronto Maple Leafs are still in the process of searching for a new head coach and GM John Chayka and his scouting staff are prepping for the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo this week, but a couple prominent former Leafs are doing some prepping of their own, as goalie Frederik Andersen led the Carolina Hurricanes to a five-game victory over the Montreal Canadiens to face Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights. Both players are legitimate candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy, but only one would succeed in making fans in the GTA vomit.
As with the Eastern Conference series, where the majority of Leafs fans were rooting for the Hurricanes to eliminate the hated Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge, the fans that comprise Leafs Nation (and most likely fans covering the rest of the NHL) would probably prefer the Canes and Andersen to win their first Cup since 2006 than the Golden Knights take home their second championship in four years.
Here is an update on how the former Leafs are doing with clubs in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Eastern Conference
Buffalo
Conor Timmins – GP 13, G 0, A 2, Pts 2, SOG 13, ATOI 16:48, 8 PIM
Tampa Bay
None
Montreal
None
Boston
Fraser Minten – GP 6, -2, SOG 7, ATOI 15:53
Ottawa
Michael Amadio – GP 4, -1, SOG 4, ATOI 16:54, PIM 2
Carolina
Freddie Andersen – GP 13, Record 12-1, GAA 1.41, Save % .931, SO 3
Pittsburgh
Connor Dewar – GP 6, G 2, A 0, Pts 2, SOG 9, ATOI 13:49, PIM 2
Noel Acciari – GP 6, G 0, A 1, Pts 1, -1, SOG 8, ATOI 11:40, PIM 12
Philadelphia
None
Western Conference
Colorado
Nazem Kadri – GP 13, G 3, A 6, Pts 9, +1, SOG 35, ATOI 16:46, PIM 4
Nicolas Roy – GP 13, G 3, A 3, Pts 6, -1, SOG 16, ATOI 12:01, PIM 4
Dallas
Colin Blackwell – GP 6, -2, SOG 5, ATOI 11:55
Minnesota
Nick Foligno GP 11, G 2, A 1, Pts 3, +2, SOG 10, PIM 6, ATOI 12:05
Zach Bogosian GP 9, -2, SOG 3, PIM 4, ATOI 12:45
Utah
Sean Durzi GP 6, G 0, A 2, Pts 2, -2, SOG 5, PIM 4, TOI 16:53
Alex Kerfoot GP 6, G 0, A 1, Pts 1, -3, SOG 5, PIM 6, TOI 17:00
Vegas
Mitch Marner GP 16, G 7, A 14, Pts 21, +12, SOG 39, PIM 6, ATOI 21:16
Edmonton
Kasperi Kapanen – GP 6, G 4, A 2, Pts 6, +7, SOG 15, ATOI 17:53
Zach Hyman – GP 6, G 2, A 0, Pts 2, -6, SOG 13, ATOI 18:49
Anaheim
None
Los Angeles
Trevor Moore – GP 4, G 1, A 1, Pts 2, -1, SOG 11, ATOI 19:47
Scott Laughton GP 4, -2 SOG 12, ATOI 16:27
Cody Ceci GP 4, -2, SOG 3, ATOI 16:40
Joel Edmundson GP 4, G 1, A 0, Pts 1, -3, SOG 7, ATOI 17:48
