The Leafs can clinch a playoff spot this weekend, here’s how

The Leafs can clinch a playoff spot this weekend, here’s how

That tiny little “x” next to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the standings tables can be a real mood elevator. We should all feel pretty confident the Leafs are going to get there but there is a benefit to getting things squared away early too. Here’s what the Leafs need to do in their back-to-back this weekend or what other teams need to do over the next couple of days to give the Leafs their x, and what is still required to clinch home ice advantage in the remaining games of the season.

As it sits right now the Panthers winning all ten of their remaining games would give them 99 points and if they win their way out in regulation or overtime they’d have 44 regulation or overtime wins. With the season tiebreakers like goal differential and season series results still not fully determined, Toronto wouldn’t clinch this week if the Leafs won both of their games, they’d still require a Panthers loss. The Panthers have a game Saturday against the Rangers, if they win that it wouldn’t be until Monday that the Panthers can help the Leafs clinch.
Pittsburgh has the potential to reach 100 points if they won their way out of the season, but they can still help the Leafs clinch this weekend if they lose to Washington on Saturday. If the Leafs win both of their games and the Penguins lose, the Leafs are in. It would be nice if Brian Burke could successfully get the Leafs into the playoffs.
(Save for Islanders section)
Clinching Home in the first round
It goes without saying that this is going to take a bit more time to pull off, but as strange as it is to say, I don’t think the Leafs can really screw this up. The Leafs have a 5 point lead over the …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

3 Players who must get axed from the Raptors’ playoff rotation

3 Players who must get axed from the Raptors’ playoff rotation

The Toronto Raptors are trying everything in their power to make it to the postseason despite their injury troubles, lackluster bench, and issues with consistency making it very tough for Nick Nurse and the rest of the squad to sustain any sort of positive winning streak. The Raptors’ depth has been the biggest bugaboo for […]
3 Players who must get axed from the Raptors’ playoff rotation – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

3 offseason tasks the Raptors should already be working on

3 offseason tasks the Raptors should already be working on

Masai Ujiri, Fred VanVleet, and the Toronto Raptors are one of many teams that are currently locked in a very uneven middle ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Toronto would be in the play-in tournament (at the time of writing) if the season ended today. The Raptors need to pull off a serious balancing […]
3 offseason tasks the Raptors should already be working on – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors draft: 3 March Madness stars who could fit Toronto

Raptors draft: 3 March Madness stars who could fit Toronto

Masai Ujiri and the rest of the Toronto Raptors front office, like the rest of us before our bracket got busted by that one crazy upset (looking at you, Purdue), were locked into the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Ujiri had to be overseeing these games with the goal of plucking out the next star that could […]
Raptors draft: 3 March Madness stars who could fit Toronto – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors news: Scottie Barnes injury update, Nick Nurse talks Precious Achiuwa

Raptors news: Scottie Barnes injury update, Nick Nurse talks Precious Achiuwa

The Toronto Raptors were staying relatively healthy following a very tough burst of injuries earlier in the season, but Scottie Barnes suffered a knock in their most recent contest that set off alarm bells. With Toronto currently in a heated battle for a play-in spot, every victory is going to be important. Barnes left their […]
Raptors news: Scottie Barnes injury update, Nick Nurse talks Precious Achiuwa – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Addison Barger’s MLB debut will have to wait, but for how long becomes the question

Toronto Blue Jays fans haven’t seen the last of prospect Addison Barger.
Barger, who was optioned to triple-A Buffalo following Monday’s 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers, entered this spring with plenty of optimism after being added to Toronto’s 40-man roster last November but was seen as a long shot to break camp with the big-league club as their 26th position player. And understandably so, considering the 23-year-old played just eight games with the Bisons last season.
With Barger and veteran outfielder Wynton Bernard headed to the minors, the battle for the Blue Jays’ final roster spot appears to be down to two players: right-hander Otto Lopez, who is likely the favourite and is coming off a tremendous performance at the World Baseball Classic, and left-hander Nathan Lukes.

#BlueJays assign the following players to minor league spring training camp. 42 players remain in big league camp (8 non-roster invitees), which includes 25 pitchers, 3 catchers, 9 infielders, and 4 outfielders. pic.twitter.com/UVjTYFNtqI
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) March 20, 2023

This isn’t the end for Barger, though. It is just the beginning. While he is likely disappointed about not making the big-league roster, the organization’s No. 6 top prospect successfully put himself on the coaching staff’s radar this spring, beginning that process when he first arrived at the player development complex as his six-foot, 210-pound frame could barely fit inside his tight workout shirt.
It wasn’t that long ago that the sixth-round selection from 2018 weighed in the 150-160 pound range. But he made the best of the COVID-19 pandemic, which wiped out the 2020 minor-league season, allowin …

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Author: Thomas Hall / Blue Jays Nation

3 trade deadline moves Jakob Poeltl has clearly outperformed

3 trade deadline moves Jakob Poeltl has clearly outperformed

The Toronto Raptors were met with a wave of quizzical looks when they traded away multiple draft picks, including a very lightly protected first-round pick, to re-acquire big man Jakob Poeltl. While he would help fix the team’s lack of rim protection, he would do nothing to repair the team’s lackluster 3-point percentage. After a […]
3 trade deadline moves Jakob Poeltl has clearly outperformed – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

3 biggest flaws Raptors must overcome to make a playoff run

3 biggest flaws Raptors must overcome to make a playoff run

Nick Nurse and the Toronto Raptors are right in the thick of the play-in race. While winning should always be encouraged, and the team is in a much better position than they were earlier in the year, the fact that the Raptors are in this position after winning 48 games last year has to sting. […]
3 biggest flaws Raptors must overcome to make a playoff run – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors news: Norman Powell says Raptors got “lucky”, Christian Koloko’s status

Raptors news: Norman Powell says Raptors got “lucky”, Christian Koloko’s status

The Toronto Raptors would not have been able to take down the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals way back in 2019 without the contributions of expert 3-point marksman Norman Powell. He’s shown after leaving Toronto that he is still an elite shooter. After being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Gary Trent […]
Raptors news: Norman Powell says Raptors got “lucky”, Christian Koloko’s status – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

4 Toronto Raptors who are playing for their future in Canada

4 Toronto Raptors who are playing for their future in Canada

Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors are officially in the middle of the most important stretch of the season. With a long homestand against beatable teams coming up, failing to perform well in these games could be enough to put the final nail in this team’s coffin as they chase a postseason spot. What has […]
4 Toronto Raptors who are playing for their future in Canada – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ