A Point for the Leafs Tonight Would See the Team Pull Off Something Not Seen in Toronto Since 1967

Until tonight, the Leafs needed help from Atlantic Division rivals to officially punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, thanks in large to a couple of days off.

On Wednesday, however, the Leafs control their own destiny as they take on the Florida Panthers in what many see as a 'must win' game.

While a win would go a long way in securing home-ice advantage in the playoffs, with just a single point against the Panthers, the Leafs will become the NHL's active leader in consecutive post-season appearances with nine.

For the Leafs, it would be the second time in the expansion era they have had a streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances. The last time the Leafs did so? They won the Stanley Cup back in 1967.

As other fan bases constantly remind generations of Leafs fans about the last time the Leafs won the Cup, the stars may actually be aligning for the blue and white to go on a deep playoff run -- something they haven't done since making the Conference Finals in 2002.

For the current rendition of the Leafs to follow the 1967 trajectory, however, they will need to win three rounds for the first time since the 1931-32 season and four rounds for the first time in franchise history.

As the regular season winds down, Leafs Nation will hope and pray that decades of playoff disappointment will finally come to an end. If their struggles continue, though, they will see a vastly different lineup next season.