Embarrassing Stats From Last Night's Loss to Florida Baffle Maple Leafs' Fan Base

As the Florida Panthers welcomed back three regulars including captain Aleksander Barkov, to the lineup Tuesday night, the Leafs appeared to be missing three of theirs. The problem was that all 3 suited up and saw game action.

Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner were invisible throughout the Leafs' 3-1 loss to the Panthers in what was a playoff-like game, raising real concerns from Leafs Nation that we are in for playoff disappointment once again.

The trio of Matthews, Marner and Nylander combined for a single shot on goal and a minus-4 rating in a failed attempt at securing home-ice advantage in the first round.

While dominant all season (when healthy), the team's top dogs (aside from John Tavares, who scored the lone goal Tuesday night) completely disappeared when the team needed them most - something that has become all too familiar in the post-season.

Maple Leafs fans are hoping that their play on Tuesday is not an indication of what to expect when the puck drops on the NHL's unofficial second season in a couple of weeks.

Their play when the playoffs begin carries huge implications, not just in terms of going on a long playoff run, but also in regards to the future of Marner and Tavares.

As both are set to enter the playoffs without new deals, the Leafs will have the opportunity to make some very significant changes to the roster this off-season should they bow out of the playoffs early yet again.