Florida Panthers' Game Day Announcement Creates Problems for the Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs currently hold a 2-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning for top spot in the Atlantic Division and have a game in hand over both Florida teams.

The Leafs also play in Florida tonight against the Panthers and in Tampa Bay tomorrow night against the Lightning and will have a chance to secure the division crown before the week is out.

Unfortunately for the Leafs, the Florida Panthers just made an announcement that has some major implications for tonight's game. According to TSN's Mark Masters, all of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling are expected to suit up for the Panthers.

Florida is 3-6-1 over their last 10 games, have lost 5-straight contests, and are beginning to free fall in the Atlantic Division standings.

There was a recent conspiracy theory presented by NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette, who suggested that the Panthers may be attempting to tank on purpose to fall into the top Wild Card spot, setting up a 1st round matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Panthers have had the Leafs' number in recent years, and perhaps there's some truth to Biz Nasty's theory, but with Tampa and Toronto being so close to one another in the standings, if that's Florida's plan, it could backfire and find them in a Round 1 matchup with the Lightning.