Panthers, Maple Leafs Meet in Eastern Conference Second Round

The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs will meet in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking a rematch of their 2023 series, which Florida won in five games. The Panthers enter as defending champions and are considered favorites, having shown strong road performance and effective special teams play in their first-round victory over Tampa Bay. Toronto, meanwhile, advanced after a hard-fought series against Ottawa and will look to leverage home-ice advantage and a more resilient roster to challenge Florida’s physical style. The matchup is further highlighted by several former Panthers—Anthony Stolarz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Steven Lorentz—now playing key roles for the Maple Leafs. Both teams see this series as a significant test, with Toronto aiming to prove doubters wrong and Florida seeking a third consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference final. The winner will advance to face either the Carolina Hurricanes or Washington Capitals in the next round.