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Posted at 2:05 PM EST

OT included. There was a time a generation or two ago when every season was measured in a vacuum, when it was understood that anything short of a Stanley Cup win— or failing that, a playoff appearance—was a huge bust. Only a few old-school types espouse this philosophy these days. Success traverses many paths. Anything can happen, but the odds of the Maple Leafs finding a championship form this year is very slim. This season isn’t about what happens in the playoffs for the Leafs (if they make it). It is a staging ground for a future that is already exciting and that is going to be so much fun for Toronto’s long suffering fans. The Maple Leafs are fun to watch and easy to root for but they are not in a position to be priced this high against the Devils. For one, they played their hearts out last night in Columbus in a game they were so well-prepped and ready for after losing to the Jackets the previous three games this season. Knowing that the Jackets are a potential first round playoff matchup, Toronto needed to put some doubt into that team instead of going 0-4 against them this season. They did exactly that and this is the aftermath game.

The Devils will come in tonight with a chance to make life just a little more difficult for the Maple Leafs and don’t think they can’t do it. The Devils come in with a weak record over the past month with just two wins in 14 games so their stock is low. After a 12-game losing streak, New Jersey is now 2-2 over its last four games with a 6-2 victory over Philly and a 3-2 win over the Rangers. Now the Devils will take their best shot at the Leafs. The Maple Leafs’ offense can be terrifying but they give up about as much as they generate - which is a lot. So for the Devils to be competitive tonight, they just need to find ways to attack and take plenty of initiative to shoot. This isn’t a total pipe dream, as the Devils rang up 36 shots on net against Pittsburgh and Columbus, two teams they played before beating the Rags on Tuesday. Situationally, this is a tough spot for the Leafs while the Devils come in with nothing to lose and usually give Toronto a hard time no matter what. Overlay. 

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