What tonight means for the Toronto Maple Leafs' playoff race

Toronto Maple Leafs • Eastern Atlantic • 4-4-2, 10 pts • Scenarios for October 20
Magic # 149
Tragic # 149
Safe tonight

The Toronto Maple Leafs are 4-4-2, 10 points with a magic number of 149 and a tragic number of 149 — chasing Buffalo Sabres for a wild card spot.

Tonight they visit Columbus Blue Jackets.

Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.

Playoff berth

Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.

Clinch

The Toronto Maple Leafs can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 149 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.

Elimination

The Toronto Maple Leafs can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 149 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.

Games that matter tonight

  • Toronto Maple Leafs at Columbus Blue Jackets
  • Los Angeles Kings at Washington Capitals
  • Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders
  • San Jose Sharks at Montréal Canadiens
  • Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils

4 other NHL games with a smaller bearing on this race were left out of the enumeration, so a path that depends on one of them isn't listed. Every path shown is a real guarantee.

Every combination of these results (0 in all) was checked with the same conservative math as the standings page, so each path listed is a mathematical guarantee — no tiebreaker assumptions in your favor. Want the result-by-result version? The rooting guide on the team page shows what each game does to the numbers.

Frequently asked questions

How can the Toronto Maple Leafs clinch a playoff spot tonight?

The Toronto Maple Leafs can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 149 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.

Can the Toronto Maple Leafs be eliminated tonight?

The Toronto Maple Leafs can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 149 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.

What is the Toronto Maple Leafs magic number right now?

The Toronto Maple Leafs magic number is 149 and their tragic number is 149.

How are these scenarios calculated?

Every combination of results in the NHL games that bear on the race tonight is enumerated, and the magic and tragic numbers are recomputed in each one with the same conservative math as the standings page. The paths listed are the minimal sets of results that guarantee the outcome no matter how the other games end.

Full guide: how magic numbers work →