When Was the Last Time the Maple Leafs Won A Playoff Series 2323All hockey fans are familiar with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup drought, which dates back to the 1966/67 season, but you may not realize they haven’t even managed to win a playoff series for close to two decades either.
The last time the Maple Leafs advanced to the second round of an NHL postseason was in 2003/04 when they downed the Ottawa Senators in the full seven games in the opening round.
After edging the Senators in the Battle of Ontario, the Maple Leafs exited the playoffs in the next round as the Philadelphia Flyers downed them in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Since then, the team has gone 0-7 in playoff series.
Toronto Maple Leafs Playoff History (Last 20 Years)
The following isn’t for the faint of heart as the information spells out just how inept or unlucky the Maple Leafs have been in the playoffs over the past 20 years. To summarize the team’s last two decades, the Maple Leafs are 1-8 in the postseason and are 0-10 in series-clinching games in the last seven series, which all ended in defeat.
They have made the playoffs seven seasons in a row now but have been bounced in the first round in their previous seven series heading into their 2022/23 tilt with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The last five playoff exits and six of the past seven have all gone down to the wire with Toronto losing the deciding game in those series.
2022-23 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 2nd in the Atlantic Division with 111 points
- Tampa Bay Lightning finished 3rd in the Atlantic Division with 98 points
The time of writing is April 18th 2023, today this series is starting and I will update the article as soon as possible. The leafs are back again in the playoffs and so many leafs fans are hoping for a series win. Lets see what happens! For now lets take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff history.
2021-22 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 2nd in the Atlantic Division with 115 points
- Tampa Bay Lightning finished 3rd in the Atlantic Division with 110 points
The Maple Leafs blew a 3-2 series lead and were beaten 2-1 at home in game 7 for their eighth consecutive postseason defeat. They hammered the Lightning 5-0 at home in game 1 but were downed 5-3 in game 2. They beat Tampa Bay 5-2 in the first game in Florida before being drilled 7-3 in game 4 to head back to Toronto even at 2 games apiece.
A 4-3 home win saw the Maple Leafs take a 3-2 series lead but they were edged 4-3 in overtime in game six with Tampa Bay completing the comeback in the 7th and deciding game with a 2-1 triumph.
To check out each and every goal in this playoff series watch this video.
2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 1st in the North Division with 77 points
- Montreal Canadians finished 4th in the North Division with 59 points
The 2020/21 NHL season was a bit of an odd one due to the Covid-19 Pandemic as each team played a 56-game schedule. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens competed in the North Division, which was made up of the league’s seven Canadian franchises. Toronto lucked out when it came to the postseason matchups as they were pitted against the Montreal, who were the 16th and lowest-seeded team in the playoffs with 59 points.
The Maple Leafs started the first-round series on a sour note as they were beaten 2-1 at home but rebounded in game 2 with a 5-1 win. They won the next two games in Montreal 2-1 and 4-0 to take a 3-1 stranglehold in the series.
However it was then the Canadiens turn to win three straight as they won 4-3 in overtime in Toronto, 3-2 at home in overtime and clinched the series with a 3-1 victory in game 7 in Toronto. It was another epic meltdown by the boys in blue.
2019-20 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Columbus Blue Jackets
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 3rd in the Atlantic Division with 81 points
- Columbus Blue Jackets finished 4th in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points
The 2019/20 campaign was the first one affected by Covid-19 as all NHL teams played between 69 and 71 regular-season games and the season was put on hold in March. The league tinkered with the playoff format after resuming play in August with a 24-team playoff tournament held behind closed doors.
The teams were seeded based on their points percentage during the regular season. The top four teams in each conference earned a bye to the playoffs while the next eight clubs in each conference were matched up in best-of-five series with the winners going to the playoffs. Toronto once again appeared to have luck on their side as the city was used as the host for Eastern Conference games, meaning the Maple Leafs would play the Columbus Blue Jackets in the play-in series at their own rink.
They didn’t take advantage of home ice though as they lost the qualifying round in the full five games. They alternated between losses and wins as they dropped game 1 by a score of 2-0 then followed up with a 3-0 win, 4-3 loss in overtime, 4-3 win in overtime and a 3-0 loss in the deciding game.
The Maple Leafs bow out to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the play-in qualifying round. Check out the video here!
2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 3rd in the Atlantic Division with 100 points
- Boston Bruins finished 2nd in the Atlantic Division with 107 points
For the second straight season and third consecutive playoff meeting between the teams, the Maple Leafs and Bruins went the full 7 games to settle their differences. Unfortunately for Maple Leafs’ fans, first-round history would repeat itself as the Bruins took care of business when it counted.
The teams split the first two games in Boston as each side won 4-1 with the Maple Leafs taking the opener. The squads also split the next two contests in Toronto with the Maple Leafs winning 3-2 then losing 6-4. A 2-1 win in Boston gave Toronto a 3-2 series lead but they lost the final two games of the showdown 4-2 at home and 5-1 on the road.
The Leafs lose to the Bruins again in 7, see how the deciding game played out in this YouTube video.
2017-18 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 3rd in the Atlantic Division with 105 points
- Boston Bruins finished 2nd in the Atlantic Division with 112 points
The Maple Leafs started their first-round series in Boston in brutal fashion as they were hammered 5-1 and 7-3 in the opening two contests. They rebounded at home with a 4-2 win but lost game 4 by a 3-1 margin to return to Boston trailing 3-1 in the series.
They needed three straight wins to advance to the second round and two of them would have to come on the road. The Maple Leafs looked like they might pull it off as they won the next two outings 4-3 away and 3-1 at home but were sunk 7-4 in the 7th and deciding game in Beantown when they gave up three 1-goal leads and and 4 in the third period.
2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Washington Capitals
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 4th in the Atlantic Division with 95 points
- Washington Capitals finished 1st in the Metropolitan Division with 118 points
The 2016/17 playoffs ushered in a new era for the Maple Leafs as hotshot youngsters Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were introduced to NHL playoff hockey. They gave it a good shot but ultimately fell to Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in 6 games. Amazingly, 5 of the 6 contests went to overtime and all 6 games were decided by just one goal.
The Maple Leafs split the first two games on the road with a 3-2 OT loss and a 4-3 double OT win. A power-play goal gave Toronto a second straight 4-3 OT victory and a 2-1 series lead at home but then fell 5-4 in regulation time in game 4. The series ended with Washington winning 2-1 in OT both at home and in Toronto as they won the final three games.
Watch Washington clinch the series in Toronto with their second-straight 2-1 in overtime.
2012-13 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 3rd in the Northeast Division with 57 points
- Boston Bruins finished 2nd in the Northeast Division with 62 points
The 2012/13 first-round series against the Bruins is one Maple Leafs’ fans will never forget as their team completely collapsed in game 7 in Boston. The season itself was a strange one as the teams played a 48-game schedule beginning in mid-January due to a player lockout.
Even so, the Maple Leafs were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2003/04 which was an accomplishment in itself. They started on the road with a 4-1 loss and 4-2 win and followed up at home with a 5-2 loss and a 4-3 overtime defeat. The Maple Leafs were behind the eight-ball and had to win three in a row to take the series with wins needed in Boston.
They happened to take the next two games by a score of 2-1 and had the momentum behind them when they visited the Bruins for the 7th and deciding game. Nazem Kadri gave Toronto a 4-1 lead early in the third period and it looked like the Maple Leafs were on their way to an upset.
However the Bruins scored with 10:42 remaining to narrow the gap to 4-2 and then scored twice in a 31-second span in the final minute-and-a-half with goaltender Tuukka Rask sitting on the bench in favour of an extra attacker. Patrice Bergeron completed the comeback when he beat James Reimer in the Leafs net at 6:05 of overtime for an improbable 5-4 win.
Re-live the Maple Leafs’ infamous third-period meltdown in Boston in this YouTube video here.
2003-04 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators (Quarterfinals)
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 2nd in the Northeast Division with 103 points
- Ottawa Senators finished 3rd in the Northeast Division with 102 points
The Maple Leafs and Senators finished the regular season just one point apart which meant the Leafs had home-ice advantage in the Battle of Ontario first-round playoff series. Toronto split the first two games at home with a 4-2 loss and 2-0 win.
They earned their second straight 2-0 victory in the first game in Ottawa but were beaten 4-1 the next time out. The Maple Leafs shut Ottawa out 2-0 again in game 5 at home before losing game 6 by a 2-1 score on the road in double overtime. It all came down to the deciding game at home with the Maple Leafs earning a 4-1 win to advance to the second round.
For the fans’ overreaction watch this video.
2003-04 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Philadelphia Flyers (Semifinals)
- Toronto Maple Leafs finished 2nd in the Northeast Division with 103 points
- Philadelphia Flyers finished 1st in the Atlantic Division with 101 points
The Maple Leafs didn’t have home-ice advantage in the second series even though they finished the season two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers took the first two home outings 3-1 and 3-2 with the Maple Leafs evening up the series at home with 4-1 and 3-1 victories.
That was all she wrote though as the Flyers bounced back with a 7-2 win at home and ended the series by edging the Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime in game six in Toronto after the Leafs fought back from a 2-0 third-period deficit.
What Years Did the Toronto Maple Leafs Miss Playoffs?
| Years Leafs Missed Playoffs | Season Record |
| 2015-16 | 29-42-11 (69 points) |
| 2014-15 | 30-44-8 (68 points) |
| 2013-14 | 38-36-8 (84 points) |
| 2011-12 | 35-37-10 (80 points) |
| 2010-11 | 37-34-11 (85 points) |
| 2009-10 | 30-38-14 (74 points) |
| 2008-09 |
34-35-13 (81 points) |
| 2007-08 | 36-35-11 (83 points) |
| 2006-07 | 40-31-11 (91 points) |
| 2005-06 | 41-33-8 (90 points) |
| 2004/05 | NHL Lockout/season cancelled |
When was the Last time the Toronto Maple Leafs Won a Stanley Cup?
Believe it or not, the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup or even made it as far as the final series was back in 1966/67 when they beat the Montreal Canadiens in six games to capture their 13th title. The Maple Leafs have won the Cup in 1918, 1922, 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967.
Read our related post for more information on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup history.
Final Thoughts
The Toronto Maple Leafs have never won a championship since the NHL expanded from six teams. Therefore, the team has never won more than two playoff rounds in a season or more than 11 playoff games in a season. This is due to the fact that just four teams made the playoffs in the six-team era and a team had to win just two rounds and eight games to hoist the Cup.
The Maple Leafs’ longest playoff run in club history came in 1992/93 when they beat the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues in seven games before losing to the Los Angeles Kings in seven, going 11-12 in the postseason. Teams must now win four series and 16 games to win the Cup, meaning the Maple Leafs must win two more series and five games more than they ever have before in the postseason to win their next Stanley Cup.
The odds of the team’s drought continuing look pretty good at the moment.
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.
