Move for the Playoffs will air every morning until the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. We'll look at both leagues' current playoff scenarios, guess on probable first-round matches, and see who's winning the championship for the best lottery possibilities, among other things.

Every year, there is a debate about if the Toronto Maple Leafs would trade one of its core players, usually after the team's most recent postseason exit. Either to shake things up and change the roster's structure or because of a player salaries problem that would enable them to put together a more balanced team.

Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander are Maple Leaf's players who take up about $40 million in salary-cap space, with Matthews, Marner, and Tavares each having a cap hit of more than $10 million per year.

It's a lot, but it's not that much compared to most of the other Stanley Cup-winning (or contending) teams. Good clubs have many great Maple Leafs had succeeded quite well in the larger scheme of things. Matthews and Marner get the most attention because of their salary and production (both are among the best football teams in the league every year), but this current team has matured into much more than that top combo. Not withstanding the financial fair play constraints, Toronto's front office has done an outstanding job of putting together a diverse, well-rounded team surrounding them.

Our James O'Brien has looked at how this team is more potent defensively than a few weeks ago and how that group was bolstered by the trade deadline acquisition of Mark Giordano from Seattle. Despite this, they have managed to lay a solid basis. Players and excellent players are expensive. Therefore they have to be creative when assembling a group around them. The most successful teams figure it out. Did you even know even while none of the Matthews, Marner, Nylander or Tavares quartets will be on the ice, the Maple Leafs outshoot, out-chance, and out-score their opponents?

Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds were excellent value depth additions in prior years, but they also inked Michael Bunting to a two-year deal worth $900,000 per year this summer, marking him one of the league's top players' free-agent steals. After a strong introduction in Arizona a year ago, Bunting did not receive a qualifying offer from the organization. He's had a fantastic breakout year in Toronto, scoring 25 goals and 65 points while putting himself in the running for the Calder Trophy. They also took a chance on Ondrej Kase, hiring him to a $1.25 million one-year deal. Despite his injuries more than a month ago, he had 14 goals in 50 games. For little over $2 million, Bunting and Kase were willing to sign approximately 40 goals in free agency.

It has aided the Maple Leafs in having the best preseason in franchise history (although some severe goalkeeper concerns) and having one of the top teams in the league when its superstars are combined.

For anyone to care (which is the truth), they now need to win one round in the playoffs and avoid the "who should they trade?" debate. Despite some discussion, it remains the NHL's strongest deep, and well-rounded club at this time.

IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGINNER TODAY (sorted by points percentage)

DIVISION OF THE ATLANTIC

Capitals vs. Panthers

Lightning vs. Maple Leafs

DIVISION OF THE METROPOLITAN

Bruins vs. Hurricanes

Penguins against Rangers

DIVISION CENTRAL

Stars vs. Avalanche

Blues vs. Wild

DIVISION OF THE PACIFIC

Predators against. Flames

The Oilers take on the Kings.

KEY GAMES FOR TODAY

7 p.m. ET, Lightning vs. Panthers

8 p.m. ET, Wild vs. Predators

10 p.m. ET, Sharks vs. Golden Knights

PERCENTAGES OF PLAYOFFS

Panthers — secured the Eastern Conference's top seed.

The Maple Leafs have won the Stanley Cup.

Lightning has been clinched.

The Bruins have clinched the title.

Sabers are no longer in the game.

Senators are no longer in office.

The Montreal Canadiens have been knocked out of the playoffs.

PERCENTAGES OF PLAYOFFS

Hurricanes – they've won it.

The Washington Capitals have won the Stanley Cup.

Islanders are no longer in the game.

The Blue Jackets have been relegated to the second round of the playoffs.

Flyers are no longer used.

Avalanche – secured the Western Conference's top seed.

untamed – clenched

Predators make up 93.6 percent of the population.

80.6 percent of the vote went to the stars.

The Jets are no longer in the game.

The Blackhawks have been eliminated from the playoffs.

PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES have been removed for the Coyotes 

Flames have clinched the title. Pacific Division is a division of the United States Army.

The Oilers have clinched the title.

99.2 percent of the time, it's the kings.

The Golden Knights have a 26.5 percent chance of winning.

0% for the Canucks

Ducks are no longer in the game.

Kraken has been defeated.

18.5 percent — Canadiens

DRAFT LOTTERY PICTURE

Coyotes account for about 13.5 percent of the population.

Kraken – 11.5 percent

Flyers have a 9.5 percent chance of winning.

Devils 8.5 percent

7.5 percent — Chicago Blackhawks (*contingent)

Senators – 6.5 percent

Red Wings – 6.0 percent

Sabres – 5.0 percent

Ducks have a 3.5 percent chance of winning.

Sharks have a 3.0% share in the market.

Blue Jackets – 2.5 percent

Islanders have a 2.0 percent share of the vote.

Jets – 1.5 percent

0.5 percent – Vancouver Canucks

Golden Knights (*conditional) 0.5 percent

"The NHL announced on March 23, 2021, that starting this season, a team participating in the lottery will be limited to ten selections (10) if it wins one of the lottery drawings. Only the top 11 seeds will be eligible for the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draught."

RACE FOR THE ART ROSS TROPHY

Oilers' Connor McDavid has 116 points.

Panthers' Jonathan Huberdeau – 114

Flames – Johnny Gaudreau – 111

Oilers – Leon Draisaitl – 107

Maple Leafs Auston Matthews (102 points)

Flames – Matthew Tkachuk – 101

Wild – 101, Kirill Kaprizov

RACE OF RICHARD ROCKET

Maple Leafs Auston Matthews has 58 goals.

Oilers – Leon Draisaitl – 54

Rangers – Chris Kreider – 51

Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals – 50 points

Wild, Kirill Kaprizov – 45

Jets – Kyle Connor – 44

Oilers' Connor McDavid (43 points)