Leafs Make It To The Conference Finals!

It is May 24, 2011 and the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting ready for Game 6 against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Let's take a look back at how the Leafs who were expected to be out of the playoffs in February battled back to clinch a playoff spot in nearly 5 years and make it all the way to the Conference Finals.

"Desperate Times Calls For Desperate Measures For Brian Burke” as stated by Damien Cox in his article back in January of 2011. Brian Burke not satisfied with the performance of his team, and the lack of scoring ability made a headlining trade a week after the All Star Games. In that trade he acquired an offensive threat that dare I say it changed the face of this franchise.

The media ridiculed the leaf’s inability to stay consistent. But Burke kept to his speech. "I wouldn't have made this trade if I didn't believe this team wouldn't make the playoffs." 

From there on, the Leafs looked promising, even giving hope for a playoff birth after 5 years of drought. And they did.

Clinching the 7th spot in the Eastern Division, the Leafs finally made the impossible. In the playoffs the Leafs astonished the media and its fans by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes, 2nd in the standings in a 4-0 upset.

The Leafs playoff run looked to be short lived when the Boston Bruins led the series 3-1 in the second round. Gustavsson stood tall and took command of the series making two consecutive shut outs to tie the series and eventually win it for the Leafs.

Here we are now, the Leafs are trailing 3-2 to the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals. After leading 2-1 in the series, the Flyers came back to win two more games to lead the series. Can the Leafs pull through in this series to make it to the Cup Final in over 43 years. Could there be a ray of hope for the Leafs fans everywhere. Phaneuf seems to think so, and he is determined to take this team far.

"We are not done yet" said Phaneuf.