TORONTO — Mitch Marner didn’t want to talk about it. Didn’t even want to think about it.
“Ask someone else,” he said. “I’m not looking too far ahead.”
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What Marner wanted to avoid was talk of the playoffs and a potential first-round opponent that is pretty much unavoidable these days. Even with two-thirds of the season remaining, it’s looking more and more like Toronto’s game against Tampa Bay on Saturday will be more than just a rematch from last year’s playoffs.
With the Boston Bruins running away with the Atlantic Division lead, it could also be a preview of what’s to come.
That’s the so-called reward for having the third-best record in the NHL. It’s also the unfortunate reality of playing in the toughest division in the league.
Say what you want about New Jersey’s surprising start to the season. But once again, the road to the Stanley Cup final is going to go through Tampa Bay or Boston — or maybe both.
No wonder Marner didn’t want to talk about it.
“Sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles,” said Toronto captain John Tavares. “For me, to get to where you want to get to and hoist that trophy over your head, you know you’re going to be playing against the elite of the elite. The league is so close now. I mean, all eight teams on our side had 100 points last year.
“Obviously, we’ve played a Boston team that has been to the Cup final numerous times over the last decade and had key runs. And we know what Tampa has been able to do. They’ve been the best team for the last five years.”
Toronto has also been one of the best teams over the years. You just wouldn’t know it, based on the Leafs’ lack of playoff success. In each of the past six years, they’ve lost in the first round. But keep in mind that during that six-year drought, Toronto has also lost four times to a team that went to the Stanley Cup final.
That’s not meant as an excuse. Rather, it should be extra motivation for finishing first in the division.
Heading into Saturday’s game, the Leafs are three points back of the Bruins, who have played three fewer games. The Leafs are also six points ahead of the Lightning, who have played two less games.
“I think there’s always motivation to win the division,” said Tavares. “Usually, that means that we had a pretty good season. I think any matchup in today’s league is always going to be a difficult one, whether it’s a wild card or within the division.
“I think we have a long ways to go to determine whatever that situation might look like down the road.”
That’s true. After all, the Leafs did win the division a couple of years ago and still ended up losing to a Montreal team that ended up going to the final. Still, facing a wild card opponent sure beats playing the Bruins or Lightning again.
While Toronto may have to face its demons the same way that Washington had to slay its own dragon by beating Pittsburgh en route to winning the Cup in 2018, you’d rather put it off to the second round at least. After all, it’s not like Boston or Tampa Bay has gotten any worse over the years.
If anything, both teams keep improving.
The Bruins, who have somehow avoided a rebuild, have lost just three times so far this season. David Pastrnak leads the team with 14 goals, but six others have six or more goals. They’ve got the second-best power play, the second-best penalty kill. They’re getting great goaltending from Linus Ullmark, who has a .935 save percentage.
And they are the only team yet to lose at home.
The Lightning, meanwhile, have gone to the Cup final in three consecutive years. And with the exception of Ryan McDonagh, they pretty much have the same roster that beat the Leafs in Game 7 of the playoffs last year.
Have the Leafs improved? On paper, they haven’t. At the same time, the team is on a five-game winning streak, despite losing a third of its defence to injuries.
“All we can do is focus on ourselves,” said Tavares. “For us, it’s just to continue to keep evolving. It’s not about getting rewarded (with an easier matchup). If this is the matchup that we have, then that’s it. My first year when we played Boston, we were two of the top-6 teams in the league overall. You knew you were going to have to face those challenges to get to where you wanted to get to. I think that’s just the way that it’s gone.
“Whatever the circumstances are there, they’re going to be what they are. We play in a tough division. Those two teams have shown over the years what they have with their consistency and the success and their core players. We just have to be prepared for those matchups as best as we can be.”
As for what lies ahead, Tavares agreed with Marner that there’s still plenty of time to change the narrative: “I think we have a long ways to go to determine whatever that situation might look like down the road.”
mtraikos@postmedia.com
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