"Toronto gonna smoke whoever wins this series": Ryan Whitney makes big Maple Leafs playoff prediction during Caps vs Canes

Notable NHL analyst and podcast host Ryan Whitney made a major call involving the Toronto Maple Leafs during Game 2 of the Washington Capitals-Carolina Hurricanes series.

Whitney took to social media to issue the following prediction:

“The Capitals look horrible. 19 shots in 4 periods of this series. Toronto gonna smoke whoever wins this series.”

Indeed, the Washington Capitals have looked far from their dominant selves from the regular season. In total, the Capitals have mustered 35 shots between the first two games of their series with the Hurricanes.

While the Hurricanes have peppered the Capitals with 61 shots in the first two tilts, they only have three goals to show for it.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs have scored nine goals in their first two games against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, playing a dominant game at times.

There’s still plenty of hockey to be played. So, there’s a chance either the Hurricanes or Capitals can turn it up and roll into the Eastern Conference Final on a scoring streak.

Whitney believes Toronto Maple Leafs are “nasty”

Joseph Woll has been solid for Toronto this postseason - Source: Imagn

In another interesting X post, Ryan Whitney had this to say about the Toronto Maple Leafs this postseason:

“This is bizarre. The Leafs are nasty. Stolarz and Woll both have outplayed Bob.”

Whitney’s comments underscore the perceived lack of grit and toughness on the part of the Maple Leafs.

In previous postseasons, the Leafs have been accused of being too soft and unable to cope with the pressure of playoff hockey. However, that perception seems to have shifted this postseason under Craig Berube.

The Leafs have seemingly matched the intensity level of the Ottawa Senators in the first round and the Florida Panthers thus far in the second round. While the Leafs are only halfway to a series victory, it looks like they could get over the hump.

Additionally, Toronto’s netminders, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, have seemingly taken over the series. Stolarz started Game 1 but left following a collision with Sam Bennett. Woll took over and subsequently started Game 2. Woll was brilliant down the stretch in Game 2, preserving a precarious one-goal lead for the Maple Leafs.

If the trend continues in the Leafs-Panthers series, the showdown could be over much sooner than expected. As such, Whitney’s observation that the winner of the Washington-Carolina series could have a hard time against Toronto could very well come true.