The Wraparound: Maple Leafs, Oilers try to rewrite their story

The Wraparound is your daily look at the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ll break down the NHL playoff games today with the all-important television information.

• Check in with all of Friday’s NHL Stanley Cup playoff action with the NHL Rink Wrap right here. 

• The Rangers and Stars both forced Game 7s on Sunday with wins Friday night.

• It’s been 26 years but the Panthers are finally heading to the Second Round of the playoffs. 

Every Game 7 is a big game no matter the teams and no matter the round. But two of these Game 7s on Saturday night seem especially big for what they will mean to two franchises that have mostly been punchlines, and two of the NHL’s biggest megastars in Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.

They are two of the most dynamic players in the league.

McDavid is the league’s most dominant overall offensive force. Matthews is currently the league’s top goal-scorer. Collectively they have won one playoff series in their careers. That lack of playoff success is not necessarily about them, but more so the teams and organizations around them. This current Maple Leafs core has lost five consecutive opening round series (including a qualifying round in the bubble against Columbus), including two where they had chances to close out the series. After dropping Thursday’s Game 6 against Tampa Bay they have now lost eight consecutive games in which they could close out a series, while the organization has still not won a playoff series since the 2004 playoffs. This team cannot go through a sixth consecutive First Round exit with this core and not expect to avoid major changes. If nothing else, the jokes, criticism, and skepticism about how good they actually are will continue.

Toronto did everything they possibly