“The most significant achievement of the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise is currently under threat.”

Out of 210 opportunities in NHL history, this marks the 10th instance where a team has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, a team with over a century of history, boast the second-highest number of Stanley Cup victories, a fact often reiterated despite not having won one since the league expanded beyond six teams. However, their most revered achievement remains the sole comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals, accomplished in 1942 against Detroit. This feat, etched in hockey lore, is akin to common knowledge among Leafs fans, much like knowing the national anthem or understanding traffic lights—it’s that significant because it’s happened only once.

With the recent comeback by the Edmonton Oilers against the Florida Panthers, tying their series after trailing 3-0, the Leafs’ cherished record is now in jeopardy. According to the Washington Post, this marks the 10th occurrence out of 210 opportunities in NHL history where a team has clawed back from a 3-0 deficit, equating to a 4.7% probability. While this may seem surprisingly high, it pales in comparison to other statistical improbabilities, such as the Leafs losing 11 consecutive playoff series-clinching games, a scenario with less than a 1% chance.

Despite the seeming rarity of a 3-0 comeback, it’s evident that the circumstances leading to such deficits are infrequent themselves. Nonetheless, the Leafs’ distinction as the lone team to achieve this in the Finals remains intact—a distinction that, while historic, is eclipsed in desire by many fans who relish seeing other teams, particularly rivals like the Panthers, endure playoff heartbreak.

In the current context, the hope lies with the Oilers, irrespective of their roster connections to the Leafs or the perpetual reminders of the Zach Hyman contract. What matters now is witnessing a potential historic comeback and perhaps witnessing Hyman’s record-setting performance in a Stanley Cup Final widely regarded as one of the best in decades.