TORONTO, Ont. – The Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils are set to play at the Air Canada Centre Friday night, and unlike recent seasons, these games actually matter.

The Maple Leafs are sitting in fifth place with 51 points, and SportsclubStats.com is estimating the Maple Leafs have a 99.9 per cent chance of making the playoffs.

In other words, only a remarkable sequence of bizarre circumstances could deny the Leafs this time around.

If the Leafs outscore the Devils Monday night in regulation, New Jersey will no longer be able to catch up to Toronto.

The magic points number is six, which means any combo of six points claimed by the Leafs or not earned by the ninth-place Winnipeg Jets will ensure the Leafs a spot in the playoffs.

Basically, if the Leafs win three of their remaining games or Winnipeg does not win at least all but three of their final games, the buds will be back to the postseason.

Since Toronto has won six of their last eight, and earned points in 12/13 games, Leafs Nation likely has little reason to worry.