When analysts discuss the Toronto Maple Leafs this postseason, you're likely to hear them talk about how young the roster is and how their crop of rookies helped them make it to the postseason.

Hearing that isn't new for Leafs fans, of course, but we're just preparing the rest of the hockey world.

After the Buds clinched a playoff berth this past weekend, Brendan Shanahan was asked about the young Leafs being able to grow playoff beards, and he had a wonderful response:

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are just 19 years of age while William Nylander is 20.

In other words, we doubt they'll be growing a Brent Burns-like playoff beard anytime soon.

Still, it would be fun to that kind of beard on the young Buds, and that's the perfect transition to the latest edition of 'Expectations vs. Reality.'

 

The chin hairs on Marner would be hilarious, and Leafs fans are hoping they're able to see them as they would signify a long playoff run for a team that hasn't been past the first round since the 2003-04 season.