Through 21 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a drastically different position than they were a year ago. Toronto has assembled a 9-9-3 record through 21 games, sitting second-last in the Atlantic Division. At the same point last year, despite myriad injuries, the Maple Leafs were off to a 13-6-2 start, en route to capturing the first seed in the division. What a difference a year can make.
Here are the Maple Leafs’ first-quarter grades, and with that comes a quarterly reminder: grades are relative to preseason expectations and consider other factories such as injuries.
Simon Benoit: Benoit’s game seemingly reached an inflection point around March, but last year’s ascendant spring hasn’t carried over into the first quarter of the year. There are times where Benoit has been asked to operate as the team’s No. 4 defenceman due to injuries and he’s miscast in that role. It hasn’t been an altogether terrible season, but he’s ideally suited against bottom-six forwards and is doing his best to tread water at the moment. C
Sammy Blais: A favourite of Craig Berube, Blais was brought into inject some toughness and some secondary scoring. Blais has recorded a goal and three points in seven games, but he hasn’t forced his way into a lineup facing several injuries either. It’ll be curious to see what his role turns into, as the Leafs eventually return to full strength. C
Brandon Carlo: Carlo’s role is being litigated on an almost daily basis, and it’s been a tough start to the season for the veteran defenceman. You’ve heard ad nauseam that Carlo was traded for Fraser Minten and a 2026 first-round pick with top-five protection. We can’t evaluate him retroactively based on the trade package, that’s entirely unfair, but it’s become a talking point among the fan base. Carlo has allowed opponents to get to the net-front with relative ease, and has struggled to defend against the rush, while the Leafs control 45 percent of the expected goals when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5. There’s an expectation that he will pick up his game through the year. D
Easton Cowan: Cowan has been one of the few bright spots this quarter. He’s not only earned his spot on the team, but he’s emerged as one of the Leafs’ 12-best forwards. Toronto sent Cowan to the AHL after 10 games, after he recorded a goal and four points, which seemed like a mistake, and it doesn’t appear that he’ll be heading back anytime soon. Cowan’s tenacity, hockey intelligence and competitiveness have been lauded by his teammates, he’s getting some first-line minutes, some reps on the power play and should stick in the NHL for the duration of the year. A-
Max Domi: The baseline scouting report on Domi hasn’t changed: he’s a skilled playmaker, but his point production isn’t nearly good enough to outweigh his defensive lapses. Domi sports a -10 goal differential at 5-on-5 and some of his blunders have cost the team points, as evidenced by his overtime giveaway in Thursday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. D
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: There’s a strong case to consider Ekman-Larsson as Toronto’s best defenceman. His rush defence has improved, he plays with physicality, he’s one of the few Leafs who regularly carry the puck out of the defensive zone, and he has the best underlying numbers of any Leafs’ defender, to go along with a plus-five goal differential at 5-on-5. Ekman-Larsson needs to cut down his turnovers, as does everyone on the Maple Leafs writ large. It hasn’t been an outstanding quarter, but he’s quietly been a bright spot. B
Dennis Hildeby: Hildeby acquitted himself well in spot duty for the Maple Leafs, making four appearances, including two mid-game insertions. He’s not quite ready for the NHL on a regular basis, but Hildeby is showing improvement, even if he is a true AHL goalie at this time, but these designations don’t matter too much when you’re getting into games. C+
Calle Jarnkrok: Jarnkrok started the year on fire, with goals in each of the first three games. He was listed as a healthy scratch shortly thereafter and hasn’t regained the excellent form he displayed throughout training camp. Berube placed Jarnkrok on the first line Thursday and his versatility remains an asset, but the grade here accounts for a dip in play and the scratches. C+
Dakota Joshua: Joshua’s physicality is notable, but the point production hasn’t been good enough relative to expectations. He’s been deployed in third and fourth-line roles throughout the year, but there hasn’t been a standout game throughout the first quarter. Joshua appeared to be a clever add during the offseason, but he’s one of the new guys that haven’t delivered thus far. C-
Matthew Knies: Knies is one of the NHL’s best players at 5-on-5 and should be in serious consideration for the United States’ Olympic team. He’s the definition of a modern power forward, with five goals and 22 points through 19 games. Knies has battled an injury throughout the past week, but he’s an emerging leader on the Maple Leafs, an essential part of the revamped core, and continues to improve in all facets of the game. A-
Scott Laughton: Laughton’s leadership, toughness, shot-blocking and penalty-killing acumen are highly valued by the Maple Leafs, even when he’s not producing offensively. The 31-year-old has been sidelines with two separate injuries this season, and since he’s only played in three games, we have to render an incomplete grade, although he’s trending towards a B- overall. Incomplete
Steven Lorentz: Lorentz brings speed and physicality to the bottom-six, but the Maple Leafs are losing the majority of his minutes on the ice. Through the first quarter, the eye test has been kinder to Lorentz than the stats page. He’s emerged as one of Berube’s favourites, and his positional versatility keeps him in the lineup, and now it’s incumbent upon him to establish the zone with regularity. C
Matias Maccelli: Maccelli hasn’t met expectations thus far, even though he’s been given ample opportunity. At his best, Maccelli is a skilled playmaker who can augment a line with a star centre attached. At his worst, Maccelli is prone to turnovers, doesn’t track back well enough, and isn’t providing offence on a consistent basis. Pacing towards a 32-point season, this is no one’s idea of a bounce-back season. C
Auston Matthews: Matthews started the year as one of the NHL’s premier shot creators and was producing at a star level, perhaps not at the stratospheric heights we’ve come to expect. It appeared that Matthews was finding his velocity and shot location with increased regularity, until he suffered a lower-body injury on November 11 that has kept him out of the lineup since. How Matthews responds to this injury will dictate his next grade, and perhaps the Maple Leafs’ season overall. B
Jake McCabe: McCabe is Toronto’s best point-of-attack defender, and he earns points here for his toughness, leadership, physicality and willingness to stick up for his teammates. He’s also been exposed off the rush more than a few times, and has committed some awful turnovers that have been immediately punished throughout November. He’s making an active effort to contribute offence as well, while emerging as the team’s top defencemen amid a wave of injuries. It’s a tough grade to assign. C+
Bobby McMann: McMann is prone to inconsistency, which makes him a difficult player to evaluate. At his best, McMann’s blazing speed compliments star players and he can get to the net with some underrated physicality. The problem is, McMann will go weeks without scoring, then will register points in five of six games, as he did from November 3-November 13. Consistency is the key for McMann, who occasionally shows flashes of greater potential. C
Dakota Mermis: Mermis is doing what’s asked of him, playing a simple game that requires little flash. The journeyman scored his first NHL goal since February 2024 during Thursday’s loss, and it’ll be compelling to see how he develops with Troy Stecher as his partner through the next quarter. C+
Philippe Myers: Myers is off to a disastrous start to the season, which necessitated the acquisition of Troy Stecher. He’s turning the puck over routinely in the defensive zone, isn’t pushing players away from the net-front, and hasn’t been able to build off a solid 2024-25 campaign where he earned Berube’s trust over the course of the year. Toronto sports a minus-seven differential at 5-on-5 when Myers is on the ice, and there aren’t any stats that outweigh the eye test, which reveals Myers as one of the NHL’s worst active defencemen. There is nowhere to go but up. F
William Nylander: Nylander is one of the NHL’s best players, a dynamic scorer who can take over games in the span of a shift. There have been criticisms lobbied at Nylander’s efforts and consistency, but it often feels unfair for a player who is ranked 9th in NHL scoring prior to Friday’s slate. Nylander was in consideration for team MVP this quarter and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wins that superlative next time. A-
Jacob Quillan: Quillan’s speed was on full display during Tuesday’s win, but he slipped into the background on Thursday. We’re looking forward to seeing what Quillan does with increased opportunities over this quarter. Incomplete
Cayden Primeau: Primeau played so poorly during his three games with the Maple Leafs that he was placed on waivers, even as the team were struggling to find two healthy goaltenders. F
Morgan Rielly: Rielly was outstanding in the season-opening win against the Montreal Canadiens, and carried this form through the opening week of the season. It wore off, and Rielly’s struggles to defend the rush have often characterized the team’s descent into one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams. Rielly is getting into the rush, he’s producing points, he’s on the top power play unit, and is often the spokesperson for the defence corps when things go awry. He’s also winning a lot of his minutes, more than his critics would admit. C+
Nick Robertson: Robertson cemented his place in the lineup and is playing the best hockey of his career. His tenacity and all-out aggression is paying off, he’s getting to his spots with frequency and has augmented Toronto’s potent attack. Although he’s a popular trade candidate, Robertson is finally living up to the promise he’s showed throughout his Leafs’ tenure, with five goals and 11 points in 20 games. B+
Nicolas Roy: Acquired in the Mitch Marner trade, Roy was expected to contribute secondary scoring and some plus-defence, along with championship pedigree. Roy has underperformed as a scorer, with one goal and four points in 19 games. Toronto are losing possession with Roy on the ice, controlling 43 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5. Roy is currently injured, but he’s not meeting expectations and needs a better second quarter. D
Troy Stecher: Stecher is playing with a chip on his shoulder after being claimed off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. He was arguably Toronto’s best player in Tuesday’s win against the St. Louis Blues, and his mobility offers a different look for the Maple Leafs’ blue line. Through two games, Stecher is trending in the right direction, but it’s not enough of a sample to offer an accurate grade. Incomplete
Anthony Stolarz: We don’t want to add insult to injury, but Stolarz’s form completely fell off during the first quarter, before suffering a lingering injury that is worse than initially believed. Stolarz posted a 6-5-1 record in 13 appearances with an .884 save percentage. He was forced into a heavy workload to start the year, and now his health will be a major factor in how the next quarter goes. C-
Chris Tanev: Tanev is a fearless player and one of the NHL’s premier shot-blockers. Last year, Tanev was Toronto’s best defenceman but the 35-year-old was quietly off to an underwhelming start, before suffering an upper-body injury on November 2. All that matters at this point is a speedy recovery. C+
John Tavares: Tavares is the Maple Leafs’ MVP through the first quarter. William Nylander warranted some light discussion, but Tavares won this superlative handily, with 12 goals and 27 points in 21 games. Tavares’ exceptional hockey intelligence and scoring ability are being paired with his relentless drive to win. He ranks second in 5-on-5 points in the NHL, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon prior to Friday’s games, and should be in consideration for Canada’s Olympic team. It’s been a tremendous start for Tavares, one of the all-time great Leafs. A+
Joseph Woll: Woll rejoined the Maple Leafs from a personal leave of absence on October 24. He’s played three games, posting a .923 save percentage with a 1-1-1 record. We’re not going to hold Woll’s absence against him in our grade, and he’s trending positively for a Leafs team that desperately needs stellar goaltending to right the ship. B
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The Toronto Maple Leafs seem to be operating on a pattern of one step forward, several steps back. After snapping a five-game winless streak with a 3-2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, the Leafs dropped their next game on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets and followed it up with a worse effort against their rival Montreal Canadiens.
While the Blue Jackets loss was painful, the Leafs dominated possession for a good chunk of that game and it was the first game in a while where you could make the argument that they didn’t deserve to lose. Against Montreal, however, it was a different story. The moment the Leafs allowed a goal against, they seemingly folded and let the Canadiens take full control of the game.
John Tavares was asked following the game how much of an impact the team’s injuries has had on the team and said that it doesn’t excuse the way the team has been playing.
“There’s no excuses,” Tavares said. “I think we believe we have a very deep team, obviously missing some really good key players, but I think that’s when you want to rely on your game and the identity you build, and we’re still having that come together consistently. So, we gotta continue to stay with it and work through it.”
The Leafs are currently down Auston Matthews, Chris Tanev, Matthew Knies, Anthony Stolarz, Brandon Carlo, and Nicolas Roy. It’s no secret that if you take away two, arguably three of the team’s best players, two solid complementary players and their starting goalie, the results will be ugly now and then, which Tavares acknowledged but said that the rest of the team needs to do a better job of keeping things moving until they reach full health.
“As we get guys back, obviously it will be good for our group, but whatever the case is, we have the capability of being more consistent and doing what we need to do to earn results.”
The Leafs pulled goaltender Joseph Woll after he allowed four goals on 25 shots, but everybody agreed following the game that it was more of a message to the team rather than an indictment of Woll’s play.
“As a group, that’s the ultimate one on us when you leave your goalie out to dry,” Tavares said of Woll. “He’s giving you everything he’s got, keeping you in the game, and you’re not executing well enough to turn the game around and get us back in it to give him a break and provide some run support.”
The Maple Leafs will have a much-needed three-day break from games before they return to action on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where they’ll look to avoid a season sweep at their hands.
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It’s been a turbulent time for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference as of Monday. Toronto resumed practicing at the Ford Performance Centre on Monday, with two days between its next contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
Toronto’s ‘high-minute’ players did not participate in the formal session, taking part in an off-ice workout Monday morning. Jake McCabe was among the players who did not participate in Monday’s practice. McCabe suffered an upper-body injury during Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens and did not return to the contest.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said that McCabe is ‘fine’ and could be an option for Wednesday’s game, via David Alter of The Hockey News.
Nicolas Roy was a full participant for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury. It was Roy’s first action since playing in a November 15 loss against the Chicago Blackhawks. Roy has missed the Leafs’ past three games as a result of the injury. The 28-year-old recorded a goal and four points in 19 games this season.
Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies took part in a skills and development session. Matthews skated throughout last week, but hasn’t played since sustaining a lower-body injury against the Boston Bruins on November 11. Knies also skated last week, but hasn’t played since November 15 due to a lingering lower-body injury.
Matthews, Knies and Roy’s status are to be determined for Wednesday’s game.
Chris Tanev and Marshall Rifai both skated ahead of practice. Tanev hasn’t played since suffering an upper-body injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 2 and is out indefinitely. The veteran defenceman resumed skating on November 8. Rifai underwent wrist surgery in September, after suffering an injury during the preseason against the Montreal Canadiens.
It’s been a brutal stretch for the Maple Leafs, sporting a 9-10-3 record ahead of Wednesday’s game. Berube has struggled to find the ideal line combinations amid several injuries. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving provided Berube with a vote of confidence at the quarterly press conference on November 18, but this assurance may be temporary as the losses continue to pile up.
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Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe is ready to go for Wednesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 32-year-old was ruled out of Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after taking a puck to the face in the second period and did not return for the third.
McCabe did not participate during Monday’s practice, but head coach Craig Berube already indicated he’s good to go. During Tuesday’s practice, McCabe took reps alongside his usual partner, Simon Benoit.
“Honestly, not really that scary. That happens quite a bit, honestly,” McCabe said about getting hit in the face. “Puck ramps up your stick. This one, my face just blew up right away. They just wanted to make sure there’s no fracture, which there’s not. Got lucky, I guess, on that one.”
McCabe and the Maple Leafs are channeling some positivity, while falling to last place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-10-3 record.
“Our road record hasn’t been great either. We know historically, or since I’ve been here, we’ve been pretty solid on the road. We would like to get back to that this trip and that’s kind of why I’m saying that’s a good time for it. Around the guys all the time. You start winning some games, you start feeling good.”
McCabe joked that he wished his face looked a lot prettier, but said that his kids are getting used to the battered and bruised look he has going on now after years of stitches.
He is also willing to stick up for his teammates, whether it be through a transgression that occurred on the ice or when they are feeling down on themselves. Benoit told reporters that Monday that he’s been too passive, and McCabe came to his defense Tuesday.
“ I think he’s playing real solid all year. A couple of games, I feel like that St. Louis game at home, I thought we were both skating real well. Having two left shots allows us to kind of skate forward a little bit more. Getting in technical terms of like surfing across the ice and replacing each other or whatever it be to continue to have good gaps. We’re both better when we’re skating, when we’re physical, and the rest of our game kind of takes over after that part is initiated.”
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Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will return to the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, David Alter of The Hockey News confirmed.
Matthews missed the past five games with the injury sustained against the Boston Bruins on November 11. The 28-year-old skated throughout the past two weeks and took line rushes alongside Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy at Tuesday’s practice.
“It’s been a tough couple weeks, but I think over the last four, five days or so, skating, practising, started to feel really good day after day,” Matthews said Wednesday via TSN’s Mark Masters. “Stacked some positive momentum and feel like I’m ready to go.”
Knies and Roy will also return to the lineup on Wednesday. Knies missed the past three games with a lower-body injury and spoke to travelling reporters ahead of the team’s optional skate.
“I feel great. I feel a lot better,” Knies said Wednesday morning via Masters. “I’m just excited to get back in the lineup. It sucks watching. You just want to be out there to help the guys so happy to do that today.”
It’s unclear how Matthews will be deployed in his return, but it’s possible that Berube reunites Matthews with Knies and Roy for Wednesday’s game, while Easton Cowan remains alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. It appears that Dakota Joshua, Matias Maccelli, Sammy Blais and Jacob Quillan will be among the healthy scratches, with Matthews, Knies and Roy returning to action.
Quillan has been removed from the Leafs’ roster page and will likely be sent down to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies with Matthews and Roy returning from IR.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube declined to tell reporters which players would be scratched on Wednesday.
Roy missed three games due to an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve retroactive to November 15 on November 20. The 28-year-old declined to speak about the specifics of his injury but confirmed he sustained the ailment during a November 15 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Maple Leafs’ projected lineup vs. Blue Jackets
Easton Cowan-John Tavares-William Nylander
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Nicolas Roy
Nick Robertson-Max Domi-Calle Jarnkrok
Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Bobby McMann
Morgan Rielly-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit-Jake McCabe
Dakota Mermis-Troy Stecher
Joseph Woll (projected starter)
Dennis Hildeby
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander was granted a maintenance day and did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that Nylander will play in Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals.
Nylander scored the game-winning goal in Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 29-year-old has recorded 11 goals and 31 points, tied for 5th in NHL scoring prior to Thursday’s games.
Nick Robertson joined Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the top line, while John Tavares centred Max Domi and Easton Cowan on the second line. Matthews, Knies and Nicolas Roy all returned from injury-related multi-game absences on Wednesday.
It appears that Matias Maccelli will be a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game, operating as an alternate during practice, via lines posted by TSN’s Mark Masters. Maccelli has recorded four goals and nine points in 21 games, and hasn’t met preseason expectations, while primarily operating in top-six roles. Dakota Joshua was also among the scratches Wednesday, but he will be back in the lineup. Joshua was paired with Roy and Bobby McMann during practice.
Berube elected to run a five-forward power play on Wednesday, and continued with this format during Thursday’s practice. Matthews, Knies, Tavares, Cowan were part of the first unit, with Domi and Maccelli alternating on the flank. Toronto’s second unit consisted of Robertson, Roy, McMann, along with defencemen Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Joseph Woll may be in line to start his sixth consecutive game. Woll was outstanding for the Maple Leafs in Wednesday’s victory, making 35 stops. Dennis Hildeby is operating as the Maple Leafs’ backup, and if Woll starts Friday, Hildeby will be expected to start Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Maple Leafs’ practice lines
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Nick Robertson
Max Domi-John Tavares-Easton Cowan
Dakota Joshua-Nicolas Roy-Bobby McMann
Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Calle Jarnkrok
Morgan Rielly-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit-Jake McCabe
Dakota Mermis-Troy Stecher
Joseph Woll (projected starter)
Dennis Hildeby
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander will not play in Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals due to illness.
Nylander was granted a maintenance day on Thursday and did not participate in practice. The illness is not related to the issue that Nylander required maintenance for on Thursday. Nylander leads the Maple Leafs in scoring with 11 goals and 31 points in 20 games, notching the overtime winner in Wednesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Dakota Joshua will re-enter the lineup as a result. Joshua was a healthy scratch for Wednesday’s game and was projected to miss a second consecutive contest, prior to Nylander’s illness. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube expanded on what he wants to see out of Joshua following Thursday’s practice.
“Getting to his identity,” Berube said. “He is a big guy. He has to be a physical and hard player to play against. He is going to make and score his goals around the net, right? A little more puck touches in the offensive zone from the forecheck, and then getting to the net front and winning those battles there and tipping pucks. He has good hand-eye. He has the capability of putting the puck in the net.”
Joshua was placed on a line alongside Nicolas Roy and Bobby McMann during Thursday’s practice.
Joseph Woll will make his sixth consecutive start. Woll was outstanding during Wednesday’s victory and was the primary reason why the Maple Leafs secured two points. The 27-year-old is off to a 2-2-1 start with a .921 save percentage. Dennis Hildeby will operate as Woll’s backup on Friday, and will almost certainly start Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Maple Leafs’ projected lineup vs. Capitals
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Nick Robertson
Max Domi-John Tavares-Easton Cowan
Dakota Joshua-Nicolas Roy-Bobby McMann
Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Calle Jarnkrok
Morgan Rielly-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit-Jake McCabe
Dakota Mermis-Troy Stecher
Joseph Woll (confirmed starter)
Dennis Hildeby
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The Toronto Maple Leafs clearly still have a lot of work to do if they want to overcome their sluggish start, as the issues plaguing the team all season long reared their ugly head on Friday in 4-2 loss against the Washington Capitals.
A first period that saw a rare instance of no commercial breaks was also one that the Leafs needed to hang on and survive, since the majority of it was spent in their own end. That’s not to say they didn’t get their looks, but Joseph Woll was clearly the only reason they were able to get out of it with a lead. Morgan Rielly scored on the Leafs’ first shot of the game, which also marked the first time the Leafs opened the scoring since November 13th.
That trend of having spent far too much time defending followed suit in the second frame, with the added challenge of having to kill off two penalties. The Leafs were not only able to get through them unscathed, but they even got some looks while shorthanded. At the tail end of the first infraction, Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies sprang free on a breakaway and got a scoring chance out of it. Matthews made a nice move along the wall to get around Alex Ovechkin, allowing Knies to find open space in the slot, and he made no mistake on his shot.
The Capitals gained some more extended zone time for much of the second frame, and eventually Connor McMichael cut the deficit to one.
But in the third, things fell apart for the Leafs as they broke after bending for much of the night and saw their lead disintegrate in brutal fashion. Goals from Anthony Beauvillier, Jakob Chychrun, and a Tom Wilson empty-netter flipped the game on its head, even though it was obvious off the jump that Toronto didn’t really deserve to be leading for much of the night. While Woll’s stellar play was commendable and the main reason why the final score wasn’t so lopsided, the team cannot keep banking on their netminders to bail them out and at some point give the goalies a solid showing in front.
The good news is the Leafs won’t have to wait long to get another wipe the slate clean as they head to Western Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
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Is there still room for optimism surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs? Our friends at Daily Faceoff listed the Maple Leafs as one of five key ‘swing’ teams at the U.S. Thanksgiving juncture, a point of demarcation where the playoff picture begins to clear up.
Toronto is off to a 10-11-3 start following Friday’s 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, and widespread changes could be on the way imminently. Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin provided the following rationale for why the Maple Leafs are considered a swing team, prior to Friday’s game:
The Leafs have been genuinely bad this season. They’re a big, slow fossil of a hockey team, playing a style that may prove effective in the playoffs but that makes it very difficult to make the playoffs. Their play driving has been bad enough that we could actually call their record lucky so far this season. So does that mean head coach Craig Berube’s seat is hot? And will GM Brad Treliving shuffle his roster and trade underachieving defenseman Brandon Carlo?
It’s just too early to tell, as the Leafs do have an excuse. They’ve been absolutely decimated by injuries, playing one stretch earlier this month minus Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Carlo, Chris Tanev and Anthony Stolarz simultaneously. They’ve been bad, yes, but they’ve dressed a glorified AHL team many nights. If they get close to healthy and continue to struggle, it may be time to blow things up. But the Leafs could just as easily return to being an above-average team in a mercurial Eastern Conference. Few clubs have a wider range of outcomes between now and April.
We can’t argue against Larkin’s logic, and we’re choosing to take the glass half-full approach, whenever it’s applicable. Matthews and Knies have returned to the lineup and it’s incumbent on the Maple Leafs’ captain to return to his 2023-24 form, or else the team could miss the playoffs for the first time in his career. Toronto needs to fix a porous defence that hasn’t been able to defend cross-seam passes, or rush attempts at all this season.
It’s an uphill battle entering December, and the Maple Leafs are joined by the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks as the teams most likely to be subject to the widest range of outcomes.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have been waiting for a night like this for weeks. And, while it wasn’t the prettiest 60 minutes of hockey, it was a great sight to see the supporting cast show up in a major way against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Nicolas Roy, Bobby McMann, Dakota Joshua, and Nick Robertson all broke out of lengthy goal slumps, helping lead the Leafs to a 7-2 blowout. The effort was there, they executed on grade-A chances, and they chased Penguins starter Arturs Silovs. However, there’s still plenty to clean up on the defensive end as the structure in the D-zone continues to be a work in progress, but let’s focus on some positives as the convincing victory was one of the Leafs best games of the season.
Easton Cowan was back on the scoresheet against the Pens, showing off some chemistry with William Nylander on a fancy give-and-go. Cowan had another strong game and continues to learn on the fly as a top-six rookie. You can tell with the plays he can make in tight spaces and his hockey IQ that big things are ahead for the former first-round pick.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson stayed hot, extending his point streak to nine games when he opened the scoring in the first period. However, in the third, Ekman-Larsson left the game and did not return, which is polar opposite of what this team needs right now. Ekman-Larsson was having one of his best games of the season before he got hurt. Dennis Hildeby received the start in net for the second half of the back-to-back, and was solid. Hildeby battled and looked very comfortable in the crease, which is also a great site for the Maple Leafs as Anthony Stolarz still isn’t travelling with the team.
Max Domi made his return to the lineup after his first experience being scratched as a Maple Leaf. Domi had some flashes of brilliance in Pittsburgh, including when he pried the puck away in the Penguins crease and made a nice feed to find Roy for a tap-in out front. Domi’s vision isn’t the issue, it’s his consistent effort and discipline, and while it wasn’t his best game of the season, he’s likely earned another look alongside Auston Matthews. With a couple of days off before their next game, a lot could change as trade talks continue around the league.
It was great to see the Maple Leafs get some swagger back in Pittsburgh. They played with a purpose, and the collective effort is a positive sign for a team searching for momentum. The Leafs are now 2-2 on their road trip, and will fly out Sunday and head south to take on the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. A day off on the beach or the golf course Sunday could help sustain this newfound positive momentum.
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