RSS Maple Leafs Team Notes

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Troy Stecher discusses pride in competing, reflects on viral moment vs. Senators

Considering just how good he’s been for the Toronto Maple Leafs so far this season, it’s hard to believe Troy Stecher was a waiver pickup just two months ago.

This week, The Leafs Nation’s Nick Alberga sat down for an exclusive interview with the hottest new player in Toronto for Tuesday’s edition of Leafs Morning Take. Since being claimed, Stecher has brought high energy and competitiveness to the Leafs, and his teammates are liking it. He shared with Alberga what it means to get that kind of acknowledgement from the locker room.

“Those are the guys you play for,” Stecher said. “Anytime your teammates are taking notice, it’s a nice feeling to get that recognition. But at the end of the day, you have a job to do, and I’m trying to do my job as an individual player.”

Beyond just winning over his teammates, Stecher captured the hearts of the fanbase with a viral moment at the end of December, pumping up the crowd at Scotiabank Arena after a 7-5 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Troy Stecher was HYPED after the Leafs defeated the Sens pic.twitter.com/jYczgy7Zyt

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 28, 2025

While he told Alberga he feels “a little embarrassed” about it now, the moment clearly spoke to a fanbase hungry to see more passion from their players amidst a slow start to the season. Stecher shared that he’s not necessarily always the biggest personality, but he was feeling the energy in that hard-fought win.

“I think more than anything I just try to play with a lot of compete,” he said. “It’s something I pride myself on. And I think with that, it’s an emotional game and sometimes you get caught up in your emotions. That instance, for example, it’s against a division rival, provincial rival, right after Christmas. Almost blew a lead and find a way to win an exciting 7-5 game. So yeah, just kind of caught in the moment, wanted to get the building going. I think maybe when my career’s over I’ll look back and have a good laugh about it.”

Catch Alberga’s full interview with Stecher here and be sure to tune into Leafs Morning Take weekdays at 11am!

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/troy-stecher-pride-competing-viral-moment-senators

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Instant Reaction: Maple Leafs tame Panthers 4-1 in most complete game of season

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked the perfect time to play their most complete game of the season.

The Leafs hosted the Florida Panthers Tuesday night in what felt like a Stanley Cup Playoff game from the opening puck drop. The pace was extremely high out of the gates, there was very little ice to operate, and Toronto matched the Panthers intensity, controlled the game at times, and used contributions from all over the lineup to hold off the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions 4-1.

Auston Matthews was honoured before the game by Leafs’ legend Mats Sundin, accepting a celebratory plaque for passing Sundin in the organization’s record books with his 421st goal last Saturday night on Long Island. It was a fantastic moment for the franchise and you could tell how much it meant for Matthews to not only feel the love from Leafs Nation, but have Sundin in attendance to be part of the celebration.

Mats Sundin and the Maple Leafs honour Auston Matthews for becoming the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer pic.twitter.com/5q4MQHWJRQ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 7, 2026

Tuesday’s affair was a borderline statement game for the Maple Leafs as they showed their capable of playing a solid game in all three zones. It was the first time the Panthers had been in Toronto since they eliminated them from the playoffs last season, and you could tell this game meant a ton to either side.

The third line stood out once again in this one, as Nicolas Roy, Nick Robertson, and Easton Cowan were all over the ice. Cowan opened the scoring in the dying seconds of the first period, which gave the Leafs a ton of momentum heading into the intermission. They’d go on to score twice in the first five minutes of the second period, thanks to a Matthews Knies’ tip in front, and Matthews with his 422nd career goal. While the whole team was absolutely solid, Roy, Robertson, and Cowan outworked the Panthers almost every shift they were on the ice, were the Leafs’ most physical line, and had Florida’s defencemen on their heels. It’s a great sign for the Leafs’ bottom six to start showcasing an identity, and it was on full display against the rival Panthers in arguably the biggest game of the season.

All eyes were on defenceman Morgan Rielly, who was coming off perhaps his worst game as a Maple Leaf last Saturday against the Islanders. Although he didn’t have a ‘bounce-back’ game, he was unnoticeable on the ice for the most part, which is a very good sign, especially of late. Rielly finished the night with a +2 rating, and played close to 20 minutes. Joseph Woll took home the victory and was absolutely dialed in during the early parts of the third period to hold onto the lead. He’d go on to stop 18 shots in the third, and 31 overall on the night.

The Maple Leafs now hit the road to take on the Flyers in Philadelphia on Thursday, after their sixth straight win on home ice. They’ll need the same type of intensity and tenacity on the road, as this hockey team is trending in the right direction at the moment.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/ins...-panthers-4-1-in-most-complete-game-of-season

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Jason Demers on Toronto’s statement win, mentality shift, & why the Leafs look different: Leafs Morning Take

Brad Marchand’s losing his touch.

For the second straight outing against Toronto this year, the long-time Bruins captain had some troll-job comments backfire on him.

After kicking off the day supplying candid commentary for the Toronto media regarding the current state of the Leafs and how the fans handled Mitch Marner, the 37-year-old winger was forced to leave Tuesday night’s game after two periods due to a nagging injury. He wasn’t making much of a difference anyway as the Leafs smothered the Panthers 4-1 —just like they did back in early December in Sunrise.

Indisputably, the night belonged to Auston Matthews, who was honoured before the game for passing Mats Sundin for the franchise lead in goals. That’s where the conversation started on the Wednesday edition of Leafs Morning Take as David Pagnotta filled in for Jay Rosehill. All in all, we thought it was a nice touch for Sundin to make the trip across the pond for Matthews’ big night. Talk about passing the torch!

Suffice it is to say, we had a lot of good things to say in our game recap. Since firing Marc Savard, the Leafs are 5-0-2. Furthermore, they’ve scored three goals or more in six of those seven contests. On top of all that, Toronto’s been lights out at Scotiabank Arena this season. They’ve won six in a row on home ice, and through 25 outings there, they’re 15-5-5. Joseph Woll improved to 6-0-1 on home ice and 7-1-1 in his last nine decisions. The penalty kill was outstanding again going 3-for-3. They’ve now killed off 31 of 34 penalties since December 1st. On that topic, we were trying to figure out how Eetu Luostarinen got away with that hit from behind on Scott Laughton. Entering the night, believe it or not, Florida had possessed 52 more power play opportunities than Toronto. What a wild stat. Both have now played 42 games. At any rate, it was good to see Brandon Carlo back in the lineup after missing 23 games due to foot surgery. He looked very solid. As did Matthew Knies, who’s now up to five goals and eight points since the mini three-day holiday break.

After that, NHL analyst, podcaster, and former NHLer Jason Demers dropped by for a visit to chime in on Toronto’s impressive victory over Florida. He dished on the Leafs’ hot surge since canning Marc Savard. Additionally, he hit on Matthews’ red-hot play, Toronto’s unheralded penalty kill, and what it was like playing against Matthew Knies at the 2022 Olympics. Lastly, Demers talked about the Leafs’ ability to step up recently without William Nylander, who’s missed the past five games.

Jay Rosehill will be back in the mix for Thursday’s show as we preview Scott Laughton’s return to Philadelphia. Meantime, Carlo Colaiacovo, who just like Rosey was teammates with Laughton in Philadelphia, is slated to drop by the show for another appearance.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube channel HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too —wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/jas...y-the-leafs-look-different-leafs-morning-take

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Berube calls hit on Laughton ‘penalty, all day long’, loved Leafs’ collective effort vs. Panthers

The Toronto Maple Leafs played one of their most impressive hockey games of the season on Tuesday night, taking down the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 4-1.

All lines were firing, the Leafs matched the Panthers intensity from puck drop on, and goaltender Joseph Woll was solid in net, stopping 31 shots for the win. Head coach Craig Berube was asked postgame about what he liked from his team, and he didn’t shy away from the fact it was a huge game, against one of the Leafs’ biggest rivals, and loved how his team turned the Panthers’ strengths and flipped them into their weakness.

“Well, it always means a lot playing Florida, Tampa. I think you kind of create some rivals against these teams playing them in the playoffs last year, similar to when Ottawa came into here. Those games are intense. And, they’re going to be intense, we know that. When you play Florida, you got to match the physicality, you got to match how they’re coming at you all night. They’re going to put it in, and they’re going to come at you, that’s the way they play, and I thought we did a really good job for two periods exposing that at times and creating some odd-man rushes…everybody had a part in it tonight, which was good, we needed that.”

A scary scene in the late in the second period as Maple Leafs forward Scott Laughton was hit from behind by Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen. Laughton was bloodied from the hit, which looked as dirty as any hit on a Maple Leaf this season.

Scott Laughton is hit directly from behind. No call on the play.

: Sportsnet | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/coUPrHyrFn

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 7, 2026

Surprisingly, there was no penalty called on the play. Berube didn’t shy away from sharing his feelings when asked about the hit.

“That’s a penalty, all day long. They call that 95% of the time. But, they didn’t call it that time. And that’s whatever. I mean, I’m not gonna complain about it.”

A big part of the Maple Leafs’ success of late is because of their penalty kill, which ranks third best in the NHL. Toronto received a huge boost on the blueline before the game as Brandon Carlo returned to action for the first time since November 13. The PK went 3-for-3 against Florida, which included Carlo playing a whopping 3:31 shorthanded. Berube was extremely satisfied with the collective effort, and more specifically, what he saw out of Carlo after a long layoff.

“Good team effort, everybody had a part in it tonight. [Brandon] Carlo, great having him back tonight,” Berube said. “I thought he played well, he’d been out for a long time, but I thought he really did a good job in there tonight. All around good team effort. Penalty kill had to do a good job, especially early in the third with a penalty starting the period, and right after again. So, getting those kills were big.”

Easton Cowan opened the scoring late in the first period, thanks to some hard work from his linemates Nick Robertson and Nicolas Roy. The Leafs’ third line has been buzzing lately, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Berube, who knows how important they are for the team’s success.

“They’ve been good, they’ve been solid. For me, they’ve been solid in all three zones,” Berube told reporters. “I think they’re probably, in the offensive zone, in my opinion, in the last three of four games, they’ve probably created as many chances as anybody on our team with their puck play. That lines been very, very good for us. Getting some goals from that line is big for secondary scoring.”

Matthew Knies scored the Leafs second goal of the game early in the second period, on a nice tip in front. Berube’s loving what he’s seeing of late from Knies, who he’s asked to be more present in the dirty areas of the ice, including in front of the opposing net.

“I thought he was really strong tonight on the puck, in battles, things like that. Again, he’s scoring some goals, probably 10 feet out around the net. That’s where he scores his goals.”

Lastly, Auston Matthews was honoured before the game by Leafs’ legend Mats Sundin for breaking the franchise’s all-time goal record, and the small gestures from Sundin haven’t gone unnoticed by Toronto’s bench boss.

“It’s great, Mats is an unbelievable guy. I didn’t really know him that well until last year when I met him, and just being around him. I played against him for a number of years. Great human being, great player. To come here, present an award to Matthews, it shows a lot. Great job by ‘Matty’ accomplishing that feat.”

The Maple Leafs are rolling at the moment, moving to 15-5-2 on home ice this season. They’ll look to continue their recent strong play when they hit the road to take on the Flyers, in Philadelphia on Thursday.

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Introducing Off The Roster—Toronto Sports, Unfiltered! Toronto sports fans, your new favourite conversation has arrived. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, Off The Roster dives into the city’s legendary plays, brutal trades, OG jerseys, celebrity tweets, and everything in between. Raw, fun, and totally unfiltered, this is Toronto sports like you’ve never heard it before. Tune in live every weekday morning on the Nation Network YouTube channel, or catch episodes wherever you stream podcasts. Proudly brought to you by our founding partner, PROLINE. Off The Roster—the new sound in the 6ix.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/cra...n-penalty-toronto-maple-leafs-effort-panthers

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Carlo Colaiacovo thinks the Leafs should re-sign Scott Laughton: Leafs Morning Take

The big night is finally here for Scott Laughton.

After he was forced to miss Toronto’s earlier visit in November due to injury, the 31-year-old is set to play his first game back in Philadelphia since the trade prior to last year’s deadline. It took him a while, but Laughton has really found his footing in the Maple Leafs’ lineup after a very slow and injury riddled start to his 25-26 campaign.

Indisputably, that’s the big story heading into Thursday night as Craig Berube’s bunch will put their seven game point streak on the line. That said, we kicked off the Thursday edition of Leafs Morning Take by honouring an absolute great. On Wednesday night, it was announced that Hall of Famer Glenn Hall, who once made 502 consecutive starts in between the pipes, passed away at the age of 94. He won two Stanley Cups, one Conn Smythe, three Vezinas, and one Calder as the NHL’s top rookie. Talk about a resume. Hall spent 10 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.

As mentioned, the Leafs have been red-hot, so naturally, everyone’s back aboard and we’re discussing ways to improve the roster. Is it time for another reunion with Luke Schenn? We debated the idea after news broke from The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta that the 36-year-old, who’s in a contract year, could be open to a change of scenery. It’s been a bizarre year in Winnipeg. They went from winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season to sitting dead last. Wild stuff.

After that, we offered up a full-fledged game preview. The bad news is that the Leafs have dropped five straight on the road. The good news is that they’ve completely owned the Flyers over the past few seasons. In fact, they’ve won four in a row against them – including a decisive 5-2 triumphant on November 1st – and nine of 10 overall meetings. Obviously, all eyes will be on Laughton. Since he returned from injury on November 20th, Toronto’s penalty kill has motored along at a ridiculous 91.5% clip, which unsurprisingly is tops in the NHL.

To help us break things down, TSN Hockey Analyst Carlo Colaiacovo dropped by the show. Like Jay Rosehill, Coco was teammates with Laughton Philadelphia, so obviously, he offered up a unique perspective ahead of the Oakville native’s return to a place he called home for many years. Coco dished on Laughton’s impact recently & if he would re-sign him. Spoiler: Yes, he would. On top of the Laughton’s discussion, Carlo dished on Matthews’ red-hot play, what’s changed since Marc Savard got canned, and if he thinks the Leafs end up making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Plenty headed your way on Friday. We’ll recap Leafs/Flyers, look ahead to Saturday night’s home tilt with the Vancouver Canucks, and All Elite Wrestling’s Adam Copeland will drop by the show once again.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube channel HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too —wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/car...uld-re-sign-scott-laughton-leafs-morning-take

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Instant Reaction: Easton Cowan scores OT winner as Maple Leafs grind out two points vs. Flyers

Easton Cowan loves Philadelphia.

Returning to the building where he scored his first career NHL goal, Cowan called game in overtime to complete the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2-1 comeback over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. John Tavares fed an absolutely beauty of a backhand pass to Cowan on a two-on-one late in overtime and Cowan did the rest, getting redemption on Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, who stopped Cowan on a breakaway earlier in the extra frame.

The Maple Leafs did a wonderful job grinding out these two points, which at this point of the season, goes a very long way. It wasn’t pretty, but there’s no pictures in the standings.

If you were expecting exciting end-to-end highly skilled hockey, you tuned into the wrong game, as the Flyers did a great job smothering the Maple Leafs, in what was, for the most part besides overtime, a boring hockey game. The Flyers were tenacious on the forecheck and kept Toronto’s defencemen on their heels for the majority of the game and did a great job limiting any high-danger chances. The Leafs showed some character to grind it out and stick to their game plan.

Scott Laughton made his first return to Philadelphia since being traded to the Maple Leafs last season and tied the game late in the third period shorthanded. It was a great moment for Laughton, who received a nice tribute video during the first period and a loud ovation from the Flyers’ faithful. Hopefully this game gives him a boost as Laughton can be an x-factor for the Leafs during the second half of the season. It’s worth noting Laughton was dominant in the faceoff circle against his old club, and at one point tried to fight Flyers forward Carl Grundstrom.

On the back end, it was another tough night at the office for Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly, who has been struggling of late. Rielly was on for the first Flyers goal, and in the dying seconds of the second period, Matias Maccelli put a nifty behind-the-back no-look feed on Rielly’s tape and he wasn’t able to get a shot on net, despite the yawning cage.

What a pass by Maccelli, but Rielly just misses the net

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/EtrMkSRhYU

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 9, 2026

Speaking of Maccelli, he deserves a shout out as he was dangerous with the puck on his stick and continues to look like a completely different player these last couple of weeks. It will be interesting to see where Maccelli lands in the lineup once William Nylander returns, but for now, he’s taking advantage of playing time and looks to be a long-term option for the Leafs top nine.

The Maple Leafs get a huge road win in Philly and now head back home to host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. These are the type of wins the team needs more of as the team is heating up at the perfect time. Don’t look now, but make that points in eight straight.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/ins...le-leafs-grind-two-points-philadelphia-flyers

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Adam Copeland is buying what this Leafs team is selling: Leafs Morning Take

Have a return, Scott Laughton.

After we hyped it up all day, the 31-year-old delivered emphatically in his return to Philadelphia. Not only did Laughton pot a shorthanded game-tying tally with just over five minutes left in regulation, but for good measure, he went a ridiculous 19-1 in the face-off circle on the night. Then, Easton Cowan finished things off with the OT winner as the Leafs edged the Flyers 2-1 to push their point streak to eight games (6-0-2).

Obviously, we were quite jacked to kick off the Friday edition of Leafs Morning Take. That said, it’s important to stress how important that victory was. As per usual, a lot of teams around Toronto in the standings – like Buffalo, Montreal, Detroit, and Pittsburgh – were also victorious on Thursday night.

Meantime, a storm is brewing in Canada’s capital. We discussed the chaos surrounding Sens goalie Linus Ullmark, the rumours, and how Ottawa’s organization is handling this whole thing. The cherry on top to this whole thing: Ottawa got stomped 8-2 in Colorado, Mads Sogaard couldn’t finish the game, which forced the Senators to sign James Reimer to a AHL PTO mid-game. Reminder: Toronto’s victory over Ottawa in the first game back from the holiday break seemed to kick-start this avalanche.

Getting back to the Leafs, they deserve a lot of credit for the way they stuck with the program against Philadelphia. It wasn’t a pretty game, but bottom line, they got the job done. Everyone did their part, including Dennis Hildeby, who made 22 stops —several of which on the Flyers’ third period 5-on-3. Speaking of which, the Leafs went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. Since December 1st, they’re 34-for-37. They’ve been tremendous. With the victory, the Leafs ended a dismal five game winless skid on the road. They’re 4-0-2 since William Nylander went down with a lower-body injury.

After that, we caught up with one of our faves as All Elite Wrestling star Adam Copeland made his first appearance of the season on the show. Unsurprisingly, just like us, COPE was all kinds of fired up about the win and Toronto’s recent play. He talked a lot about the DNA change and how he felt this season would be more of a grind for the Leafs as they found their footing. Copeland’s been impressed by Scott Laughton, Dennis Hildeby, and overall buy-in of the group the last little while. He even went as far to say in the interview that he thinks, yes, the Leafs will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Lastly, we previewed Saturday night’s tilt with Vancouver. Simply put, it’s a must-win. They need it badly, especially with Colorado coming up on Monday night at Ball Arena. For what it’s worth, the Leafs have had their struggles with the Canucks in recent memory. Of note, David Kampf will make his return to Scotiabank Arena.

At any rate, be sure to join us on Monday for another jam-packed edition of the podcast. We’ll recap Leafs/Canucks as well as preview Monday night’s tilt in Denver with the NHL leading Colorado Avalanche. Also, we’re going to catch up with former Maple Leaf Kyle Wellwood.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube channel HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too —wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/ada...this-leafs-team-is-selling-leafs-morning-take

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Maple Leafs assign forward Jacob Quillan to Toronto Marlies

Jacob Quillan is headed back to the AHL.

On Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced the 23-year-old forward has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies. Quillan had been called up in late December amidst injuries to forwards Auston Matthews and Dakota Joshua, among others. With those two out, he suited up in the Leafs 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils, logging seven minutes of ice-time and finishing at +1. Ahead of that game, head coach Craig Berube praised the young player for the potential he’s shown.

“I love Quillan’s energy and his speed,” Berube said. “He’s a young kid, but he could come in and provide what we need, I think tonight, and going forward. I think he’s getting close to being an NHL player and a full-time one with his ability. I mean, it’s a good opportunity for him tonight.”

Quillan previously played two other games with the Leafs this season when he was called up in mid-November amidst a slew of injuries. He was then returned to the Marlies at the end of the month. His NHL debut came last season with the Leafs, playing one game in late January. In four games played, he has yet to record a point in the NHL.

So far this season with the Marlies, Quillan has five goals and 23 points in 26 games played. His goalscoring has slowed slightly, but it’s an impressive near-point-per-game pace compared to last year, where he finished with 18 goals and 37 points in 67 appearances.

An undrafted prospect, Quillan signed with the Maple Leafs out of Quinnipiac University in 2024. Currently on the final year of his entry-level contract, he is set to become a restricted free agent this summer at the age of 24. Last August, Quillan came in at #11 on The Leafs Nation’s 2025 Prospect Rankings. Here is some of what TLN’s Nick Richard had to say on the Nova Scotia native:

He isn’t a player with outstanding puck skills or a lethal release, but the way Quillan processes what’s happening around him allows him to make quick, intelligent reads in all three zones. He is an effective forechecker who takes good routes to disrupt plays, he utilizes his teammates and keeps his feet moving in transition as well as on the cycle, and he knows how to play in his own zone. Quillan is an adaptable player who can line up down the middle or on the wing, facilitate plays for more skilled linemates, or take on defensive minutes and kill penalties. He isn’t a physical force, but he has enough size and tenacity to get to the tough areas of the ice, and the skill to finish chances around the net. Quillan might not be a player who jumps off the screen at first glance, but he checks a lot of the boxes that NHL teams require of their depth forwards.

The Marlies play the first of a back-to-back tonight against the Belleville Senators. The team currently sits third in the AHL’s North Division.

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Introducing Off The Roster—Toronto Sports, Unfiltered! Toronto sports fans, your new favourite conversation has arrived. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, Off The Roster dives into the city’s legendary plays, brutal trades, OG jerseys, celebrity tweets, and everything in between. Raw, fun, and totally unfiltered, this is Toronto sports like you’ve never heard it before. Tune in live every weekday morning on the Nation Network YouTube channel, or catch episodes wherever you stream podcasts. Proudly brought to you by our founding partner, PROLINE. Off The Roster—the new sound in the 6ix.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-assign-forward-jacob-quillan-toronto-marlies

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Canucks’ David Kampf has found closure to end of Leafs’ tenure

Vancouver Canucks forward David Kampf received the new beginning he wished for, and has found some closure.

Kampf will square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time, since the team placed him on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. The veteran centre refused to report to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, firmly believing he’s a full-time NHL player. Vancouver signed Kampf to a one-year contract on November 15. Kampf has operated as the Canucks’ second-line centre, posting two goals and three points in 22 games.

“I wouldn’t say I’m playing with a chip, but I’m excited. A lot of friends on the other side, so I’m excited,” Kampf said.

“I don’t want to talk about it too much. I just made a decision and I’m happy with my decision, I’m here and I’m moving forward.”

Kampf couldn’t secure a fourth-line centre role with the Maple Leafs coming out of training camp, and was clearly outplayed by several forwards. The 30-year-old spent the past four seasons with the Maple Leafs, but his role ultimately became redundant, and his lack of offensive impact was a clear factor in the organization’s decision to phase him out of the lineup.

Although Kampf departed in a difficult scenario, he still has plenty of well-wishers within the Leafs’ organization.

“Dave was a great teammate,” Maple Leafs forward John Tavares said, following Saturday’s morning skate. “Great guy, really enjoyed playing with him. A lot of great memories over the years. Extremely hard working, extremely competitive person. Obviously, things unfortunately didn’t work out here. A lot of good times here together. A lot of good memories. Played some really good hockey for us. I’m excited for him to go to the Olympics as well. I know it’s a big honour for him, and he was really hoping to do that.”

“It’s great for him,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Kampf’s new opportunity. “We all like Kampf-er here a lot. He was here for quite some time and it’s tough. Again, they’re decisions that have to be made but I’m glad he’s back playing.”

Kampf effectively bet on himself, and while he may not be playing with a chip on his shoulder, it seems clear that he’s intent on proving the Maple Leafs wrong. Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, it appears Kampf will get ample opportunity against Tavares and the Maple Leafs’ top-six.

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Introducing Off The Roster—Toronto Sports, Unfiltered! Toronto sports fans, your new favourite conversation has arrived. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, Off The Roster dives into the city’s legendary plays, brutal trades, OG jerseys, celebrity tweets, and everything in between. Raw, fun, and totally unfiltered, this is Toronto sports like you’ve never heard it before. Tune in live every weekday morning on the Nation Network YouTube channel, or catch episodes wherever you stream podcasts. Proudly brought to you by our founding partner, PROLINE. Off The Roster—the new sound in the 6ix.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/van...ampf-found-closure-toronto-maple-leafs-tenure

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Instant Reaction: Maple Leafs’ penalty kill puts on another clinic in 5-0 win vs. Canucks

The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ penalty kill has turned into a dominant force for them in the past month or so, and Saturday night’s 5-0 win vs. the Canucks was a textbook example.

The Canucks had six power plays including four in the first period, and the Leafs killed off all six of them to bring their penalty kill ranking to third in the NHL. Scott Laughton has been a driving force of the team’s improved penalty kill, logging over six minutes of time on the kill fresh off of a performance on Thursday that saw him win 19 of 20 faceoffs and score a shorthanded goal against the Philadelphia Flyers. That said, the success can chalked up to overall team success and a strong system implemented by new penalty kill coach Derek Lalonde, especially since the team has been without star defenceman Chris Tanev for much of the season.

The Leafs pounced on the Canucks early, with goals from Matias Maccelli, Max Domi, and William Nylander in the first period to give them a strong foundation from the start. It was a three-point effort for Nylander in his return, picking up right where he left off after missing the last chunk of games due to injury. John Tavares added another goal later in the game, and from there, the team tightened up and kept the Canucks off the scoresheet thanks to a stellar performance from Joseph Woll in net. The Leafs’ goaltender stopped 29 of 29 shots for his second shutout of the season. Nick Robertson also added an insurance goal with 13 seconds left in the game.

The Maple Leafs appear to be clicking at the right time on both sides of the puck. They’ve scored 38 goals since December 23rd, which is good for first in the NHL since that date. Their win over the Canucks is their third in a row, and they’ve yet to win four games in a row this season. They’ll have an extremely tall task in front of them if they want to do it on Monday, with a game against the league-best Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/instant-reaction-toronto-maple-leafs-penalty-kill-clinic-win-canucks

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

‘Heavyweight Champ’ Max Domi is doing it all for Maple Leafs

Max Domi isn’t afraid to punch above his weight class. Domi’s head coach and his Toronto Maple Leafs‘ teammates love him for it.

The pesky forward put on a show Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks, scoring the Leafs’ second goal in a 5-0 rout. All anybody was talking about after the game was Domi’s second-period tilt with Canucks’ defenceman Marcus Pettersson. The 6-foot-5 Pettersson and 5-foot-10 Domi squared off in the second period, in what was a very one-sided tilt.

Marcus Pettersson and Max Domi drop the mitts pic.twitter.com/xOcdZSoBFO

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 11, 2026

After the game Domi was quick to be crowned the Maple Leafs’ heavyweight champ, leaving some of his teammates in awe.

“Awesome. Threw a couple of rights, and then switched to left,” Maple Leafs forward Matias Maccelli said. “I didn’t know he had that, but it was just unreal. He’s the heavyweight now.”

Craig Berube is no stranger to dropping the mitts and loved every second of what Domi was willing to do to pump up his teammates. Berube went over to Domi to congratulate him once he returned to the bench post fight, and after the game, Berube made sure to let Domi’s teammates know that not only did he record his 100 point as a Leaf, it’s no contest now – he’s the Leafs’ heavyweight champ. It’s these types of moments that have a huge impact on the rest of the group, and as a former enforcer, Berube is well aware how important a fight like that is for the entire team.

“It does. Max has a lot of influence and respect on our team,” stated Berube. “When he takes on a way bigger opponent and does what he does, he can handle himself. It is good to see. Max has played really well lately. It seems like there is some really good chemistry between him and Matthews.”

“I didn’t really get many lefts in. I was mostly a righty, to be honest with you. But he is good at it. The old man taught him.”

Leafs’ goaltender Joseph Woll enjoyed every second of the Domi scrap from the other end of the ice, and after the game was asked about Domi’s willingness to stick his neck out for the team on a nightly basis.

“That guy’s fearless, he’s a pretty tough dude,” said Woll. “Not someone I’d want to fight, I’m glad he’s on our team.”

Domi is fearless, he’s rolling of late, showcasing great chemistry with Auston Matthews, and more importantly, he’s the Maple Leafs new heavyweight champion.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/heavyweight-champ-max-domi-doing-all-toronto-maple-leafs

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Berube expresses pride in William Nylander’s two-way game in return vs. Canucks

The Toronto Maple Leafs brought another complete effort to the table in a convincing 5-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night, bringing them to a record of 7-0-2 in their last nine games.

William Nylander was one of the stars of the show in the dominant win, scoring a goal and adding two assists in his first game since December 27. The team obviously missed his skill and production in that time, but head coach Craig Berube made sure to shout out Nylander’s play on both sides of the puck following the game.

“He’s a skilled guy, he’s got a lot of talent,” Berube told media following the game. “Tonight, Willy, he’s got three points, and for me, it was the work. He was skating, he was back-checking, stripping people of pucks, and when he does that stuff he can be a great player.”

Another player who got a ringing endorsement from Berube was Brandon Carlo, who was an integral part of the team’s performance on the penalty kill after shutting down six Canucks power plays. The Leafs clearly missed Carlo’s presence on the back end while he was out with an injury, and in his third game back, Berube commented on how important he is to their special teams.

“Having Brandon Carlo back has been a big, big, big help,” Berube said. “What he does back there on the PK, just defending and being the big body he is, I thought he had a really solid game tonight and he’s been solid since he’s been back.”

Berube was also thrilled at his team’s response in front of their own net, defending their goaltender and answering the bell, physically, when necessary. Max Domi dropped the gloves with Canucks defenceman Marcus Petterson and won the fight handily, and even rookie Easton Cowan came close to getting into his first NHL tilt.

“Great job by Max, and you can just see everybody, I call it a pack of wolves,” Berube said. “Get in there, stick up for your teammates, your goalie, Cowboy [Easton Cowan]’s in there, it’s good. We’re tight right now and we’ve gotta keep being tight.”

The Maple Leafs are back in action on Monday when they hit the road for a visit with the Colorado Avalanche.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/cra...lander-commitment-two-way-game-return-canucks

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Leafs lineup news: Woll projected to start vs. Avalanche, Stolarz joins team for morning skate

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll is projected to start Monday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche via lines posted by David Alter of The Hockey News. Woll is coming off a 5-0 shutout against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Woll has posted a 10-4-2 record in 17 appearances, with a .921 save percentage this season.

Anthony Stolarz was a full participant in the Leafs’ morning skate for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury on November 11. Stolarz is currently on long-term injured reserve, while Dennis Hildeby operates as the backup. It’s an encouraging sign for the Maple Leafs, while Woll and Hildeby have emerged as an upper-tier goaltending tandem this season.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube stated there’s a chance that Stolarz will return before the Olympic break.

Berube did not make any amendments to his lines from Saturday’s game. Auston Matthews will centre the first line, with Matthew Knies and Max Domi on the wings. Domi was celebrated for winning his fight against the much-larger Canucks defenceman Marcus Pettersson on Saturday.

Easton Cowan, Nicolas Roy and Nick Robertson have found real chemistry on the third line, while Bobby McMann’s speed, energy, and opportunism is blending in well on the fourth line, where Scott Laughton remains on fire in the faceoff dot. Laughton has been central to the Leafs’ elite penalty kill this season and a catalyst for the team’s recent turnaround.

Calle Jarnkrok, Matt Benning and Philippe Myers are the projected scratches for Monday’s game.

Monday’s game poses a real test for the resurgent Maple Leafs, as the Avalanche are a genuine juggernaut, sporting a league-best 33-4-7 record.

Maple Leafs’ projected lines vs. Avalanche​

Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Max Domi

Matias Maccelli-John Tavares-William Nylander

Easton Cowan-Nicolas Roy-Nick Robertson

Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Bobby McMann

Morgan Rielly-Brandon Carlo

Jake McCabe-Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Simon Benoit-Troy Stecher

Joseph Woll (projected starter)

Dennis Hildeby

Anthony Stolarz

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...tart-colorado-avalanche-stolarz-morning-skate

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Maple Leafs’ Nick Robertson ruled out vs. Avalanche with lower-body injury

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson left Monday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury and will not return.

Robertson was slow to get up, after blocking a shot from Avalanche defenceman Josh Manson during the first period. The play was eventually halted, and Robertson eventually skated to the locker room with the assistance of trainers. Robertson was later seen speaking with trainers, via Sportsnet’s broadcast. Shortly before the second period, Robertson was officially ruled out of the game. Bobby McMann was moved up to the third line in Robertson’s absence.

It would be a tough loss if Robertson further time. Robertson is playing some of the best hockey of his career, finding real chemistry on the third line with Easton Cowan and Nicolas Roy. After the game, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reported that Robertson walking around without any issue.

Robertson has recorded 10 goals and 22 points in 43 games this season, on pace for the best statistical output of his career.

“Nicky’s skating and attacking, and he’s doing a lot of good things,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Robertson’s game in December. “Hounding everywhere, and he’s getting his opportunities, scored a goal tonight, had a couple of other chances. It’s all work for him, when he’s skating and working, he’s a good player.”

“I think all year, Robby’s taken a major step in his play, and the way he plays in all facets,” John Tavares said of Robertson. “When you do a lot of good things in a lot of areas, and the way he uses his speed, and has really become strong on the puck, and strong on his feet, and the way he’s battling and competing

Robertson signed a one-year contract worth $1.825 million with the Maple Leafs in August, avoiding arbitration. He has proven his value in the lineup throughout the year, while playing with consistent speed and tenacity.

It’s likely that the Maple Leafs will provide a further update on Robertson’s status after Monday’s game. If Robertson cannot play Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth, Calle Jarnkrok is the likeliest option to replace Robertson in the lineup.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-nick-robertson-out-avalanche-lower-body-injury

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Button thinks commitment to hard work is driving Leafs’ hot streak: Leafs Morning Take

For the first time since November 7th, the Toronto Maple Leafs are back in a playoff spot.

Incredibly, Craig Berube’s bunch delivered in a big way on Monday night in the ultimate heat-check game. William Nylander netted the OT winner as the Leafs outlasted the Avalanche 4-3 to snap Colorado’s ridiculous 17 game home win streak.

Obviously, we were pretty jacked to kick off the Tuesday edition of Leafs Morning Take. That was a really inspiring effort, too bad many people on the east coast likely missed it because of how late it took place. At any rate, there’s definitely reason for optimism as the Leafs get set for the second half of their back-to-back in Utah, the final stop before the franchise’s first showdown with Mitchell Marner.

Meantime, in the opening block of the podcast, we also touched on Jay Rosehill’s favourite athlete, LeBron James. In case you missed it, LeBron announced he’ll be wearing a special-edition patch for the rest of the season to commemorate his record-setting 23rd NBA campaign. On top of that, we also dove into the coaching shakeup in Columbus, where Dean Evason was fired and 70-year-old Rick Bowness came out of retirement to become the Blue Jackets’ new head coach. Yeah — we’re very versatile podcasters.

Joseph Woll was dynamite, turning aside 31 shots and improving to 9-1-1 over his last 11 appearances. The Leafs also killed off a crucial penalty late in regulation, setting the stage for William Nylander’s OT heroics. All in all, it made for a fun conversation as we broke down everything that unfolded. There’s a reason Colorado owns the NHL’s best record — they gave Toronto all it could handle. We also raved about Auston Matthews’ patented curl-and-drag snipe and Bobby McMann’s burst of speed on a breakaway to beat Trent Miner. Easton Cowan had a big goal in the first period to kick off the scoring, too. Unfortunately, the Leafs lost Nick Robertson early in the game after he blocked a shot in the leg. That said, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox spotted Robertson walking around “fine” after the game. Hopefully, it was just a stinger, or something.

After that upbeat chat, TSN Hockey Analyst Craig Button stopped. Firstly, he dished on the statement overtime win in Denver and what’s truly changed during the team’s 10-game point streak. With the Leafs back in a playoff spot for the first time in a while, Craig shared how his view of this team has evolved, why winning “the hard way” matters, and his thoughts on Dougie Hamilton as a potential fit in Toronto — answering “unquestionably yes” when asked. We also touched on the development of Easton Cowan and Ben Danford.

Lastly, we hit on the back-end of the back-to-back as the Leafs visit Utah. All eyes on Matias Maccelli, who will make his return to Utah after being dealt to the Leafs last summer. In November, Maccelli had one and one – as part of a 5-3 win – against the Mammoth in their visit to Scotiabank Arena. Dennis Hildeby will get the call in goal.

As always, we’ll have a full game recap coming up on Wednesday’s edition of Leafs Morning Take. Plus, former NHLer and Spittin’ Chiclets co-host Ryan Whitney is expected to join us, too.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube channel HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too —wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/cra...s-driving-leafs-hot-streak-leafs-morning-take

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

4 takeaways from Leafs-Mammoth: Hildeby delivers sub-par start as exhausted team runs out of gas

The second night of a road back-to-back is always perilous, and the Toronto Maple Leafs simply ran out of gas in a 6-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Dennis Hildeby started in goal, while Calle Jarnkrok replaced the injured Nick Robertson, but those were the only two changes from Monday’s thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.

Jarnkrok registered the Leafs’ lone goal during the third period, but the result was already secured. Dylan Guenter scored twice for Utah, while Michael Carcone, JJ Peterka, Jack McBain and Daniil But added singles.

Hildeby submitted a sub-par start, but he also wasn’t afforded any run support or defensive stinginess from his teammates, as Toronto’s 10-game point streak came to a close. There isn’t much predictive value from this game either, as the Maple Leafs are looking ahead to Thursday’s charged game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Here are four takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ loss to the Mammoth:

Dennis Hildeby delivers sub-par start against Mammoth​

To be clear, pinning this loss solely on Dennis Hildeby would be entirely unfair. Toronto looked slow and disconnected from the outset of the contest, and Hildeby did not receive any real support. Hildeby has been excellent throughout the season, and this isn’t a referendum on his campaign thus far, but he couldn’t keep his team afloat Tuesday.

Utah’s Michael Carcone opened the scoring, and Hildeby needed to be better. Although it was a comedy of errors from the Maple Leafs, with William Nylander, Matias Maccelli, Auston Matthews and Simon Benoit all scrambling for position, Hildeby was late to track the puck and should’ve made the stop with a clean look.

Carcone opens the scoring

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/G6FGbJXnV0

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 14, 2026

Dylan Guenther wired a laser off the rush for the game’s second goal. There was plenty of velocity on Guenther’s shot, but Hildeby should’ve tracked the shot better and used his size to cut off the rising trajectory.

Guenther makes it 2-0

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/dUJRdoxX4h

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 14, 2026

JJ Peterka also beat Hildeby with a shot that he should’ve been able to track down, during the second period.

4-0

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/PUxZEw4ZV1

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 14, 2026

We’re not putting all the blame on Hildeby, as the Maple Leafs were completely exhausted and there were few standouts. It was far from his best game of the season, and it’ll be compelling to see when Hildeby will get his next start, with Anthony Stolarz skating with the team while recovering from an upper-body injury.

Matias Maccelli makes minimal impact in return to Utah​

Matias Maccelli has been afforded a fresh start with the Maple Leafs. Ater a rocky opening few months, where he was benched for the majority of December, Maccelli has found new life on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, while controlling the entries on the first power play unit. Unfortunately for Maccelli, Tuesday’s game wasn’t one of his best nights.

Maccelli didn’t make an impact at 5-on-5, whether he played with Tavares and Nylander, or with Auston Matthews and Max Domi. He was relatively quiet during the first two periods, before coming on strong midway through the third period, setting up Matthews for a great chance where the Leafs’ captain hit the crossbar. Aside from this sequence, it wasn’t the high-octane game Maccelli was looking for, and he was one of the worst skaters on the ice against his former team. Burn the tape!

Calle Jarnkrok scores after replacing Nick Robertson in lineup​

Calle Jarnkrok was projected to be a healthy scratch, before Nick Robertson was ruled out, after being listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Jarnkrok made the most of the opportunity, registering Toronto’s lone goal during the third period.

It would be somewhat irresponsible to advocate for further playing time, after scoring in what amounted to garbage time, but Jarnkrok was indeed one of the best Leafs in an otherwise forgettable effort. Jarnkrok isn’t the player he used to be, but he still has clever instincts and hockey intelligence, which are qualities that are needed on a successful fourth line. And perhaps Jarnkrok just needs some rhythm after all: he scored during Toronto’s first three games, then was rendered a healthy scratch for most of December and January, where his form was diminished. It’s an encouraging sign during a game that lacks true positives.

Jarnkrok gets the Leafs on the board!

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/eqnrBHNvep

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 14, 2026

An awful night for Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, Troy Stecher and Simon Benoit​

Troy Stecher has been excellent for the Maple Leafs since joining the team in mid-November. Stecher’s mobility, competitiveness, and ability to get easy exits helped Toronto overcome its porous defence through the opening two months. We’ve singled him out several times in this space for his strong play. Stecher simply wasn’t good enough on Tuesday, particularly off the rush, where he allowed way too much space off the rush. Simon Benoit did nothing to help Stecher, and both players were disconnected in the defensive zone.

5-1

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/HkcWnRNQba

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 14, 2026

Morgan Rielly and Brandon Carlo have been subject to criticism throughout the season, although both veterans were turning the corner. Rielly and Carlo’s spatial sense were awful on Tuesday, and both partners crashed into each other on Guenther’s second goal of the contest. They were slow, they were late to contest dangerous passes through the crease, and while Carlo has been significantly better since returning to the lineup, after undergoing foot surgery in December, this was his worst showing of the 2026 calendar year.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/4-t...-hildeby-sub-par-start-exhausted-team-out-gas

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Ryan Whitney says he wouldn’t want to play the Leafs in the first round —if they get in: Leafs Morning Take

For a variety of reasons, Tuesday night’s performance in Utah was about as predictable as packed gyms in January.

Following their emotional OT win in Colorado, the Leafs fell flat against the Mammoth in the second game of their four game road trip. Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain notched three points apiece as Utah cruised to a convincing 6-1 victory. From the opening puck drop, you could tell it was going to be a rough night for Craig Berube and company, who dropped their first game in regulation since December 21st. With that, both the four game win streak and ten game point streak came to a screeching halt. All in all, vibes were still fairly high to kick off the Wednesday edition of Leafs Morning Take. In fact, we both agreed to park it. That’s all they can do. This was a scheduled loss, and that’s fine. That said, it’s imperative that the Leafs get right back on the horse on Thursday night in Sin City. More to come on that.

Another day, another former Flame has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dougie Hamilton, who played for Brad Treliving in Calgary, is available for trade, and according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on TSN’s “Insider Trading,” the Leafs would certainly be a potential fit. In the grand scheme of things, Toronto’s reported interest shouldn’t be surprising. Hamilton’s big, he can play the right side, and most importantly, he can run a power play. Check, check, and check. Having said all that, it only makes sense if New Jersey is willing to retain a significant portion of the two years remaining on his deal at $9 million per season—and isn’t asking for much in return. There’s a lot of moving parts to this, but naturally, we did debate the topic. It would make a lot of sense —at least on paper.

Suffice it is to say, Matias Maccelli’s return to Delta Center didn’t go too well. Just like the rest of his team, he wasn’t good. Hell, he even received a few boos. Go figure. Save for a few shifts to start the second period, the Leafs didn’t have much jump. It felt like they were cooked once John Tavares was stopped on that second period breakaway. Everything went downhill from there. Toronto surrendered 23 high danger chances. Dennis Hildeby allowed six goals on 39 shots. He wasn’t as dialled as he’s been, but the loss shouldn’t be pinned on him. They had nothing. Meantime, the power play’s starting to struggle again. They’re 2-for-14 with the man advantage over the past six outings.

After that, former NHLer and current co-host of Spittin’ Chiclets Ryan Whitney stopped by the pod to weigh in on the surging Maple Leafs. He hit on the Utah letdown, Toronto’s hot run, the Hamilton rumours, the Marner game, and if he thinks the Leafs will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Of note, Whitney did note that he wouldn’t want to play the Leafs in the first round —if they get in.

David Pagnotta will sub in for Jay Rosehill as co-host on the Thursday edition of Leafs Morning Take. Join us at 11 AM ET for a full preview of one of the most anticipated regular season games in recent memory. Also, die-hard Leafs fan Jackie Redmond, who does great work for both WWE and TNT, will stop by to share her thoughts ahead of the big game.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube channel HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too —wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/rya...first-round-if-they-get-in-leafs-morning-take

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Vibes, not stats, are driving Maple Leafs hot streak

All good things, right? The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 8-0-2 run might be over, and somewhat predictably with the second half of a back-to-back but it’s worth taking a look at how things went so right and if it is a sustainable path to the playoffs.

If the Maple Leafs were going to be a playoff team this season they needed a hot streak to undo a rough first half of the season. The post Marc Savard firing 8-0-2 streak meant that as of the morning of January 14th, fans can look at the standings and see Toronto sitting in a playoff spot. Mission accomplished.

What is interesting is how the sausage was made. The Maple Leafs have had a 103.8 PDO over that stretch. There has been strong goaltending over that time but most notably it’s the 12.5% shooting percentage has made them particularly lucky. What is interesting is that the Leafs have the fourth-lowest Corsi for percentage (CF%), 7th lowest shots-for percentage, 10th lowest expected goals for percentage (xG%), and 6th lowest high danger Corsi (HDCF%) in the league at 5-on-5 during this time. These numbers are very much in line with what the Leafs have put up throughout the first half of the year and are typically numbers that equate to a team missing the playoffs or relying on a PDO heater to carry them as far as they can go. Essentially, this is Randy Carlyle hockey.

Those 5v5 numbers oversimplify things a little bit and special teams tell an important story as well. The Maple Leafs have a 31.2 power play conversion rate over those ten games, good enough for 4th best in the league over that time, and a 91.7% kill rate when shorthanded, which has been the best in the league since December 23rd. The penalty kill has climbed to being the third best in the league this season and after having a powerplay that was dead last in the NHL, the Leafs are now 24th in the league, which is still not great but is one heck of a dead cat bounce.

If the numbers don’t make sense at a team level, they start to on a player by player bias. For one, William Nylander has a 55.56% shooting percentage and 10 points in the four games he’s played. Auston Matthews has been the team’s leading scorer with 14 points in nine games, and eight of those points are goals. Matthew Knies has a 25% shooting percentage and nine points, John Tavares has nine points, and with the big dogs barking, Nick Robertson, Max Domi, Bobby McMann, Matias Maccelli, and Nicolas Roy have all seen their games elevate as well. And, while the Leafs might still be getting out-chanced at 5-on-5 or at best are trading chances at 5-on-5, the opportunity to win games via special teams takes advantage of the fact that chances from Matthews are worth more than chances from most players around the league, and creates an encouraging trade off for the Maple Leafs. It’s perhaps the only way that the numbers make sense.

The thing is players aren’t numbers, they are people, and vibes matter. This team did receive a wakeup call with the firing of Marc Savard. This team has had to come to terms with the fact that Matthews was under delivering to start the year and William Nylander had hit a rough patch before Christmas. Things weren’t working on special teams and the fact that Steve Sullivan gave the team the opportunity to try something new was taken the right way and embraced by the team who have run with the restart in the best possible way.

Does that mean that people shouldn’t be concerned about the Leafs?

Absolutely not. Peak performances from the top part of the depth chart will only go on for so long and the Leafs have six other teams within two points of them in the wild card race, three of which have a game in hand over the Leafs. The fact that 18 points in 10 games was required to get Toronto back to the playoff bubble shows how bad the first 35 games went this season and a dip in that direction or even having the rest of the bubble outplaying the Leafs could still result in an unfortunate ending to the 2025-26 season.

For now, the team is embracing vibes. They are catching breaks, which is a rarity for the Leafs, and they are finding confidence. If some of that sticks beyond this ten game stretch, the Leafs might overachieve compared to their numbers.

PRESENTED BY OFF THE ROSTER​

Introducing Off The Roster—Toronto Sports, Unfiltered! Toronto sports fans, your new favourite conversation has arrived. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, Off The Roster dives into the city’s legendary plays, brutal trades, OG jerseys, celebrity tweets, and everything in between. Raw, fun, and totally unfiltered, this is Toronto sports like you’ve never heard it before. Tune in live every weekday morning on the Nation Network YouTube channel, or catch episodes wherever you stream podcasts. Proudly brought to you by our founding partner, PROLINE. Off The Roster—the new sound in the 6ix.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/vibes-not-stats-driving-toronto-maple-leafs-hot-streak

 

[JJ]

OH LOOK THE LEAFS ARE HOT FOR A FEW WEEKS AND SUDDENLY EVERYONE'S ACTING LIKE THEY'RE GONNA WIN THE CUP

Listen, I've watched this movie before. Every. Single. Year. The Leafs go on some run, Toronto media loses their minds, and then April rolls around and they're golfing while the rest of us are watching actual playoff hockey.

You wanna talk about "vibes not stats"?? THAT'S YOUR STRATEGY?? Buddy, the Buffalo Sabres have been running on vibes for a decade and look where that's gotten us! At least we KNOW we stink!

But seriously - 4th lowest Corsi, 7th lowest shots-for percentage, getting outchanced at 5v5... these are the numbers of a team that's gonna come crashing back down to earth HARD. You can't just ride a 12.5% shooting percentage forever. Matthews and Nylander aren't gonna shoot 55% all season.

And now Robertson's hurt? The one guy who was actually playing with some jam and tenacity? Classic Leafs luck right there.

The funniest part is Ryan Whitney saying he "wouldn't want to play the Leafs in the first round IF they get in." That's a pretty big IF there, Whit. They're hanging on by a thread in the wild card with six teams breathing down their necks.

But hey, enjoy the vibes while they last Toronto. We'll be here waiting when reality sets in. GO BILLS... wait wrong sport. Whatever, same energy - at least Josh Allen actually delivers in big moments!

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Brian Burke believes Mitch Marner deserves a welcome reception during 1st game back in Toronto

Former NHL executive Brian Burke believes that Mitch Marner’s first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena is a huge deal for everyone involved. Marner made his controversial exit from the Leafs on June 30th in a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, which resulted in him signing an eight-year, $12 million contract. Toronto acquired Nicolas Roy in the trade.

Marner and the Golden Knights host the Maple Leafs on Thursday, his first game against his former club, before returning to Scotiabank Arena on January 23. The 28-year-old left the organization as the Maple Leafs’ sixth-leading scorer in franchise history, registering 741 points over the first nine seasons of his NHL career. Although Marner and the Leafs will likely view the first matchup as just another game, Burke feels that it will be hard for everyone not to care about his return to Toronto next week.

“I think it’s a big deal for everyone. This is a high-quality player. Mitch Marner was a great Leaf when he was here in Toronto. He was a great Leaf, he was a great player. He is a good kid, too,” Burke said during an appearance on The Sheet with Jeff Marek on Thursday.  ”His tenure ended unceremoniously, and I think people were not happy with him at the end. But this is a great Leaf, and I hope he gets a nice reception when he comes back next week.”

There was an expectation that Marner, along with Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares, would lead the Leafs to their first Stanley Cup since 1967 when the quadrant first formed in 2018. Yet, the best the ‘Core Four’ could achieve was two playoff round wins in 2024, which were followed up by a second-round elimination at the hands of the Florida Panthers in 2025, where Marner was dismal down the stretch. Marner was booed nearly every time he touched the puck towards the end of what ended up being his final game with the Leafs.

“I love the fan base there, I loved how passionate they were. I loved how they welcomed me and obviously stuff didn’t go as great as we planned. But that’s how sometimes things happen,” Marner said to the Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran. “I’m grateful forever to have worn that jersey. But I’m happy for this new chapter. It’s a new chapter in my life. I’m focused on here.”

Marner’s legacy in Toronto as it stands is that he was a skilled-winger who was productive in the regular season and had a strong two-way game, but was the poster child of the Leafs’ playoff futility. While the losses were obviously not entirely on him, his struggles when the lights shone bright were put under the microscope given his high cap-hit and critical role on the team.

PRESENTED BY OFF THE ROSTER​

Introducing Off The Roster—Toronto Sports, Unfiltered! Toronto sports fans, your new favourite conversation has arrived. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, Off The Roster dives into the city’s legendary plays, brutal trades, OG jerseys, celebrity tweets, and everything in between. Raw, fun, and totally unfiltered, this is Toronto sports like you’ve never heard it before. Tune in live every weekday morning on the Nation Network YouTube channel, or catch episodes wherever you stream podcasts. Proudly brought to you by our founding partner, PROLINE. Off The Roster—the new sound in the 6ix.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/bri...e-reception-1st-game-back-toronto-maple-leafs