RSS Maple Leafs Team Notes

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

John Tavares calls Maple Leafs’ needed urgency ‘a choice’ after fourth straight loss

The Toronto Maple Leafs brought a busy week to a disappointing close on Sunday afternoon, falling 4-1 to the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.

Brock Nelson tallied two goals in the opening eight minutes, and the Leafs weren’t able to find any life in the match from there on out. Speaking after the game, John Tavares highlighted some of Toronto’s issues as they were chasing this one from the start.

“Obviously, getting behind early is not ideal, against a team that’s very good,” Tavares said. “They really test you with their speed and their ability to spread you out. I think we created some looks at times, just not able to break through earlier to change the momentum of the game. And then, unfortunately, we just didn’t execute as well as they did, and they just made some better plays with the puck. At times our puck play wasn’t as sharp and it slowed us down a bit. Obviously, somewhere, we’ve got to get better.”

The Leafs have now dropped four in a row, going winless through their current home stand. Collecting just one point this week, they’ve once again fallen further from a wild card spot, now tied with four teams at five points behind playoff position. With 30 games remaining in the season, Tavares was asked how the team can find the needed urgency.

“I think it’s just a choice,” Tavares said. “You come in, you get focused, you prepare the way you need to prepare, take what’s in front of you and not focus on what’s in the past or what’s down the line. No worrying about the big picture too much. We’ve played a lot of good hockey this year and put together some really good stretches. Obviously, the results this week haven’t been great, but a great chance to turn that around.”

With another matchup quickly on the way, Tavares stressed the importance of putting this week behind them while learning the necessary lessons.

“It’s a quick turnaround, so there’s no time to hang our head and be frustrated about things,” he said. “You got to continue to work at it, use tomorrow as the day to reset, and get ready for Tuesday.”

Toronto wraps up its home stand on Tuesday night, facing an Atlantic division opponent in the Buffalo Sabres.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/john-tavares-calls-toronto-maple-leafs-needed-urgency-choice-loss

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Auston Matthews laments Maple Leafs’ mistakes vs. Avalanche: ‘It’s on all of us’

The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped their fourth straight game, losing 4-1 to the National Hockey League’s first-place team, the Colorado Avalanche. The Maple Leafs have one more game on this current five-game homestand against the Buffalo Sabres to get back on track before heading on the road for four games prior to the Olympic break.

“We got one more game before we go on the road here, we want to get back on the winning track,” Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews said. “Especially when things are tough, and things are a grind, you’ve got to push even harder.”

A week that saw the Leafs come out with slow starts twice, first against the Minnesota Wild on Monday and then again against the Vegas Golden Knights, was a cause for concern for the Maple Leafs team. Matthews thought the team had a better approach to open Sunday’s contest.

“I think earlier in the week, just coming out flat in games, didn’t feel like we had the energy that we needed to compete at a high level,” Matthews said. “I thought today we came out better, forechecked better in that first period, then just made mistakes, and the puck ends up in your net.”

The mistakes allowed Avalanche forward Brock Nelson to score twice in a span of 1:12 in the first period, giving the Avalanche a lead they would not relinquish.

“There’s just mental mistakes and times when we shoot ourselves, and then you’re down 2-0 to the best team in the league, and you end up having to chase the game the rest of the night,” Matthews said. “I think that the most frustrating part is just going through this adversity. It’s on all of us, we all need to be better and execute.”

The Maple Leafs need players to step up to help dig themselves out of this ugly stretch, as they sit five points back of the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot in the crowded Eastern Conference.

“Everybody just has to be better, has to play better, has to do the little things a little bit harder and a little bit better,” Matthews said. “When it’s hard, and you are going through adversity, it’s bringing everybody up and pushing yourself harder.”

Matthews, who has now failed to record a point in three straight games and is a minus-three over that span, touched on the dry spell over the past three outings.

“I mean, you want to see the puck go in, but just trying to be better in the other areas and get the opportunities. One’s going to go in eventually,” Matthews said. “It’s tough when it’s not going in and you’re going through adversity, but you can’t compound that with being negative or trying to do too much. It’s just getting back on the horse and keep riding, keep working and pull yourself out of the hole.”

With 30 games left to play, the Maple Leafs need to get going if they want to return to the playoffs for a 10th straight season.

“It’s about this next game now and pulling each other up, helping each other when things aren’t going well,” Matthews said. “You can’t get down, start to have a bad attitude or try to be on your own program.”

The Maple Leafs return to action Tuesday night against the Sabres. Puck drop set for 7 p.m. EST at Scotiabank Arena.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-laments-toronto-maple-leafs-mistakes-avalanche

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Maple Leafs’ William Nylander fined $5,000 for flipping middle finger at camera from press box

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander has been fined $5000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for an inappropriate gesture he made to a camera on Sunday.

Oh Willy

: TSN | NHL pic.twitter.com/7w8bW1C5xg

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) January 25, 2026

During Sunday afternoon’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche, one of TSN’s cameras was pointed at the press box, where Nylander and a number of other injured players and healthy scratches were taking in the game. Nylander noticed the camera and flipped his middle finger at it. He later apologized via his Instagram story and offered a more public apology to a scrum of reporters at practice on Monday morning.

“Yeah, first off, I just wanna apologize for my actions,” Nylander said. “It’s a lot of frustration, so I’m sorry about that.”

The action caught the eyes of just about every fan across the league, with some finding it humourous and others taking offence to it, whether it be because of the middle finger itself or the optics behind it, considering the state of the game and the Leafs’ season. He admitted that he did it out of frustration due to the amount of time he’s spent on the injured reserve this season, having missed more games this season than any other game this year.

“Just not, you know, playing,” Nylander continued. “You know, I want to be out there with the guys, and, yeah, just frustrated.”

Head coach Craig Berube defended his star forward, chalking it up to a mistake and not something that needs to be dwelled on.

“He made a mistake, he owned up to it,” Berube told reporters on Monday. “Things happen, people make mistakes, players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes, it happens. He knows it’s wrong and he owned up to it.”

Nylander remains sidelined with a groin injury that has kept him out of action since January 15’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...am-nylander-fined-5000-flipping-middle-finger

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Maple Leafs Prospect Roundup: Leafs’ lack of assets, Quillan knocking on the door

The Toronto Maple Leafs wallowed in mediocrity for years before the arrival of players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander ushered in a new era for the franchise. Those three in particular represented the homegrown star power the organization had sought for decades, and there were other promising young players making their way up the ranks to supplement that fresh core of talent.

Connor Brown went from being a seventh-round pick to scoring 20 goals as a rookie for the Maple Leafs, spending much of his first season alongside fellow rookie Matthews. Another rookie, Zach Hyman, was the third member of that line on a lot of nights, and his potential as a heart-and-soul player was evident from day one, even if his offensive abilities weren’t as apparent just yet. Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson cracked the roster full-time a couple of seasons later, with each of them notching 20 goals in their first full campaign. They had Travis Dermott giving them quality minutes on their third pair, and undrafted free agent signing Trevor Moore bringing energy in spot duty on their fourth line. Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin eventually joined the fold, and while they weren’t perfect defenders, they both played some good hockey for the Leafs as young players in the league.

None of those players were going to put the Leafs over the top at that point in their careers, but they all made contributions to the team while counting for very little against the salary cap. That salary cap flexibility and organizational depth allowed them to sign free agents like John Tavares and Patrick Marleau, or to trade other prospects like Sean Durzi to acquire a player of Jake Muzzin’s stature.

Sure, the club would probably like a do-over on the Zach Hyman departure, but the issue for the Leafs isn’t that they let go of the Kapanens and Sandins of the world – it’s been their inability to backfill the organizational pipeline behind them as that core of star talent begins to age, or in the case of Marner, leave altogether.

Through a couple of different regimes now, the Leafs haven’t been precious with their draft picks or prospects when it comes to trying to upgrade their roster in an effort to get over the postseason hump. Some of those deals have worked out, and some haven’t, but it has left this iteration of the Leafs in a tough spot.

Beyond Matthews, Nylander, Morgan Rielly, the only skaters on the current roster who were drafted by the Leafs are Matthew Knies, Nick Robertson, and Easton Cowan. Throw Bobby McMann in there as an undrafted free agent signing who has worked out, but he’s a pending UFA who will turn 30 before next season. Knies is obviously a budding star, and he has remained effective despite battling an injury for a large part of the season. It’s taken a while, but Robertson is having the best season of his career and looks like a quality middle-six forward. Cowan has real potential as an offensive creator, but he has probably been forced into a larger role with the Leafs this season than they would have liked.

The current roster feels somewhat cobbled together, with imperfect fits like Max Domi, Matias Maccelli, and Dakota Joshua all accounting for more against the salary cap than their on-ice contributions are worth most nights. Then there is the sunk cost of a player like Brandon Carlo, who hasn’t lived up to the acquisition price of Fraser Minten and what has the potential to be an early first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Scott Laughton has been a quality bottom-six piece for the Leafs, and one that might be worth keeping around beyond this season, but he didn’t come cheap, either, with another first-rounder and Nikita Grebenkin heading out the door.

Injuries haven’t helped, but this Leafs team is on track to miss the playoffs as we close in on the Olympic break, and they’ll need to go on a serious run down the stretch to leapfrog the teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race. Unfortunately for the Leafs, there is no obvious help coming from the Marlies right now, and they have depleted their draft capital to the point that it’s going to be difficult, and perhaps ill-advised, to make a significant addition to this lineup before the trade deadline.

Chances are the Leafs’ management group will still make an effort to improve this roster for a late push, but that might delay the next wave even further. And if the Leafs do decide to embark on a retool, can they expect to reap the benefits while Matthews and Nylander are still in the prime of their careers?

The organization is facing a lot of difficult questions right now, and there are no easy answers coming from within.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:​

• The Leafs do have one young player knocking on the door who could be a part of the solution eventually, but opportunities have been tough to come by for Jacob Quillan. He has checked off nearly all the boxes at the AHL level, leading the Marlies in points per game with eight goals and 19 assists in 28 games. He has speed and plays a responsible defensive game with some physicality mixed in, but as much as he has earned a real look at the NHL level, Craig Berube has been hesitant to give him a real chance with the season hanging in the balance. Quillan drew into the Leafs’ lineup for the fourth time this season against the mighty Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, and with Toronto chasing the game almost from the outset, he saw just over six minutes of ice time. It’s nearly impossible to make an impact in such a small role, and Quillan’s best moment of the game came late in the third when he flew in on the forecheck to land a big hit on an Avalanche defender. It looks as though Calle Jarnkrok will draw back into the lineup in Quillan’s place on Tuesday, but it might soon be time for the Leafs to see what they really have in Quillan.
• Ben Danford could be a part of the solution down the road, too, but he is also one of the very few assets the Leafs have at their disposal as it stands right now. He’s played just three games with Brantford in the OHL since the World Juniors wrapped up, and he notched an assist in Friday’s overtime win against Sudbury, bringing him to 13 points in 18 games with his new club. Danford will be the biggest name to watch for the Leafs as trade talks continue to ramp up, but at some point, they need to start integrating these young pieces into their lineup, rather than shipping them out for marginal upgrades to a flawed roster.

20 GOAL CLUB #BFD pic.twitter.com/crTAi7wSLv

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) January 24, 2026

• Dennis Hildeby has stepped up for the Leafs in a big way this season, and his play has gone a long way towards establishing himself as a quality NHL option. He was reassigned to the Marlies this past week as Anthony Stolarz made his long-awaited return to the Leafs’ lineup, but the Leafs have to be looking ahead to next season when they will no longer have the option of sending Hildeby to the minors without having him go through waivers. Trading a young goaltender with the potential Hildeby has already shown isn’t the most appealing idea for a team in flux, but the crease has become a position of strength for the organization, and they will be forced to make a decision at some point in the next few months.
• Tyler Hopkins has been lining up as Guelph’s first line center, and he had a productive week, tallying a goal and three assists over his last three games. For the season, Hopkins has totaled 15 goals and 18 assists in 39 games between the Kingston Frontenacs and Guelph Storm.

From the Fronts to the Royal City!

to = #IoftheStorm | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/vLPCsWaQ5Y

— Guelph Storm (@Storm_City) January 17, 2026

• It was a relatively quiet week for Miroslav Holinka, and he still managed to pot a pair of goals over the course of three games, including a shorthanded marker against Regina on Wednesday. Holinka has been a star for the Oil Kings all season, and currently sits in a tie for fifth in WHL scoring with 28 goals and 34 assists in 42 games. He is looking more and more like a legitimate NHL prospect, but as a later-round pick, his value to the Leafs is probably higher than it would be should they throw his name into trade talks.

Shorthanded goal?
Czech @EdmOilKings | @MapleLeafs | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/vc3XC4qFYL

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) January 22, 2026

• It took a while for Victor Johansson to earn a real opportunity in the SHL, but he has taken advantage of his minutes recently. He has averaged around 15 minutes of ice time on Leksands’ back end over the last three games, notching three assists and launching five shots on goal in the process. Johansson still has plenty of maturing to do physically, but the mobility, vision, and willingness to compete are all there. He’s still a long-term project for the organization, but he is trending in the right direction.

#LeafsForever Victor Johansson picked up two primary assists playing 17:05 (TOI) yesterday in SHL action.

Since being called up to Leksand after the WJC (3 games) he has 3 points. pic.twitter.com/33q1jrinZA

— MatthewsFan (@Matthewsfan_) January 25, 2026

• Borya Valis has put together a solid rookie season in the AHL after signing as an undrafted free agent. His goal in Friday’s contest was his 10th of the season and third in two games, but it appears he will have to wait a while to improve upon those totals. The team announced on Sunday that Valis is out week-to-week, as injuries continue to pile up throughout the organization.

BORYA GETS US GOING pic.twitter.com/ehvJ00eeA2

— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) January 24, 2026

Statistics from EliteProspects.com

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...ect-roundup-lack-assets-quillan-knocking-door

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Instant Reaction: Maple Leafs swept on home stand as playoff picture looks more bleak than ever

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost their fifth game in a row, this one to a divisional rival ahead of them in the standings, while the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins both won. If it wasn’t already low, the belief that this Maple Leafs team has what it takes to make the playoffs is closer to rock bottom than ever after a 7-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

The optics of this game were just plain awful, in hindsight. Several players spoke about the importance of this game along with head coach Craig Berube, and the result was another effort that saw them outshot by double the amount they managed. They only scored the amount of goals they did because they were able to pounce on Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen before he left with an injury, and backup goaltender Colten Ellis wasn’t tested whatsoever.

The Leafs got goals from Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, Bobby McMann, and Max Domi, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a hat trick and five-point night for Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin. In goaltender Joseph Woll’s defence, who allowed six goals on 30 shots, each of the Sabres’ first two goals were banked in off of Maple Leafs players, but at this point, nobody on the team is safe from criticism. They blew the benefit of the doubt with their poor play throughout the entire homestand.

With the Maple Leafs continuing to forfeit ground as the rest of the teams in their division play their best hockey of the season, the outlook on a potential playoff berth seems bleaker than ever. They have four games on the road to try and make up some ground before a much-needed Olympic break, but at this point, the team might be faced with some tough questions about how to approach the rest of the season even if they win all four of those games.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/ins...-leafs-swept-home-stand-playoff-picture-bleak

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Berube frustrated after dismal homestand: ‘The guys need to do what they’re supposed to do’

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing some of their worst hockey of the season, and head coach Craig Berube is growing frustrated with his team’s lack of urgency, and attention to details, with and without the puck.

The Maple Leafs dropped to 0-4-1 on their five-game homestand, thanks to the Buffalo Sabres converting on the extra point to handedly defeat the Leafs 7-4 on Tuesday night at Scotiabank arena. Berube spoke to reporters following their latest drubbing and discussed how this game got away from his hockey club.

“We had a couple of bad breaks go off our guys, but at the end of the first period, we turned the puck over, and they scored,” Berube said postgame. “At the end of the second period, it is a shot from the point, but we don’t have our guys in front of the net, and they score. That is the difference in the game for me. We came out in the third, and we got scored on on the first shift. Two or three mistakes, and they’re in our net.”

Berube has been trying to defend his hockey team all week but hasn’t been shy to call out their mistakes as well, as the Maple Leafs now drop to 24-20-9 on the season, sitting eight points out of a playoff spot, with two teams to leapfrog. Berube can’t understand why his hockey club continues to make costly mistakes that wind up in the back of their net.

“Keep trying to work on things, and stop making them, first of all. On a couple of them, the guys need to do what they’re supposed to do — do your job. We are not getting any breaks right now, so we have to earn them. All we can do is push forward and focus on the next game. We have to clean things up. We’ll look at it, try to clean things up, and go from there.”

The hardest part to comprehend at the moment is how bad the Maple Leafs are playing at the moment, considering how well they played on the prior road trip. It’s been a complete 180. Toronto had swagger during the road trip, they had confidence, and they had all the facets of their game rolling at the same time. Now, it feels like they’re at the other end of the spectrum, and everyone is shaking their heads wondering – what’s going on right now?

“It is [puzzling], coming off the road trip and how good we had been playing. It is puzzling, for sure,” Berube said.

The Leafs head coach feels in order to get back into the winners circle, his hockey team is going to need to realize it’s going to take a full 200-foot game and a consistent effort in all three zones.

“The way I look at it: We looked at scoring as everything, and it is not everything. You are not going to consistently win in this league by focusing on scoring goals. You have to play the full rink. Right now, we are not doing a good enough job without the puck. That’s it.”

While the Maple Leafs search for answers, they’ll head west for a four-game trip, followed by two more on the road in the sunshine state, Berube has some pretty straight forward advice on his hockey club, which could remind some people of the simple motto of the New England Patriots football team for years.

“I’ve said it before. Confidence… You have to go, work, and compete. Your confidence will be fine. I mean, I get it, but we’re in the NHL. You’re getting paid to play hockey. You have to go and do the job. That’s your job. Do your job.”

Now we wait to see on Thursday night in Seattle, which Maple Leafs show up and do their job.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/craig-berube-frustrated-dismal-homestand-guys-need-supposed-do

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Maple Leafs assign Henry Thrun, Dakota Mermis to Toronto Marlies, call up Marshall Rifai

Ahead of Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken, the Toronto Maple Leafs have assigned defencemen Henry Thrun and Dakota Mermis to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. In a corresponding move, the Maple Leafs called up defenceman Marshall Rifai from the Marlies.

Thrun did not record a point in four games with the Maple Leafs this season, while recording three goals and 14 points in 28 games with the Marlies. He was acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks last summer, in exchange for Ryan Reaves. Thrun has been afforded an opportunity to carve out a third-pair role with the Maple Leafs, and could be back in the NHL shortly if injuries continue to mount.

Mermis cleared waivers Tuesday after recording one goal in 11 games with the Maple Leafs this season. He has not recorded a point in three games with the Marlies.

Rifai has recorded four assists in 12 games with the Marlies this season. The 27-year-old missed the start of the season, after suffering a wrist injury during a preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens. Rifai underwent wrist surgery, was eventually called up to the Maple Leafs, but cleared waivers in December. Rifai presents a physical presence for a Maple Leafs’ team that is among the worst defensive teams in the NHL, while mired in a five-game losing streak.

“We need more desperation defending, and the goalies need to stop the puck,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said following Tuesday’s 7-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. “That’s it. We can score goals. We score goals. But until we want to keep the puck out of our net, this is what we’re going to get. It is no more than that. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. That’s all it is. I don’t need to learn anything about our team. I know our team, and we’re capable of doing it. We can do it.”

Rifai will now join the Leafs on a road trip leading into the Olympic break, which could dictate the Maple Leafs’ strategy at the deadline, while looking to cement his role on a defence corps looking for answers.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...mermis-toronto-marlies-call-up-marshall-rifai

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Maple Leafs can sell high on Max Domi and others to have something to show for the season

I’m not sure how 2025-26 can be labelled as anything other than a disaster for the Toronto Maple Leafs. A predictable disaster? Sure, but a disaster, nevertheless.

Admittedly, I’m not normally a silver lining type guy, but the Maple Leafs are in a surprisingly good place to be sellers at the trade deadline with a number of useable middle of the lineup players including a couple of pending unrestricted free agents (Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann) and the Leafs can recoup some assets without touching any of their most impactful players.

The name that immediately comes to mind, and it seems like it came to most people’s mind during the Sabres-Leafs game on January 27th, is Max Domi.

Domi has a lot of underachieving to his name during his time in Toronto but has been on a heater of late. With 20 points in 27 games through December and January so far, Domi is producing at a pace that matches some of his best seasons and at the very least his season numbers are now in line with what can reasonably be expected from Domi throughout his career.

Domi’s $3.75M cap hit no longer looks burdensome and instead is in line with what his results are and as a potential centre option for some clubs, there might be legitimate interest in Domi if the Leafs were to make him available, possibly even creating the opportunity for the Leafs to get a meaningful return if they were to retain some of the cap hit as well.

The inconsistency that Domi has become known for is why the Maple Leafs should explore selling when he’s producing (similar to what Chicago did with him previously), and given that the Leafs have other all offence no defence players who bring similar attributes like Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli, moving on from Domi would be wise at a time when the team clearly needs to make some roster room for a 2026-27 overhaul.

It’s not going to be lost on teams around the league that his resurgence coincides with him playing with Auston Matthews but come playoff time, a player who can fit into existing top six or top nine situations with players already producing is probably what buyers are looking for.

The Leafs know that Domi isn’t their ideal option in their top six going forward whether Berube is the coach or not, cashing out when he has value makes sense.

In addition to Domi the other sell high option the Leafs need to be open to is moving on from Oliver Ekman-Larsson. While the bar could not have been set lower for him after 2024-25, Ekman-Larsson’s 2025-26 is exceeding expectations to an unsustainable degree.

It is hard to imagine that there will be many better offensive defencemen options available heading into the trade deadline, and Oliver has outperformed players like Dougie Hamilton at almost a third of the price.

The Leafs need to ask themselves if Ekman-Larsson is likely to repeat this success with the coach they envision for the team in 2026-27, and if the answer is even maybe, it’s time to move on.

Outside of the selling high options, the Leafs have a slew over other contracts that they need to decide whether there is more value with them remaining with the Leafs or if the space to try something different in the summer is more critical. Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, Jake McCabe, Brandon Carlo, and Anthony Stolarz are additional options the Leafs need to explore, although with less of a sense of urgency. Roster flexibility over the summer is something the Leafs need to attach value to and regaining some futures in the process makes sense.

While the Leafs won’t trade absolutely everyone, taking a good look at who is overperforming or still carries a positive reputation around the league will benefit Toronto, and give the team some cap space they can weaponize at the trade deadline and into the offseason.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...-domi-others-to-have-something-to-show-season

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Leafs lineup news: Stolarz to start vs. Kraken, Nylander skates among extras

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will start Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

Stolarz returned to action on January 23 against the Vegas Golden Knights, following a two-month absence while he was dealing with a nerve issue. The 32-year-old allowed five goals on 30 shots, as the Maple Leafs lost 6-3. Stolarz has posted a 6-6-1 record in 14 appearances with an .880 save percentage this season.

William Nylander skated among the extras as a full participant but will not play in Thursday’s game. Nylander has been out of the lineup since aggravating a groin injury during a January 15 game against the Golden Knights. The 29-year-old met with reporters on Monday, discussing his irritation with being out of the lineup.

“It’s been frustrating,” Nylander said, while apologizing for giving the middle finger to a TSN broadcast camera during the third period of Sunday’s loss to the Colorado Avalanche. “I haven’t missed this amount of time since I can remember.”

“Willie’s gone a long time in his career without missing games and it’s been different this year for him so it’s something new that he’s going through,” Berube said Monday. “He came back and then re-injured it again pretty quickly so it is frustrating.”

Jacob Quillan also skated among the extra forwards. Quillan played sparingly during Sunday’s loss against the Avalanche, and was a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

Marshall Rifai skated among the extra defencemen with Philippe Myers. Rifai was called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Wednesday, and could provide the Maple Leafs’ defence corps with some much-needed physicality and net-front defending.

Maple Leafs’ projected lines vs. Kraken​

Bobby McMann-Auston Matthews-Max Domi

Matias Maccelli-John Tavares-Matthew Knies

Nick Robertson-Nicolas Roy-Calle Jarnkrok

Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Easton Cowan

Morgan Rielly-Brandon Carlo

Jake McCabe-Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Simon Benoit-Troy Stecher

Anthony Stolarz (projected starter)

Joseph Woll

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...d-start-seattle-kraken-nylander-skates-extras

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Berube defends Leafs’ effort following loss to Kraken: ‘Nobody is happy’

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube tried to find positives in a 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Following the loss, the Maple Leafs are 10 points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and there are growing calls for a change of leadership.

“It is tough. Nobody is happy,” Berube said in the wee hours of Friday morning. “In the end, that is the way we have to play. There were a lot of good things in the game. We can clean up a few things, mistakes that were unnecessary, but in the end, if we play like that, we will win a lot of games.”

Toronto outshot Seattle 31-22 and often carried the play, but its porous rush defence, along with another poor start from Anthony Stolarz sealed its fate. Nick Robertson, who scored a goal and drew a penalty, is perhaps the lone skater that should be exempt from criticism after Thursday’s loss.

There has been a prevailing attitude from the Maple Leafs that they aren’t concerned about the standings. With 28 games remaining, it’s the past the point of looking up, as the team will almost certainly miss the playoffs for the first time in the Auston Matthews Era.

“We can’t worry about that or look at that,” Berube said. “We just have to focus on the next game. You can’t start looking at how many games are left. You are putting yourself in a bad spot. We have to go to Vancouver and get two points. That is what we should be focused on. Nothing else.

“I get it about the standings and where we are at with the games left, but it is not going to accomplish anything. The goals need to be small right now. We need to focus game-to-game here and try to take care of our business the best we can.”

Toronto will hold a practice Friday afternoon, before getting ready to take on the league-worst Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. Berube is back on the hot seat, as is general manager Brad Treliving, and if the team continues their losing streak against a Canucks team that is angling for the first overall pick in this summer’s draft, it may spell the end of Berube’s tenure with the Leafs.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/cra...fs-effort-loss-seattle-kraken-no-one-is-happy

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Leafs practice notes: Nylander appears set to return, Rifai in line to make season debut vs. Canucks

The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be welcoming back their leading scorer on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks, but it might be too late to salvage anything.

#Leafs lines at practice in Vancouver. Jan. 30/26

McMann-Matthews-Domi
Maccelli-Tavares-Nylander
Knies-Roy-Robertson
Lorentz-Laughton-Jarnkrok
Extra: Cowan, Quillan

Rielly-Carlo
McCabe-OEL
Rifai-Stecher
Extra: Benoit-Myers

Woll
Stolarz@BodogCA pic.twitter.com/4T78fIs0Ow

— David Alter (@davidalter) January 30, 2026

William Nylander skated with the main group on Thursday morning ahead of Toronto’s game in Seattle, but remained an extra forward as he worked his way back from a lower-body injury suffered on January 15 against the Vegas Golden Knights. At Friday’s practice, he was back on the second line alongside John Tavares and Matias Maccelli. Nylander has missed more games in 2025-26 than any other year of his career outside of 2018-19, when he held out until December 1 due to a contract dispute. The Leafs suffered greatly in his absence, going 1-5-1 in seven games without him and putting a massive dent into their playoff hopes.

Marshall Rifai, who was recently activated from the injured reserve, appears to be in line to make his season debut. The 27-year-old defenceman has mostly been a mainstay with the Toronto Marlies, but has looked like he belongs in the limited NHL action he’s seen over the past two-and-a-half seasons. He brings some bite to his game and will be a fresh face in a lineup that hasn’t been able to put together any success over the past week-and-a-half.

In the wake of Nylander and Rifai’s returns to the lineup, Easton Cowan appears to be in line to sit for Saturday’s game against the Canucks up front, while Simon Benoit will take a seat on the back end. Cowan has struggled of late, with only one assist and a minus-4 rating in the past five games. In fairness to him, the entire team has struggled, but typically in these situations the tie goes to the veteran under a head coach like Craig Berube, so it’s not a surprise that he was the one to take a seat.

The Maple Leafs have three games remaining before the Olympic break, with a road trip through Western Canada to close out pre-Olympic activities.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...ice-notes-nylander-return-rifai-debut-canucks

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Elliotte Friedman says Maple Leafs are leaning towards becoming sellers

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly leaning towards becoming sellers at the trade deadline, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

“I think you’ll see talks about Toronto’s players intensify,” he said during Friday’s episode of 32 Thoughts The Podcast. “I don’t know if you’ll see anything major before the Olympic freeze, which is on Wednesday. But I definitely think you’re going to start to hear a lot more Toronto names get out there, more than you would have expected this year. I don’t think we’re too far away from that. I think they’re going to put a lot of guys out there and just kind of see what the market is for them.”

The Leafs are coming off their sixth straight loss, falling 5-2 to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday and finding themselves 10 points back of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. While they are not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention just yet, it is becoming painfully obvious that the Leafs are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2016 and it would be in their best interest to start seriously considering selling off assets.

There are plenty of assets that the Leafs could dangle on the market to kickstart a retool on the fly. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is having a renaissance year and should easily fetch a first-round pick if he is made available. Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton could be an ideal rental for contenders to target, especially with them being at just over a million each. While the Brandon Carlo trade has not panned out, they could redeem themselves with a second trade to get back some assets lost.

That’s only scratching the surface of what the Leafs could ship between now and the March 6th deadline, but they could set themselves up nicely to get back in contention next season if they play their cards right with this retool. Whether that be GM Brad Treliving or someone else navigating the fire sale, this disastrous season could have a silver lining in the weeks ahead.

It is no longer a question of if the Leafs will be sellers at the deadline, but instead who will be the first player that is shipped out of Toronto to the highest bidder.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/ell...-maple-leafs-leaning-towards-becoming-sellers

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Instant Reaction: Maple Leafs scrape together win vs. last-place Canucks to end 6-game losing streak

In a game between two teams destined to miss the playoffs that seemed like neither team wanted to win, the Toronto Maple Leafs prevailed over the Vancouver Canucks to snap their six-game losing streak with a 3-2 shootout win.

The game was straight-up comedic, particularly the overtime frame between the two teams. The Maple Leafs gave the Canucks at least three high-danger chances and the Canucks simply refused to convert on them. The Leafs failed to convert on the chances they did have, including a whiff on a wide open net by John Tavares and a failed penalty shot attempt by a clearly gassed Auston Matthews, who opted for a backhand-forehand attempt and shoved it directly into the right pad of Canucks goaltender Nikita Tolopilo.

The game eventually went to a shootout where the Leafs ended it within the first four shots. Vancouver’s Jake DeBrusk banked the puck off of both posts and out to kick things off, William Nylander undressed Tolopilo on the Maple Leafs’ first shot, Elias Pettersson was stopped by Joseph Woll on his attempt and Matthews made good on his penalty shot miss to win the game for the Maple Leafs. Toronto got goals from Nicolas Roy and Max Domi in regulation, the latter of whom has been a lone bright spot for the Maple Leafs lately with three goals and four assists for seven points in his last five games.

The win will surely give the dressing room a morale boost, but ‘too little too late’ seems like the understatement of the century for a team whose playoff odds fell to 2.6% following their latest loss against the Seattle Kraken. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated during second intermission’s ‘Saturday Headlines’ segment, that the Leafs have begun the process as a deadline seller, so these two points will serve as a moral victory and not much else for the Maple Leafs of 2025-26.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/instant-reaction-toronto-maple-leafs-scrape-win-last-place-canucks

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Brad Treliving’s history as a trade deadline seller hints at small moves only for Maple Leafs

Brad Treliving’s philosophy that he has frequently stood by is that the offseason is the time for overhauling the roster not the regular season. That maybe a philosophy inherited from his time spent under Brian Burke in Calgary, and you could argue that there should be some evidence of this philosophy being successful before committing so firmly to it.

In the past Treliving’s history at the trade deadline has been about tempering expectations on who Brad Treliving would bring in to help the Leafs, this time as the Leafs are progressing towards seller status, the Leafs’ GM’s past shows that a fire sale isn’t likely occurring either.

Years the Flames missed the playoffs under Brad Treliving:

Season	Flames traded	Flames Acquired
2015-16	Markus Granlund	Hunter Shinkaruk
Jiri Hudler	2nd and 4th round picks
Kris Russell	Jyrki Jokipakka Brett Pollock Conditional 2nd or 3rd round pick (ended up 2nd)
2017-18	Eddie Lack	Dalton Prout
7th rd pick	Nick Shore
2020-21	David Rittich	3rd rd pick
Sam Bennett 6th Rd pick	2nd Rd Pick Emil Heineman
2022-23	Radim Zohorna	Dryden Hunt
Brett Ritchie Connor Mackey	Troy Stecher Nick Ritchie
Future Considerations	Kristians Rubins

The 2015-16 trades of Kris Russell and Jiri Hudler in what ended up being the worst season the Flames had under Brad Treliving were the closest thing the Flames had to a sell off. The Flames would walk away with three second round picks and a couple of prospects and ideally this would be the results that Leafs fans should be hoping will be repeated. The reasonable sell off of veteran assets brought in some useable futures and freed up key spots in the lineup that were addressed in the offseason and along with the convenient ability to draft Matthew Tkachuk (not really an option for the Leafs), the team turned itself around from a 77 point team to a 94 point team by 2016-17.

The next biggest push came during the strange COVID North Division season and the Flames cashed out on Sam Bennett in addition to getting a decent return for David Rittich from the Maple Leafs. Second and third round picks along with a player that was a fairly highly regarded prospect as the return is decent and given the Leafs current situation is the low bar for what should be expected from the Leafs as sellers.

The other two playoff missing seasons are a bit more concerning. The 2017-18 season where only Eddie Lack was moved and for a minimal return was partially because the Flames were tied for the final wild card spot on deadline day. No matter what happens between now and the trade deadline, the Leafs are very unlikely to be that close to a playoff spot.

The 2022-23 season trade deadline for the Flames was littered with Leafs moves. Acquiring Dryden Hunt from the Leafs, picking up former Marlie Kristians Rubins for Future Considerations, and bringing in current Leaf Troy Stecher and former Leaf Nick Ritchie. The bizarre thing about this is that none of these moves were about bringing in assets for helpful future assets for the Flames or clearing out any veterans despite being five points behind the final wild card team on deadline day. Interestingly enough the Flames had a .540 points percentage then which mirrors the .538 point percentage the Leafs presently have (although the Leafs eight points back right now.)

2023 Treliving would eventually trade Tyler Toffoli at the draft and perhaps that could be the better play for the Leafs with under contract players like Stolarz, Domi, Ekman-Larsson, and Carlo, but Laughton and McMann need to get the Bennett or Hudler treatment.

There are opportunities for the Leafs to go big as sellers and unless the Western road trip is dramatically different their disastrous homestand, that seems like the situation calls for but if the Leafs are looking at an overhaul, the question also needs to be asked if the person responsible for the failing roster is the right guy to fix it. Pushing Brad Treliving outside his comfort zone doesn’t seem like the right course of action either.

Something needs to go right for the Maple Leafs and with the 2015 trade deadline sell off as Toronto’s gold standard, it will be interesting to see if the trade deadline can provide some positives to a very disappointing season.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/bra...ler-hints-at-small-moves-only-for-maple-leafs

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Berube credits William Nylander’s leadership for propelling Maple Leafs over Canucks

The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in the win column Saturday night, as it took a complete team effort to come out on top of the Vancouver Canucks with a 3-2 shootout win. Auston Matthews enjoyed some revenge after missing on a penalty shot in overtime to secure the win in the breakaway challenge. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made things very clear after the game that it was William Nylander who gave the Leafs’ lineup the boost it needed.

“It was a great effort by our team. It’s great to have Willy back. We got it done. It took a bit.” stated Berube postgame.

Nylander returned to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 15, playing over 20 minutes against the Canucks, and while he didn’t hit the scoresheet, Berube could feel the boost as the skilled winger helped generate offence, something the Leafs have lacked during their six-game losing streak.

“I thought he was really good tonight. He skated extremely well, competed, and created offense. Overall, hearing him on the bench talking, he brings leadership and things like that. I thought he elevated everybody on the team, to be honest with you.”

The Maple Leafs entered Vancouver searching for answers as they just went through a dismal home stand, lost the first game of the road trip in Seattle, and then entered the third period against the Canucks down 2-1. Berube made things very clear during the second intermission, the third period against the Canucks had absolutely everything riding on it.

“We talked before the period about how it had to be our best period of the year. For me, it was pretty close. We had the puck the whole period and couldn’t find the back of the net.”

With the two points against the Canucks, the Maple Leafs leapfrogged the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference standings, and now sit eight points out of a playoff spot. It’s tough sledding ahead, there’s no doubt about it, but perhaps the two-week Olympic break can help the team reset ahead of the homestretch of the 2025-26 season. Berube knows in order for the Maple Leafs to have any chance, they’ll need the Joseph Woll he saw against the Canucks, the entire rest of the season.

“That three-on-three sometimes gets a little wild, but Woll made some big saves. He made a huge save late in the third period when they had an odd-man rush. For me, that is a save that wins the hockey game. Well, it’s huge. Both of our goalies are. In this league, you need solid goaltending night after night. We had that combination going last year, all year. It put you in a really good spot. We need both of them to play well”

The Leafs continue their western swing against the Calgary Flames on Monday, followed by facing off against the Edmonton Oilers the very next night, and then have 22 days off between games. Four more points ahead of the break would do wonders for this hockey club, and put GM Brad Treliving in a very interesting spot ahead of the trade deadline.

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[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Around the NHL: Stadium Series game for the ages, Kadri, Panarin trade talks heating up

Welcome back to another edition of Around the NHL, as there’s only a couple of more games before the Olympic break, which includes a roster freeze set for Wednesday. Trade talks have been heating up of late, and there’s certainly a ton of ground work being laid at the moment.

Don’t expect much movement before Wednesday. Once the Olympics wrap up, expect to see a flurry of activity. With some surprising teams in playoff spots at the moment, it sets up for an entertaining trade market and the Toronto Maple Leafs are clear sellers.

While there’s lots to talk about surrounding Leafs Nation, here’s the very latest from around the NHL.

Boston/Tampa Bay Stadium Series game for the ages​

The Tampa Bay Lightning hosted the Boston Bruins in the NHL’s latest edition of their Stadium Series, and the two teams did not disappoint. In what was an absolute instant classic that had a little bit of everything, as the Lightning rallied to win 6-5 in a shootout, after being down 5-1 earlier in the contest.

All the talk after was about the goalie fight between Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman, and Lightning legend Andrei Vasilevskiy. There was a wild scrum halfway through the second period, with the Lightning down 5-2, and Vasilevskiy and Swayman decided to meet in the middle to drop the gloves for the first goalie fight in Stadium Series history:

WE GOT AN OUTDOOR GOALIE FIGHT!!!

ANDREI VASILEVSKIY VS. JEREMY SWAYMAN pic.twitter.com/eFavhXQEVD

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 2, 2026

Vasilevskiy got the better of Swayman, thanks to those left hands, and the best part of it all, it sparked the Lightning. Tampa Bay went on to score three unanswered goals to tie the game, and eventually sealed it, thanks to a Jake Guentzel shootout winner.

Nazem Kadri and Artemi Panarin trade talks heating up​

Two of the biggest players on the trade market have been the talk of the league the past few days, as Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri, and New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin continue to be discussed in potential deals.

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta confirmed recently that Kadri was open to a trade from the Flames. The veteran centre is signed through the 2029 season at $7 million AAV, and owns a 13-team no-trade list. Kadri has scored nine goals and 35 points in 54 games. There’s been a ton of speculation brewing that the Colorado Avalanche could be circling back on reuniting with Kadri, who won a Stanley Cup with the franchise before signing a long-term deal in Calgary.

As for Panarin, he controls his entire destiny as he owns a full no-movement clause, and while the Rangers have been keeping him out of the lineup the past few games, it’s highly unlikely a deal materializes before the Olympic roster freeze kicks in Wednesday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Panarin has a strong market of interest but has already rejected a trade to the Seattle Kraken.

Potential landing spots include the Stars, Red Wings, Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks, Kings, Avalanche and Florida Panthers. Friedman confirmed over the weekend that the Avalanche, Stars, Ducks, and Hurricanes are all willing to do this trade without an extension in place. Panarin’s camp prefers an extension at this time.

Quick hits from around the NHL​

• There’s brewing speculation that the Minnesota Wild are using Jesper Wallstedt as a trade chip, and will eventually sign Marc-Andre Fleury as the team’s backup goaltender down the stretch. General manager Bill Guerin is in search for an impact, top-six forward.
• St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas underwent a minor leg procedure, and is out until after the Olympics.
• Winnipeg Jets are receiving a ton of interest in defenceman Logan Stanley, who is having a career year, making a very reasonable $1.25 million AAV.
• While Panarin is seemingly finished in New York, there’s a lot of chatter about Alexis Lafreniere being in play, in a potential swap for Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright. It sounded like in a perfect world, the Kraken dealt Wright for Panarin, and signed the Russian winger to a contract extension. Panarin had other ideas.
• Edmonton Oilers waived goaltender Calvin Pickard on Sunday.
• It’s going to come down to the wire in Nashville, as several teams have called about Predators’ centre Ryan O’Reilly, but to this point, it’s likely Barry Trotz keeps O’Reilly in Nashville, where he and his family prefer.
• And, in the best news of the week, Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark returned to action over the weekend, and was named the first star after a a 26-save performance to top the Devils 4-1. “At the end there, also during lineup, it was really hard holding it together,” UIlmark said postgame, per Coming In Hot. “I didn’t want to hold it together, also. It’s one of the things I’ve been working on, is letting the feelings flow a little bit. There’s nothing bad about that. I was really happy that we got a win today as well.”

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/aro...arin-trade-talks-heating-up-nhl-trade-rumours

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Leafs practice notes: Joseph Woll projected to start vs. Flames, Morgan Rielly out through Olympic break

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to kick off a back-to-back in Alberta to close out the pre-Olympic portion of the 2025-26 season, beginning with the Calgary Flames on Monday night. It appears that Joseph Woll is set to make his second straight start, two days after he backstopped the Leafs to a 3-2 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks to break a six-game losing streak.

#Leafs lines during morning skate @ VAN Feb. 2/26

McMann-Matthews-Domi
Maccelli-Tavares-Nylander
Knies-Roy-Robertson
Lorentz-Laughton-Jarnkrok
Extra: Cowan

McCabe-Carlo
OEL-Stecher
Benoit-Myers
Extra: Rifai

Woll
Stolarz@BodogCA pic.twitter.com/3jiafhjDwP

— David Alter (@davidalter) February 2, 2026

Woll has had some forgettable starts lately, but getting a shot in the crease again is a notable vote of confidence from head coach Craig Berube, and one that he’ll look to use to stir up some positive momentum before the three-week Olympic break. He stopped 28 of 30 shots in the win on Saturday including some incredible saves in overtime to keep the team alive.

Morgan Rielly is the latest player to be hit by the injury bug after leaving Saturday’s game in Vancouver with an upper-body injury. Rielly will be held out through the Olympic break with a lingering issue that he aggravated. The longest-tenured Leaf has seven goals and 24 assists for 31 points in 54 games this season.

Aside from Rielly not skating with the main group, there appears to be one final tweak, with Simon Benoit and Philippe Myers skating together on the bottom pair after both of them sat against the Canucks. Marshall Rifai made his season debut on Saturday and struggled a little bit, given it was his first NHL game since 2023-24, so it looks like Berube will return to leaning on his veterans to fill out the bottom of the defensive corps.

The Maple Leafs will look to head into the break on a winning streak after a horrendous stretch in late January that threw a wrench into their playoff hopes. While they’re not eliminated from playoff contention, they will need to start winning games soon, and a lot of them, if they want to keep the dream alive.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tor...tice-notes-woll-projected-start-rielly-misses

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Troy Stecher continues to prove value to Maple Leafs teammates: ‘Thank god Edmonton let him go’

When the Toronto Maple Leafs picked up Troy Stecher on waivers from the Edmonton Oilers in mid-November, nobody could have predicted the value he’d bring to the defensive corps. Having played for six different teams before his arrival in Toronto, he came at a time when Leafs defencemen were dropping like flies and instantly jumped in and played tough minutes to weather the storm while the back end got healthy.

Stecher scored the game-winning goal in a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Monday night in what was part of a unique road trip for the 31-year-old, with all three of the Leafs’ final games heading into the break coming against former teams of his. When asked about the emotions he feels in these games, he admitted that it hangs in the back of his mind but reaffirmed his commitment to his current team.

“I mean, I’m a suitcase obviously,” Stecher said to a room of laughter. “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s unique…I loved being a Canuck, I loved being a flame, I loved being an Oiler, and now I love being a Maple Leaf. And that’s where my pride and joy lies. But, I’m not oblivious to the memories that I have in the past, and I’m very fortunate for those memories.”

It’s no secret that the Maple Leafs have a steep uphill climb in front of them if they want to make the playoffs, putting a serious dagger into their playoff chances with a six-game losing streak before snapping it against the Canucks on Saturday. But, Stecher, like his teammates, continues to express belief that this team can go on a run and make it to the dance.

“I mean, the 25 guys in that room, we have a belief and that’s all that matters,” Stecher said. “And the east is tight, man. Like, we’ve got an important one tomorrow. You don’t want to look too far ahead, but I think we’ve got, like, 18 games against our conference after the break. So, there’s a lot of belief in that room and a lot of hockey left to play.”

Defencemen who play a style of game like Stecher’s always have a special relationship with their goaltender, and Joseph Woll exemplified that when discussing Stecher’s play following the win.

“Thank god Edmonton let him go,” Woll told reporters with a laugh. “Yeah, he’s a great guy. I really enjoy having him here, obviously he’s a great player on the ice and I trust him a lot back there. He’s really good with our goalie calls, too. He talks a lot and I feel like he’s smooth back there, so I feel like our chemistry is building as well.”

The Maple Leafs will travel north for one final game before the break with a tilt against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

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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/troy-stecher-continues-prove-value-toronto-maple-leafs-teammates

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Instant Reaction: Maple Leafs head into Olympic break on a high note with sweep of Western Canada

January has been a month of ups and downs, and while the Toronto Maple Leafs very much remain on the outside of the playoff picture (five points back of a playoff spot), a three game winning streak on the road is a reminder that course corrections, not a complete overhaul, is what the doctor ordered for Toronto.

The Leafs, thanks to a rare third period 5-on-3 power play, pushed past the Oilers 5-2. It was another strong night from William Nylander. It was another big night for Matias Maccelli with a pair of goals. It was Matthew Knies at his best, and most importantly, it was the strong night that Anthony Stolarz desperately needed to get back on track, stopping 34 of 36 shots.

The Olympic break might still be an important time of reflection for the Maple Leafs and with a number of their Eastern Conference rivals still having the opportunity to gain ground on the Maple Leafs in the Wednesday and Thursday night games, the reality is that the Maple Leafs are still a team that will be selling and needing some new personnel both on and off the ice, though arguably this time it shouldn’t just be change for the sake of change.

Back to the game, as an Edmontonian who shudders every time I hear the Oilers goal horn, this win feels good. The Leafs played McDavid aggressively, they didn’t take any nonsense when the Oilers got in the face of Anthony Stolarz, and the Leafs blueliners have continued to rise to the occasion with Rielly joining Chris Tanev on the injured reserve.

Some other notes:

• I’m not sure if Matthew Knies benefits from the reduced pressure of the third line but it is nice to see what Nic Roy can do when he’s given a bit more talent to work with. Keeping Roy and Knies together has been enjoyable but if McMann is traded, the Leafs will likely decide to either put Knies back with Matthews or let him have some time off to completely recover from his injury.
• Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s mean streak being on full display in Edmonton was encouraging to see, and will either remind rival GMs what OEL can bring to a playoff bound team or remind people like me that keeping him on the Leafs isn’t the worst thing either.
• Another strong night from Scott Laughton, but he needs to be a part of the trade deadline plans for the Maple Leafs.
• Nylander’s defensive play has definitely improved since his return from injury and his read on McDavid was a low key highlight of the night.

It is nice to have some good feelings about the Leafs this week but hope and optimism still need to be checked at the door.

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/instant-reaction-toronto-maple-leafs-head-olympic-break-high-note

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Craig Berube proud of how Maple Leafs responded after six-game losing streak: ‘Good boost for our team’

The Toronto Maple Leafs responded to their worst stretch of the season with one of their best, sweeping their Western Canada road trip with a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. It very well may be too little too late for a Maple Leafs team that currently sits five points out of a playoff spot with the three-week Olympic break pending, but that doesn’t mean the mindset in the dressing room should change.

Head coach Craig Berube expressed pride in how his team responded in the three games to lead into the break amid all the adversity they’ve faced.

“It’s a lot of confidence,” Berube told reporters after the win in Edmonton. “Coming up after the break, we have to be prepared and ready to go. We have some catching up to do here. Three wins going into the break is a good boost for our team, I’m proud of the team and how they competed on the road trip.”

Berube spoke favourably about his whole team, but gave a specific shoutout to defenceman Jake McCabe, who logged an assist and over 25 minutes of ice time in the win. The defenceman has been leaned on heavily for most of the season, especially without defensive stalwart Chris Tanev, which he noted in his media availability.

“He’s been excellent all year,” Berube said. “He’s had different partners throughout the season with Tanev being out. It doesn’t change his game, he just does all of the dirty work for us and goes up against top lines. He’s been excellent for us.”

With trade rumours swirling and the growing sense that the Leafs will be selling at the deadline for the first time in the Auston Matthews era, Berube stressed that his team can’t give into the noise from outside the dressing room. Each game has to carry one focus, which is winning games for the uniform they’re wearing.

“This is part of the game, right?” Berube said. “Even more so in Toronto. They understand that, I think. You can’t read all of it, you have to avoid it as best as you can. It’s hard, I know. I know it’s out there, and you’re going to hear and see it, but that’s part of being a good pro. Those are things that you have to put behind you and focus on what you need to do for the Toronto Maple Leafs.”

The Maple Leafs will enter a break for the majority of February before returning to action on February 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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/craig-berube-proud-toronto-maple-leafs-responded-losing-streak