The Tampa Bay Lightning have surged to the top of the Atlantic Division in the early stages of the 2025–26 season. With a win this afternoon over the New York Rangers, Tampa improved to 16-7-2, giving them 34 points and solidifying their status as one of the league’s hottest teams. After last year’s disappointing first-round exit to the Florida Panthers, the Lightning entered this season with something to prove, and so far, they’ve looked like a team determined to reclaim the

Morgan Rielly, much like the Maple Leafs as a whole, has had an up-and-down start to the season. Offensively, he’s been one of Toronto’s most reliable producers on the back end, posting 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 22 games. At this pace, he’s tracking toward his best offensive season since 2018-19. However, the defensive side of his game has been a different story. Rielly has looked a step behind at times, making costly reads and showing lapses in coverage that ha

According to Elliotte Friedman, William Nylander and Craig Berube share a genuine mutual respect. They’re often seen laughing and talking during practices, showing that their relationship is far from tense. But beneath that levity lies a more intense layer. This season, the two have argued more than in years past, not in a destructive way, but in a competitive, push-each-other-to-be-better way. Nylander has had an outstanding start to the season, being Toronto’s most product

The Maple Leafs are facing an uphill battle tonight as they face the Washington Capitals without superstar William Nylander. Nylander has been the Leafs' most productive forward to start the 2025-26 campaign with 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points. The Maple Leafs are trying to build momentum after a win against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday night. Max Domi will also be a healthy scratch in tonight's contest. Matias Macceli and Dakota Joshua will slot back into the lineup

William Nylander will not dress, as he is injured. For the game tonight against the Capitals, due to illness. Nylander is out. Max Domi will also be out of the lineup tonight as a healthy scratch. Nylander is listed day-to-day, and the Maple Leafs are hoping that he will be back against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nylander has been one of the rare bright spots for the Maple Leafs this season. In the early 2025-26 season, Nylander has tallied 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points

The Nashville Predators continue to struggle early this season, and general manager Barry Trotz hasn’t been shy about saying they need more from their roster and that everything is on the table. One name that has quickly become the centre of speculation is Steven Stamkos, who could be an intriguing option for a team looking to shake things up. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs have battled major inconsistencies in their secondary scoring, relying heavily on William Nylander

Easton Cowan has firmly earned his place in the Maple Leafs’ lineup after scoring a crucial late goal in Toronto’s 2-1 overtime win against the Blue Jackets. Moments after, Columbus took the lead in the third period. Cowan answered with a sharp-angle finish off a setup from John Tavares , capping off a night where he consistently generated offence and pushed the pace. Despite several close chances in recent games, he hadn’t been able to convert until that game. With this bre

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander was given a maintenance day on Thursday, so he didn’t take part in practice. However, Craig Berube made it clear there’s nothing to worry about; Nylander will suit up Friday night against the Washington Capitals. Nylander is coming off another massive moment for the Leafs, scoring the overtime winner in Wednesday’s 2–1 victory over the Blue Jackets. The 29-year-old has been one of the NHL’s top offensive players this season, sittin

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost forward Sammy Blais, who was claimed off waivers by the Montreal Canadiens. Blais, a versatile forward known for his physicality, net-front presence, and penalty-killing ability, had been providing depth and toughness for the Maple Leafs. His departure leaves a noticeable gap in the bottom-six, both offensively and defensively. Impact on Depth and Line Combinations Blais’ style made him a valuable piece for Toronto. Standing 6-foot-3 and over

If you’re a young, rebuilding club with speed up front and a need for secondary scoring beyond your core group, Matias Maccelli could be the perfect fit. Before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, Maccelli posted 57 points in 82 games in 2023-24, proving he can be a gifted playmaker and a reliable secondary winger when given the right opportunity. Even if his start to 2025-26 with Toronto has been rough 9 points in 21 games so far. His underlying ability and prior production mak

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to spiral, falling to the bottom of the Eastern Conference after a disappointing 5–2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. This season was always going to be a test for Toronto as they adjusted to life without Mitch Marner, who departed for the Vegas Golden Knights over the summer, but the transition has been far rockier than expected. The Leafs hoped that new faces in the lineup would help soften the blow of losing one of their most dynamic playmak

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube prefers a hard-hitting, physical, defensive style of play. Since the departure of Sheldon Keefe, Auston Matthews has been asked to play a heavier style of hockey, a shift that has reshaped both his role and the overall identity of the Leafs. Under Berube, Matthews is expected to drive play in all three zones, win board battles, and take on heavier matchups against opposing top lines. While he is still Toronto’s most dangerous offens

The timing of McCabe’s injury could not be worse for a Maple Leafs team already struggling to maintain stability on the blue line. Toronto’s defensive identity this season has relied on its ability to suppress chances, win battles below the goal line, and maintain structure in front of their goaltenders. McCabe has been at the center of that effort, playing heavy minutes against top opposition while providing the kind of physical presence and accountability the Leafs have his

John Tavares deserves serious consideration for Team Canada’s Olympic roster, and his play this season has made that clearer than ever. The Toronto native is off to one of the strongest starts of his later-career years, producing 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 21 games with the Maple Leafs. Beyond the raw numbers, Tavares continues to drive play, anchor his line, and provide the type of leadership and two-way reliability that Olympic teams rely on in high-pressure m

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally have some good news on the injury front, as forward Scott Laughton returns to the lineup after missing six games with an upper-body injury sustained against the Boston Bruins on November 8. It’s a much-needed boost for a lineup still juggling key absences and looking to build momentum after a gutsy 3–2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. Toronto now shifts its focus to a meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets, a game it hopes can hel

When people talk about the “face of the franchise," they’re usually talking about more than just who scores the most goals. They mean the player whose identity defines the team, the one fans associate with the logo before anyone else. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, that title has belonged to Auston Matthews for most of the last decade. But over the last few seasons, William Nylander has built such a strong case that it’s fair to ask if the Leafs now have more than one franchise

There has been no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs have struggled this season. At the root of the problem is their defensive play, specifically, their inability to defend their own end. Nineteen games into the season, Toronto has a goals-against average of 3.79, placing them 31st in the NHL. Their offence, meanwhile, sits fourth in the league at 3.53 goals per game. The contrast is jarring: the scoring has held up its end of the bargain, but the defence has completely coll

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the 2025-26 season with high expectations, boasting one of the most complete defensive cores in the Matthews era. Yet, after 19 games, the team finds itself struggling mightily in its own end. Injuries to key players, inconsistent goaltending, and a coaching transition behind the bench have combined to leave the Leafs near the bottom of the league defensively. What was once a strength for Toronto has become a glaring weakness, and the team must

As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to battle injuries, defensive inconsistency, and a mounting need for stability on the back end, one name has surfaced repeatedly in league circles as a realistic and impactful trade target: Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames. With Calgary hovering near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and heading toward another retooling phase, Andersson has become one of the most discussed and coveted defencemen on the market. The Leafs r

For the first time in the Auston Matthews era, the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference after Buffalo’s 4–1 win over Carolina bumped them down yet again. It’s fair to say the Leafs have hit rock bottom. Through 22 games, they sit at 9-10-3 with just 21 points per start, a start nobody in Toronto saw coming. The one saving grace? There’s still time. A lot of it. With more than 60 games left on the schedule, and only a four-point gap