The Toronto Maple Leafs, to use an expression commonly said by former ESPN host Chris Berman, successfully circled the wagons with a short-handed crew to shutout the New Jersey Devils 4-0 in their final game of 2025. Based on head coach Craig Berube’s update on the status of injuries on Wednesday, it is possible that the Leafs will have to play with a skeleton crew for the next few games, while their two leading goal scorers and a key blueliner heal up.
Team captain Auston Matthews skated on Wednesday and Berube indicated that he had a good day after suffering a lower-body injury blocking a shot in the second period of the 3-2 overtime loss to Detroit on Saturday. The Leafs head coach said that Matthews will likely take to the ice at the morning skate on Thursday prior to their New Year’s Day match against the Winnipeg Jets to see if he can get back in the lineup.
Leading scorer William Nylander has been out the last two games and did not skate on Wednesday, but Berube did not close the door on the winger testing out his lower-body injury to see where he is in the recuperation process. Defenseman Brandon Carlo, who has been out nearly two months after a foot injury and the resulting surgery, will skate on Thursday to see how close he is to returning, and Berube did not rule out the possibility of his return as soon as Saturday in Queens against the NY Islanders.
The news appears dire regarding defenseman Chris Tanev, who played just three games after returning from an upper-body injury. Berube indicated that the veteran blueliner suffered a groin injury and could be out long-term.
“(The injury occurred in the) third period, it was kind of a freak thing more than anything. It’s one of those unfortunate things that happens, unfortunate for him. You feel for him and what he’s gone through this year, and unfortunate for us too,” Berube said. “He’s not going to be back for a long time.”
Winger Dakota Joshua remained in Detroit after suffering a kidney injury on Saturday with family, and is returning to Toronto, but he is also expected to miss significant time.
Toronto has stepped up its play after losing three straight in regulation to go 3-0-1 in the last four games, but it will have to continue playing at that level, regardless of whether its injured players return or not, to keep pace in the tight Eastern Conference standings. The Leafs will have an advantage going into their 2026 debut against the Jets, who lost 2-1 in Detroit with Connor Hellebuyck in goal.
That undoubtedly means that the Leafs will get backup Eric Comrie (6-8-1, 3.30 GAA, .886 sv%) in goal, who filled in for the injured Hellebuyck from mid-November to mid-December while the Vezina and Hart Trophy winner was recovering from knee surgery.
World Junior Update
In Canada’s 7-4 win over Finland on New Year’s Eve, Leafs prospect Ben Danford was +2 in 18:28 of ice time playing in a top-four role for head coach Dale Hunter. In Sweden’s 6-3 win over Team USA, 2024 fourth-rounder Victor Johansson did not play.
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