The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their 2026-27 regular season with a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, and while there was a great deal of anticipation for the first glimpse of top pick Gavin McKenna, new addition Kirill Marchenko, and the others making their Leafs debut, they understandably looked like a club with 10 new players getting to know each other.
Both Toronto goals were scored by William Nylander, the first 48 seconds into the game, but after that initial flourish, the Habs, with playoff hero Jakub Dobes in goal, settled in and took over the game. Famed Leaf killer Josh Anderson had a goal and assist in the contest; Zach Bolduc and Alexandre Carrier extended the lead before Nylander’s second goal with 4:14 left in regulation drew Toronto closer.
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Dobes was in midseason form, making 26 saves in the victory, outdueling Sergei Bobrovsky (21 saves).
The Leafs looked nervous and unsettled for most of the game, not making clean passes and giving away the puck. McKenna had a rough debut, but that was to be expected for an 18-year-old rookie in his first NHL action. What was not expected was veterans like Darren Raddysh struggling as much as he did.
The prized free agent blueliner played a team-high 23:47 on the night, was -2, and had five giveaways, but his most glaring difficulties were on the man advantage, where he was unable to unleash his big shot from the point with any success.
Marchenko was impressive in his debut, playing over 20 minutes and assisting on Nylander’s first goal, but the top line with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic looked as if they had never played together at times. The hope is that the club is more settled in the second of back-to-back home games, against the New York Islanders on Wednesday.
Anthony Stolarz will get the start, but it is unknown whether head coach Jim Hiller will make any lineup changes, as the club held an optional skate Wednesday morning.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (0-1-0) Vs. N.Y. ISLANDERS (0-0-0)
September 30, 2026 ▪ 7:30 PM EST ▪ SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON)
TV: AMAZON PRIME ▪ RADIO: TSN 1050
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY vs. ISLANDERS
| All-Time Record: | 80-73-7-14 (174 Games) |
| All-Time Home Record: | 46-33-4-5 (88 Games) |
| 2025-26: | 0-2-1 |
| Last Five: | 2-2-1 |
| Last 10: | 2-5-3 |
| First Matchup Between Clubs: | January 10, 1973 (New York 2 vs. Toronto 4) |
| All-Time Record: | 80-73-7-14 (174 Games) |
| All-Time Home Record: | 46-33-4-5 (88 Games) |
| All-Time Road Record: | 35-57-0-3 (86 Games) |
| Last Home Win vs. Opponent: | December 31, 2024 (New York 1 vs. Toronto 3) |
MAPLE LEAFS / ISLANDERS – 2025-26 TEAM STATS
| NEW YORK | TORONTO | |
| Goals For Per Game: | 2.79 (25th) | 3.07 (16th) |
| Goals Against Per Game: | 2.88 (5th) | 3.60 (31st) |
| Power Play %: | 16.5% (30th) | 21.3 (15th) |
| Penalty Kill %: | 80.8 (10th) | 81.2 (8th) |
| Shots For Per Game: | 28.2 (11th-T) | 26.3 (18th-T) |
| Shots Against Per Game: | 27.7 (14th) | 32.4 (32nd) |
| Faceoff %: | 52.6 (5th) | 54.2 (3rd) |
Game Notes
The Toronto Maple Leafs contest against the New York Islanders is the first of eleven back-to-back contests this season. Former Leaf Matias Maccelli will suit up for the New York Islanders.
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