The Toronto Maple Leafs’ November schedule featured a six-game homestand and an opportunity to gain ground in the race for an Eastern Conference playoff berth. With half of the homestand completed, there is a better chance that it will serve as a funeral for their postseason aspirations, with the rest of the NHL visiting 40 Bay to throw dirt on the Leafs coffin.
After the loss to Utah on Tuesday, and a 4-2 loss to Montreal on Saturday, Toronto hosted the New Jersey Devils on Hall of Fame night, honoring the 2026 class that included Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk, Carey Price, Cindy Curley and former Leafs GM Brian Burke. The pre-game ceremony may have been the high point of the night, as Toronto was without winger Jack Roslovic, defenseman Morgan Rielly (lower body), and defenseman Chris Tanev (rest day), lost forward Colten Sissons during the game, and inserted Dakota Mermis and Cole McWard on the blueline.
Timo Meier scored a pair of goals 4:16 apart in the second period to bury the Leafs. Toronto managed only 23 shots on Connor Hellebuyck, who registered his first shutout with his new club, and at the end of the game, the Scotiabank Arena faithful booed the club off the ice.
“(It was) Not a good game for us. The first period, I thought, was all right. Obviously, that was our best period, with not much going on, which I think probably benefited us tonight. And then once a couple of their top players broke loose, we had a hard time.” Leafs head coach Jim Hiller said after the game. “I think we emptied the tank yesterday. I don’t want to make excuses, but it’s pretty hard coming back when you play a lot of guys, and then you miss a few guys who are important players for you on the second side of it.”
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The Leafs are in desperate straits less than 20 games into the season, and while injuries have been a large factor in their recent swoon, it is more due to inconsistencies from key players. The goaltending in the weekend losses was not the issue it was in October, when Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz cost them valuable points, but rather players like William Nylander failing to step up and play like the key core player that he’s supposed to be.
Auston Matthews has been a dependable presence this season, but Nylander has, for long stretches, been a non-factor and sometimes a liability because of his lack of effort. Injuries to Kirill Marchenko and Rielly have chipped away at the depth of the club, and depending on the likes of Nick Paul and Dakota Joshua to generate offense is unrealistic. Until Marchenko returns, the Leafs will need Nylander, along with veteran John Tavares and youngsters Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna, to step up.
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