The Toronto Maple Leafs have salvaged their season with a 7-0-2 run to get to within a point of an Eastern Conference wildcard spot, but now face a difficult path between now and the Olympic break, with eight of 13 games on the road, starting with a matchup with the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.
The Avalanche are 19-0-2 at Ball Arena, and are running away with the Preisdent’s Trophy race with 73 points and only four regulation losses all season. The Leafs are one point behind both Buffalo and Washington in the two wildcard spots and the Boston Bruins. While Toronto has thrived at home, they have the least amount of victories on the road (6).
The Leafs are skated on Monday morning in Denver with the same line combinations that were used successfully in their 5-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday, with Matthew Knies skating with team captain Auston Matthews and winger Max Domi, Matias Maccelli skating with John Tavares and William Nylander, the third line of Nick Robertson, Nicolas Roy and rookie Easton Cowan, and Bobby McMann on the fourth line with Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz.
Joseph Woll will get the more difficult end of the Leafs back-to-back against the Avs, who will wear their throwback Quebec Nordiques uniforms, while Dennis Hildeby will be the starter in Salt Lake City against the Mammoth on Tuesday night. Colorado will be without Gabriel Landeskog, Devon Toews, and MacKenzie Blackwood, and according to reporter Bailey Curtis, rookie Trent Miner (1-0-2, 1.39 GAA, .945 save %) will make his fourth start of the season.
Conspicuous by his appearance on the ice on Monday was goalie Anthony Stolarz, who has been seen on the ice in recent days, recovering from the longest day-to-day injury in the history of day-to-day injuries. Head coach Craig Berube indicated that there is not a date certain for the 31-year-old veteran’s return, but he believes he is close enough to travel with the club and participate on on-ice workouts.
The club also announced that defenseman Dakota Mermis has been assigned to the AHL Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint. The veteran blueline has been out nearly five weeks after suffering a knee injury after a knee-on-knee hit with Tampa forward Gage Concalves.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (22-15-7 – 51 POINTS)
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COLORADO AVALANCHE (33-4-7 – 73 POINTS)
JANUARY 12, 2026 ▪ 10:00 PM EST ▪ BALL ARENA (DENVER, CO)
TV: SPORTSNET ONTARIO ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY vs. COLORADO AVALANCHE
| All-Time Record: | 36-42-9-5 (92 Games) |
| All-Time Road Record: | 16-19-5-3 (43 Games) |
| 2024-25: | 1-1-0 |
| Last Five: | 2-2-1 |
| Last 10: | 5-3-2 |
| First Matchup Between Clubs: | November 18, 1979 (Toronto 2 at Quebec 4) |
| All-Time Record: | 36-42-9-5 (92 Games) |
| All-Time Home Record: | 20-23-4-2 (49 Games) |
| All-Time Road Record: | 16-19-5-3 (43 Games) |
| Last Road Win vs. Opponent: | February 24, 2024 (Toronto 4 at Colorado 3) |
MAPLE LEAFS / AVALANCHE – 2025-26 TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | COLORADO | |
| Goals For Per Game: | 3.36 (5th-T) | 4.05 (1st) |
| Goals Against Per Game: | 3.16 (22nd) | 2.16 (1st) |
| Power Play %: | 17.3 (23rd) | 16.6 (26th) |
| Penalty Kill %: | 85.3 (3rd) | 85.6 (1st) |
| Shots For Per Game: | 26.9 (23rd) | 34.4 (1st) |
| Shots Against Per Game: | 31.1 (32nd) | 26.9 (8th-T) |
| Faceoff %: | 56.7 (1st) | 51.5 (8th) |
| (NHL rank in parenthesis) | ||
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