Matthews, McKenna Lead Leafs In Comeback Win

One thing that fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs can expect through the first few months of the 2026-27 regular season is inconsistency, partially because of the NHL’s shorter-than-usual training camp, and also because half of the roster is new players who are getting acclimated to playing with each other.

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After averaging two goals per game in the first three games of their season-opening four-game homestand, the Leafs fell behind 3-0 to the Nashville Predators before waking up and charging back in an exciting 5-4 overtime win over the Nashville Predators at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. The game was a coming-out party for 18-year-old rookie Gavin McKenna, who assisted on John Tavares’ opening goal and later scored his first NHL goal on a setup from Auston Matthews.

It was also a coming-out party of sorts for the Leafs team captain, who had his first four-point night (1 goal, 3 assists) since January 1 vs. Winnipeg and appeared to be harkening back to his dominant Hart Trophy-caliber days for at least one night. Toronto’s comeback did not start until head Coach Jim Hiller started putting his forward lines into the mixmaster, as the new combos seemed to give the club an offensive spark.

“There (were a) lot of players that played really well, but I really felt something special from Auston tonight,” Leafs head Coach Jim Hiller said after the game. “If you go back and watch that game, just go shift by shift on his game, you’ll see all the great things that have been said about him. Really, they’re all there in that game tonight.”

The player that seemed to get the most of a spark from the line juggling was McKenna, who, besides the scoring plays, displayed some slick passing in the third, setting up Nick Paul for a good scoring chance, before Jack Roslovic tied the game. William Nylander was also a force for the Leafs in the contest, for the first time since opening night, with a goal and two assists, and what would have been a potential game-winner in the third that was nixed by an offside review.

Leafs Sloppy Defensively

On the negative side, Toronto’s team defense was shoddy, especially early in the game when Steven Stamkos and Nils Hoglander built a 3-0 Predators lead. The normally defensively reliable shutdown pairing of Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev was on the ice for the first two Nashville goals, and veteran Oliver Ekman-Larsson seemed to struggle.

It was extremely important for the Leafs to even up their record and their opening homestand at 2-2 before heading out on the road for a trio of difficult contests on the road against Vegas, Colorado, and Utah. The growing pains and settling-in process are likely going to continue for at least the next month or so, but it is imperative that Toronto stay within range of a playoff spot while they are sorting themselves out.