The Toronto Maple Leafs have opened the 2026-27 regular season, going 1-2-0 in the first three games of a four-game homestand, and face an early challenge in the finale of the homestand against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday before heading out on the road for three games against a trio of Western Conference playoff teams.
The Leafs are surprisingly going with backup Anthony Stolarz in goal against the Preds, instead of starter Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes. Head coach Jim Hiller indicated that this is part of the club’s planned goalie rotation. Bobrovsky has started in both Toronto losses, each by a 3-2 score to Montreal and Ottawa, but his performance in each contest has not been the main cause of the defeat.
What Hiller and the Leafs may be doing is giving the 38-year-old long breaks whenever the schedule allows. After the loss on Saturday, Bobrovsky will now get four full days of rest before Toronto opens their three-game road swing in Las Vegas against popular ex-Leaf Mitch Marner and the Golden Knights on Thursday.
The Leafs held an optional morning skate at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, so it is unclear whether Hiller will make any lineup changes, but based on the line combos and defense pairing that skated together on Monday, there are not expected to be any alterations.
In ex-Leafs news, one of the more prominent free agents still unsigned going into the season was winger Michael Bunting, but on Tuesday, the 31-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. The former Calder Trophy nominee had 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 74 games with Nashville and Dallas last season, and will be suiting up for his sixth NHL club.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (1-2-0 – 2 POINTS) vs. NASHVILLE PREDATORS (1-1-0 – 2 POINTS)
October 6, 2026 ▪ 7:00 PM EST ▪ SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) TV: TSN ▪ RADIO: TSN 1050
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY vs. NASHVILLE
| All-Time Record: | 18-15-1-2 (36 Games) |
| All-Time Home Record: | 11-8-1-0 (0 Games) |
| 2025-26: | 1-1-0 |
| Last Five: | 3-2-0 |
| Last 10: | 6-3-1 |
| First Matchup Between Clubs: | October 19, 1998 (Toronto 2 vs. Nashville 2) |
| All-Time Record: | 18-15-1-2 (36 Games) |
| All-Time Home Record: | 11-8-1-0 (20 Games) |
| All-Time Road Record: | 7-7-0-2 (16 Games) |
| Last Home Win vs. Opponent: | October 14, 2025 (Toronto 7 vs. Predators 4) |
MAPLE LEAFS / PREDATORS – 2026-27 TEAM STATS
| NASHVILLE | TORONTO | |
| Goals For Per Game: | 1.5 (28th-T) | 2.0 (23rd-T) |
| Goals Against Per Game: | 2.0 (7th-T) | 2.33 (9th-T) |
| Power Play %: | 28.6% (9th-T) | 18.2% (18th-T) |
| Penalty Kill %: | 80.0% (18th) | 100% (1st-T) |
| Shots For Per Game: | 23.0 (26th-T) | 27.7 (14th) |
| Shots Against Per Game: | 30.0 (24th-T) | 26.7 (14th) |
| Faceoff %: | 53.0% (9th) | 47.0% (23rd) |
| (NHL rank in parenthesis) | ||
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