The Maple Leafs couldn’t be happier to see October disappear into the cool autumn night.
They’ve got themselves into a nice mess through the first 11 games of the 2025-26 regular season.
Even if general manager Brad Treliving pulled off a miracle and traded for a top-six forward who can make an immediate impact (which no one is expecting), it’s on the Leafs players to get themselves out of it.
Three things to keep an eye on in the coming days, starting on Saturday night in Philadelphia against the Flyers:
Structural procedures
The Leafs’ lack of connectivity in all three zones is the biggest reason why the club starts November with a mediocre record of 5-5-1.
On some nights, the defencemen and forwards perform as though they met just before hitting the ice. And this is with a defence corps that returned fully intact, whether it has been with Chris Tanev, who is expected to return against the Flyers after suffering a concussion on Oct. 21 against New Jersey, or depth D-man Philippe Myers. Nothing in the blue-line group has changed in terms of personnel.
The Leafs haven’t been able to sort themselves out in the neutral zone. Giving up odd-man rushes has become habitual.
William Nylander, who might play against the Flyers after missing two of the past three games with a lower-body injury, had a straightforward answer for reporters who were at the Leafs’ practice at the Flyers’ facility in New Jersey on Friday.
“I think it’s an easy fix,” Nylander said. “We’re making stupid mistakes, giving up those kinds of chances. Just don’t need to make stupid plays and we’ll be good.”
If it was that easy, the Leafs would have cut the carelessness out of their play already. Instead, their performance in their most recent game, a 6-3 loss on Wednesday in Columbus against the Blue Jackets, was bad.
The Leafs have to find a way to clean up their mental mistakes. It’s imperative.
Who figured the lower-body injury suffered by Scott Laughton late in the preseason would throw the forward lines out of whack as much as it has?
Captain Auston Matthews has had a tough start, recording just eight points in 11 games, and every time he looks to his right, it seems, there is a different winger looking back at him.
At practice on Friday, coach Craig Berube had Matthews flanked by Matthew Knies and Nylander. The latter will see how he feels on Saturday before determining whether he plays against the Flyers.
If Nylander is in uniform, Berube has to give the loaded line a chance to get its bearings. Berube’s impatience with his lines as a whole through October hasn’t brought desired results.
What were Tanev’s thoughts on how the Leafs can start playing better hockey?
“Get back to doing the little things really well,” Tanev said. “Being hungry, working for each other, having numbers around pucks, wanting to help each other on the ice and be close to each other in case there are breakdowns. Ability to execute with our puck movement.
“Little things win games a lot of the times. You do those things right and it gives the ability for your superstars to make a play when you need a play to be made.”
Potential returns
Tanev sounded like he will be back in the lineup after missing four games with a concussion.
“Feel good,” Tanev said. “Been through all the steps and had to get into a full practice to complete the protocol and it went well. We will see how (Saturday) goes.”
Laughton practised on Friday with the team and is close to returning, but it won’t be on Saturday night against the only other NHL club he has known.
“It’s very cliche to say, but taking it day by day, see how everything responds,” Laughton said. “It’s a nice milestone to hit, just to get out and practise again and be around the guys. It has been tough sitting out.”
Winger Steven Lorentz (upper body) is day to day, Berube said. Lorentz didn’t practise on Friday.
The goaltending
Anthony Stolarz hasn’t regained the lofty heights that he reached a year ago, when he led the NHL with a .926 save percentage.
In fact, Stolarz hasn’t come close, putting up an .886 save percentage while compiling a 3-4-1 record.
Having tended goal in eight of 11 games has been taxing for Stolarz, but there won’t be any excuse for him to be not be mentally and physically ready against the Flyers, considering he has not played since Tuesday at home against the Calgary Flames.
Before NHL games on Friday, the Leafs had allowed the second-most goals at five-on-five, as only the St. Louis Blues, with 32, had given more than the Leafs’ 31. Yet 17 teams had allowed more high-danger scoring chances than the Leafs. Stolarz has a .791 save percentage on high-danger chances, compared to .856 he finished with last season.
Cayden Primeau has been the backup only because Joseph Woll was away from the team for personal reasons before returning last week. Primeau has not been good for Toronto. He has allowed 13 goals on 80 shots for an .838 save percentage and couldn’t stop much during the Columbus catastrophe on Wednesday.
Once Woll gets back up to speed, and you have think the club is hoping it won’t be too long until Woll is ready to start, the Leafs’ goaltending should improve overall.
Here’s a spooky thought: What if it turns out that Stolarz hit his peak as an NHL goalie in 2024-25?
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