Chris Tanev will return to the lineup, and somebody new will run the power play (Derek Lalonde, according to Brad Treliving; the whole staff, according to Craig Berube), as the Maple Leafs look to avoid entering the Xmas break in last place in the Eastern Conference (4:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet Ontario). Game Day Quotes
Brad Treliving on whether he’s considering selling amid a possible lost season: “We’re not waving the white flag… I don’t think we are turning the page on the season.”
On his confidence in Berube: “I think we have a real good coach.” 👀 👇 https://t.co/oWnJ15irSY
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) December 23, 2025
Penguins head coach Dan Muse on the challenge presented by the Leafs:
With their skill and speed up front, and their ability in transition, if you give them too much time and space or let them enter the zone with room, they have the skill set where they can create really good opportunities off that. You have to work to make sure you are limiting those — working above pucks, in good defensive positions, and not giving them any free space.
Muse on the Penguins’ struggles in their recent visits to Scotiabank Arena (four straight losses):
You can’t change the past. Every game is going to be different, even when you are playing against the same opponent. You don’t know going into the game, and it is not going to be the same thing.
We always look at the opponent, what they do well, and how we can take that away. The main focus is going to be on us and continuing to build off a pretty good game for us overall in the last game.
Maple Leafs (15-15-5) vs. Penguins (15-11-9): Head-to-Head Stats
via NaturalStatTrick.com & AdvancedHockeyStats.com
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#74 Bobby McMann – #34 Auston Matthews – #11 Max Domi
#63 Matias Maccelli – #91 John Tavares – #88 William Nylander
#23 Matthew Knies – #55 Nicolas Roy – #89 Nick Robertson
#81 Dakota Joshua – #24 Scott Laughton – #18 Steven Lorentz
Defensemen
#22 Jake McCabe – #28 Troy Stecher
#44 Morgan Rielly – #51 Philippe Myers
#95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson – #8 Chris Tanev
Goaltenders
Starter: #60 Joseph Woll
#35 Dennis Hildeby
Extras: Simon Benoit, Easton Cowan, Calle Jarnkrok, Henry Thrun
Injured/Out: Brandon Carlo (IR), Anthony Stolarz (IR)
Pittsburgh Penguins Projected Lines
Forwards
#67 Rickard Rakell – #87 Sidney Crosby – #17 Bryan Rust
#16 Justin Brazeau – #18 Tommy Novak– #39 Anthony Mantha
#2 Rutger McGroarty – #81 Ben Kindel – #41 Ville Koivunen
#19 Connor Dewar – #13 Kevin Hayes – #55 Noel Acciari
Defensemen
#77 Brett Kulak – #58 Kris Letang
#28 Parker Wotherspoon – #65 Erik Karlsson
#5 Ryan Shea – #3 Jack St. Ivany
Goaltenders
Starter: #74 Stuart Skinner
#37 Arturs Silovs
Injured/Out: Evgeni Malkin, Blake Lizotte, Filip Hallander