The Maple Leafs (optional) and Boston Bruins skated at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
One week after leaving a game in Philadelphia on a stretcher, Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev got back on the ice Saturday morning.
“Just progressing in the right direction, I’d say, more than anything,” coach Craig Berube said. “First time on the ice, just by himself.”
The team has not announced a timeline for Tanev’s return. He will miss a third straight game on Saturday when the Leafs host the Bruins.
“He’s doing well,” said defenceman Brandon Carlo. “Every time that I’ve talked to him since, he’s seemed just like himself, so that’s what you like to see. He’s got bright eyes and a bushy tail in the morning.”
Tanev got hurt when Flyers forward Matvei Michkov unexpectedly bumped into him from behind. Michkov was penalized for interference on the play.
Last Saturday’s game was Tanev’s first one back in the Leafs lineup after suffering a concussion on Oct. 21.
“He’s a special person, a guy who means a lot to us,” said centre Scott Laughton, who was a scratch in Philadelphia last Saturday. “I was off the ice, obviously, so I got to be with him a little bit and kind of give him a little bit of support. But it’s scary.”
Laughton left a playoff game on a stretcher in 2016 after crashing hard into the boards.
“It’s not a fun feeling when you’re off like that,” Laughton said. “So, I hope it’s a speedy recovery. He’s an amazing, amazing guy and a guy you want to go to battle for and battle with every night.”
‘He’s got bright eyes and a bushy tail’: Leafs happy to see Tanev back on the ice Chris Tanev was spotted in full gear during a solo on-ice session this morning. His teammates say it’s a welcome sight after watching him get stretchered off the ice last week.
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Carlo will be facing the Bruins for the first time since a deadline deal sent him from Boston to Toronto last season.
Carlo, who played for the Bruins for nine seasons, caught up with some of his former teammates on Friday night.
“They wanted a little bit of insight on what it’s like behind enemy lines,” Carlo said with a smile. “So it’s been good to see everybody, and obviously those friendships will last a lifetime.”
Carlo lists Jeremy Swayman, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Hampus Lindholm and Andrew Peeke as his closest friends on the Bruins.
Who is he looking forward to playing against?
“I want to try and score on Sway,” the 28-year-old said. “That would be really nice. That would be awesome. I’m not sure he’s going to let me have one. But, overall, at least try to get a couple shots on him.”
Carlo has yet to score through 47 games with the Leafs, including 13 in the playoffs. The 6-foot-5 righty is known more for the defensive side of the game. A big hit is more likely than a big goal on Saturday night.
“I’d like to get a little lick on Pasta for sure,” Carlo said of Pastrnak, who leads the Bruins with 18 points. “He’s obviously one of their key guys so if we can eliminate his offensive presence with taking the body a little bit, that would be great.”
Carlo insists he’s “treating it like any other game” on Saturday night, but teammates aren’t buying it.
“It’s going to be a little weird for him,” said winger Nick Robertson. “I know he wants to win tonight.”
Laughton is expecting Carlo to put some money on the board to encourage his teammates.
“Excited for Brando to play them and take a little bit of his cash tonight,” Laughton said with a smile.
Carlo faces Bruins for the first time since trade: ‘I want to score on Sway’ Brandon Carlo admits scoring on Jeremy Swayman and getting a hit on David Pastrnak would all count towards a successful game against the Bruins. Tonight marks the first time the defenceman has faced his former team since they traded him last season.
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With Tanev out, the Leafs have been leaning more and more on Carlo, who leads them in average ice time (21:41) over the last eight games.
Carlo is now on the top penalty-kill unit. He credits former Bruins teammate Zdeno Chara, who will enter the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, for helping him find his shorthanded swagger during his rookie season.
“I’m always extra loud on the penalty kill because I wasn’t talking enough in practice and he turned towards me and he’s basically like, ‘If you don’t start talking to me, you’re not going to be here on this penalty kill,” Carlo recalled with a grin. “So that was a great lesson for me. He wanted me to be his eyes in that situation. He was very competitive from day one, even in practice. Those habits have kind of carried over for me.”
The Leafs are tied for 10th in penalty-kill percentage so far this season (83.3).
Carlo and Berube share a few Chara stories ahead of his HHOF induction It’s Hockey Hall of Fame weekend in Toronto and both Brandon Carlo and Craig Berube had a chance to play with inductee Zdeno Chara. They reflect on a couple of their favourite memories on playing with and against the 6-foot-9 defenceman.
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The Leafs sent a conditional first-round pick in 2026, a fourth-round pick in 2025, and top prospect Fraser Minten to the Bruins in exchange for Carlo.
Minten, who was Toronto’s top pick in the 2022 draft (38th overall), will also face his old team for the first time on Saturday.
“It’ll be a fun game tonight, one I was looking forward to,” the 21-year-old centre said.
Minten watched the start of the Leafs optional skate from the glass and chatted briefly with Robertson.
“It’s a little strange coming back on the other side,” he said. “But you feel the excitement that you felt when you were a Leaf. Like, the big game, it’s going to be a big stage, that kind of thing.”
The Vancouver native lived with John Tavares and his family after unexpectedly cracking the Leafs opening-night roster in 2023-24. He played four games with the Leafs that year before being sent back to the Western Hockey League.
“It’ll be tough on face-offs,” Minten said with a grin when asked about playing Tavares. “I know that for sure, but it’ll be cool. He’s obviously a legend of the game at this point, and cool to see all the success he’s still been having.”
Minten leaned on Tavares for faceoff tips during his time with the Leafs, which included 15 games last season.
“He’s the master still, so we’ll see,” said Minten, who is winning 51.5 per cent of his draws this season. “But I’ll do my best.”
Tavares is winning 57.5 per cent of his faceoffs.
Minten arrives back in Toronto full of confidence having picked up a point in four of the last six games.
“I’m glad we have him,” said Bruins coach Marco Sturm. “I got to tell you this, he’s been outstanding. He’s just getting better and better and it’s nice to see.”
Minten looks to use Tavares’ faceoff tips against him Fraser Minten reflects on his time in Toronto with tonight marking the first time he’ll play his former team. He had a chance to live with John Tavares and hopes to use some of his faceoff tips against him.
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Minten is close friends with Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, who started the year in the NHL before being sent down to the American Hockey League earlier this week.
“We talk almost every day about how it’s going,” Minten said. “Kind of in the same sort of spot that I was in last year here. There’s not a lot of people that understand what that’s like when you’re a young guy coming from junior, especially a guy like him, he’s been a star for years now, and it’s a huge transition jumping into a different role, different league, everything like that. Helps me talking to him, and hopefully helps him, the friendship that we have.”
Cowan picked up an assist in his AHL debut on Friday night. What’s Minten’s advice to Cowan right now?
“Just play the game like you would if you were in the NHL,” said Minten, who spent most of last season in the AHL. “Just build your game. If you keep doing the right things, they’ll see it and you’ll get another chance. Just be ready for it when you do get it.”
Minten offers advice to close friend Cowan after Leafs demotion Fraser Minten reveals he stills stays in contact with Maple Leafs rookie Easton Cowan and offered up some advice after he was recently sent back down to the Marlies.
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Cowan was sent to the minors to create a roster spot for Laughton, who was activated off injured reserve on Wednesday. Laughton logged just under 11 minutes in his return from a lower-body injury, which he sustained in a pre-season game on Oct. 2.
“It was honestly better than I thought,” he said. “Felt good. My wind was good. Legs were pretty good … For the most part, I felt comfortable. Speed of the game was good, just head-wise and following, tracking plays and things like that. So a long way to go here, but I was pleasantly surprised at how I felt.”
Laughton took a roughing penalty for punching John Marino in the head after the Utah Mammoth defenceman swiped at the glove of Anthony Stolarz, who had covered the puck.
“I didn’t mind it at all,” said Berube. “He’s that type of guy where he’s going to do what he has to do for his teammate, and I have no problem with it.”
Laughton agreed that it was a good penalty to take.
“Maybe hit him in the chest next time,” Laughton added. “But, yeah, there’s been a couple instances throughout the year where Stolie’s gotten touched and so make sure that that doesn’t happen throughout the night. And we have to do the same thing on the other side of going to the net hard and making it hard on their goalie and doing all that stuff.”
Laughton ‘pleasantly surprised’ with his first game back in the lineup Scott Laughton admits he was pleasantly surprised with himself after making his return to the lineup. His teammates discuss the impact he makes on and off the ice with his leadership attributes.
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Ahead of Saturday’s slate of games, the Bruins lead the NHL in hits and are tied for second overall in penalties drawn.
“They’re a hard team,” said Berube. “We know it’s going to be a hard game with the Bruins. It always is. They’re physical. They’ve got some size over there on the back end and up front. And, like I said, it’s always a challenge with the Bruins with, I’d say, the game within the game.”
Boston arrived in Toronto riding a five-game win streak, but they will be without top defenceman Charlie McAvoy, who is back home tending to a family matter, and forward Casey Mittelstadt who is dealing with an injury.
“It’s going to be a challenging night for us, especially with the few guys out,” Sturm said. “But I’m very confident the way we play right now that we can hang in there.”
The Leafs have won three straight games and five of six overall.
“They probably had a little bit of a slower start, but if you look at them now they’re back to their identity the way they want to play,” Sturm said.
After getting outshot 17-3 in the second period of Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Leafs have really tightened up.
“Definitely the last four periods of hockey is some of our best that we played this year,” Berube said. “And not just the scoring part, the all-around game, how we want to play. So, you know, we just got to keep building off that.”
Leafs Ice Chips: ‘Game within the game’ is key against shorthanded Bruins The Maple Leafs will look to build on their three-game winning streak tonight with the Bruins in town, however Boston riding a five-game winning streak of their own. Mark Masters has more on the matchup and why the Bruins will be missing a key piece on their blue line.
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The Bruins called up winger Alex Steeves from the AHL and he will make his Boston debut against his old organization.
Steeves spent most of the last four seasons with the Marlies, but did get into 16 games for the Leafs.
“Some of the best years of my life, honestly,” the 25-year-old product of the University of Notre Dame said. “I still text with some of my buddies, mainly from the Marlies, every day. I never expected to get so close with guys … Four years on one team is a long time at this level, and really just made some unbelievable friends and teammates, staff members. I love this city. Good food, good people, and all that stuff. I absolutely loved being a Marlie and loved being a Leaf, and it’s good to be back. It feels weird going back to the hotel and not my apartment right now, but it’s going to be a good night.”
Steeves slotted in on the second line beside Pavel Zacha and Victor Arvidsson at the morning skate.
‘Revenge game in the making?’: Steeves gets first call up with Bruins to face Leafs Alex Steeves was called up by the Bruins for the first time this season and fittingly it’s against his former team in the Maple Leafs. He reflects on his time in Toronto and explains why he looked for a fresh start in free agency.
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The Leafs called up Dennis Hildeby, who will dress as the back-up goalie on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs have recalled G Dennis Hildeby from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
G Cayden Primeau has been claimed off waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 8, 2025
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Projected Leafs lineup for Saturday’s game:
Knies – Matthews – Nylander
Robertson – Tavares – McMann
Joshua – Roy – Maccelli
Lorentz – Laughton – Domi
Rielly – Carlo
Ekman-Larsson – McCabe
Benoit – Myers
Stolarz starts
Woll
Lines at Bruins skate on Saturday:
Geekie – Khusnutdinov – Pastrnak
Steeves – Zacha – Arvidsson
Jeannot – Minten – Kastelic
Viel – Kuraly – Eyssimont
Beecher
Zadorov – Jokiharju
Lindholm – Peeke
Lohrei – Aspirot
Swayman starts
Korpisalo