{"id":446817,"date":"2026-02-05T10:18:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T10:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/446817\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T10:18:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T10:18:00","slug":"maple-leafs-news-rumours-stolarz-knies-maccelli-answers-the-hockey-writers-toronto-maple-leafs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/446817\/","title":{"rendered":"Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Stolarz, Knies, Maccelli & Answers – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every once in a while, the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> hit a stretch where things settle down and make a bit more sense. Their 5\u20132 win over the Edmonton Oilers<\/a> on Tuesday felt like one of those nights. In the second half of a back-to-back, the legs were probably a little heavy. Still, Toronto looked like the steadier team.<\/p>\n

Two goals from Matias Maccelli<\/a>, a sharp performance from Anthony Stolarz, and a power play that finally woke up all pushed them into the Olympic break riding a tidy three-game winning streak.<\/p>\n

Related: Calgary Flames Retired Numbers<\/a><\/p>\n

Perfect games are rare. But last night\u2019s game was the kind that gives a team a little air. Matthew Knies put together one of his better efforts of the month. John Tavares<\/a> quietly hit the 20-goal mark. Bobby McMann tossed in another empty-netter for good measure. And Stolarz, who hasn\u2019t had an easy run this season, made the sort of late-game save on Leon Draisaitl that turns the bench into believers. With the break now here, it\u2019s worth taking stock of three things that stood out on this short road swing.<\/p>\n

Item One: Toronto\u2019s Power Play Finally Shows a Pulse<\/p>\n

For weeks, the Maple Leafs have been searching for any spark on the man advantage. It hasn\u2019t been for lack of talent; it\u2019s been the slow movement, predictable setups, and the feeling that they were forcing plays instead of creating them. In Edmonton, that script flipped.<\/p>\n

\"JohnJohn Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs (Jess Starr<\/a>\/The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n

Toronto didn\u2019t just go 2-for-2; they scored when it mattered. Tavares\u2019s earlier 5-on-3 score from below the hash marks was the game-winner. Maccelli\u2019s 5-on-4 goal came right when Edmonton handed them the door. More than the goals, the group looked lighter, more patient, and willing to shift pieces around until something opened.<\/p>\n

Related: NHL\u2019s Top 10 Goalies for 2025-26 \u2013 Midseason Update<\/a><\/p>\n

If this is a sign of things to come, it\u2019s a big one. Special teams sink teams in March, and Toronto has too much firepower to be stuck in neutral. Three straight wins (this one powered by the man advantage) suggest they might be turning that corner. But, is it in time?<\/p>\n

Item Two: Anthony Stolarz Looks Like His Old Self Again<\/p>\n

Stolarz needed a game like this. The Maple Leafs needed it too. Thirty-four saves, only two slipping past him, and a calm presence that\u2019s been missing<\/a> most of the year. After the upper-body injury and the rough stretch before it, he looked unsure at times, even a little late reacting to pucks. Not on Tuesday. This was the 2024-25 version the Maple Leafs hoped they\u2019d see again.<\/p>\n

\"AnthonyAnthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

He controlled rebounds, didn\u2019t give Edmonton much to chase, and made the exact kind of last-minute stop \u2014 that diving reach on Draisaitl \u2014 that tells everyone on the bench, \u201cRelax, I\u2019ve got this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toronto returns from the break with a tough back-to-back in Florida. There\u2019s no question that Stolarz and Joseph Woll will split those games. If Stolarz stacks another solid outing on top of this one, he becomes more than a placeholder. He becomes part of the solution.<\/p>\n

Item Three: Matias Maccelli Has to Be Growing on Toronto Fans<\/p>\n

Maccelli wasn\u2019t brought in to make headlines. He\u2019s not loud, not flashy, and not the first name on anyone\u2019s mind when things go sideways. But he\u2019s finding a role that suits him, and it\u2019s starting to show. Two goals against the Oilers, three in his last two games, and most importantly, the decisions he\u2019s making with the puck are getting sharper.<\/p>\n

Related: Does Jack Campbell Have One More NHL Comeback Left in Him?<\/a><\/p>\n

Early in the year, he looked hesitant. It was almost as if he was trying to figure out where he fit in a new system. Now he\u2019s reading plays earlier, sliding into open space, and arriving in scoring areas with purpose. He\u2019s also starting to stabilize the line he\u2019s on, which can\u2019t be overstated for a team that\u2019s been juggling combinations all season. Even watching him on the bench talking with the guys, he looks comfortable. Has he found his space?<\/p>\n

\"TorontoToronto Maple Leafs Matias Maccelli (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

No one expects him to match his 57-point season he had in 2023-24 with the Arizona Coyotes, but he\u2019s giving the Maple Leafs something they\u2019ve needed. He\u2019s a smart winger with some touch who doesn\u2019t force plays, but finishes them when they appear. That\u2019s the kind of player who ends up winning over a market slowly, one good night at a time.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for the Maple Leafs?<\/p>\n

The Maple Leafs are off until February 25, when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers the following night. These aren\u2019t just \u201cget through them\u201d games; they could help shape the early stretch run.<\/p>\n

Related: Ex-Maple Leafs Frederik \u201cGoat\u201d Gauthier: Where is He Now?<\/a><\/p>\n

If Toronto can carry this little wave of stability through the break, they might just come out looking more certain of who they are and what they want to be down the stretch.<\/p>\n

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