Former Leafs goalie James Reimer recorded the victory for Ottawa.<\/p>\n
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Published Apr 15, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 21\u00a0minutes ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a wrap on the 2025-26 Maple Leafs season.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Fittingly, it was a former Leafs goaltender who formed the bookends on a season from hell.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Cut from a tryout by Toronto last fall, James Reimer recorded the victory on Wednesday in Ottawa as the Senators beat the Leafs 3-1.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n William Nylander ended Reimer\u2019s shutout bid eight minutes into the third period when he scored his 30th goal of the season. It is the sixth time in his National Hockey League career that he has scored at least 30 goals.<\/p>\n Out of the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, the Leafs ended the season with little interest, losing their final seven games while being outscored 35-18. Their last win came in Anaheim on March 30 when they beat the Ducks 5-4 in overtime, hours after general manager Brad Treliving was fired.<\/p>\n The good news for Leafs Nation is that the club will finish 28th in the overall NHL standings<\/a>, putting them in the top five for the 2026 draft. The catch is that if a team higher than Toronto in the standings wins the draft lottery on May 5, the Leafs will be knocked out of the top five and the first-round pick will go to the Boston Bruins.<\/p>\n It\u2019s likely the game was the last behind the Leafs bench for coach Craig Berube<\/a>,\u00a0whose Toronto future is in much doubt. And it might have been the last Leafs game for defenceman Morgan Rielly, who may be asked to waive his no-movement clause by the incoming head of hockey operations.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a tough year, but you keep grinding and keep trying to find different ways to get out of the situation you\u2019re in,\u201d Berube told media in Ottawa after the game. \u201cWe tried to do a lot of different things this year and it didn\u2019t work out.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think buy-in was an issue. I think we\u2019re trying to play a certain way here, and I don\u2019t think that we fully grabbed that, (so) I guess it was buy-in that way.\u201d<\/p>\n The Leafs will hold exit interviews on Thursday, when captain Auston Matthews<\/a> is slated to speak to media for the first time since the Ducks\u2019 Radko Gudas ended his season with a knee-on-knee hit on March 12<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Joe Bowen called the last Leafs game of his legendary broadcasting career<\/a> from the press box in Ottawa, along with longtime partner and colour commentator Jim Ralph, after not being on the road for games for the past several years.<\/p>\n Dennis Hildeby had a fine night in the Leafs net, making 35 saves.<\/p>\n Some final takeaways:<\/p>\n WHAT\u2019S NEXT FOR COWAN?<\/p>\n Easton Cowan ended his NHL rookie with an assist on Nylander\u2019s goal, bringing the 20-year-old to 29 points (11 goals and 18 assists) in 66 games.<\/p>\n Once Cowan gained his confidence in his first season in the league, he made a greater impact, both on the scoresheet and from a physical standpoint. His future is bright, but what does it involve immediately?<\/p>\n Berube indicated that is to be decided, but for him, the best avenue is for Cowan to join the Toronto Marlies for the Calder Cup playoffs.<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a benefit for him playing in the playoffs,\u201d Berube said. \u201cYou can look at the league and dissect it any way you want. It\u2019s a good league. It\u2019s a good experience for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n If the Marlies are done before the world championship gets underway on May 15 in Switzerland, Cowan could be an option for Canada for the tournament.<\/p>\n ROBERTSON NON-COMMITTAL<\/p>\n Nick Robertson will be a restricted free agent this summer and will be eligible for arbitration.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old winger set career highs in goals (16), assists (16) and points in is his third full seasons. Trade rumours have been a part of the deal for Robertson in Toronto and they\u2019re not bound to dissipate with change coming for the roster this summer.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to take a deep dive into my future,\u201d Robertson said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what my future holds, but I will say that everyone here has been unbelievable with me, for my family. I love these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n A fresh start could be best for Robertson, but the Leafs would be foolish to give him away. A 16-goal season for a player who averaged less than 13 minutes of ice time a game shouldn\u2019t be taken for granted by the team, but Robertson would not be faulted for thinking he could get a better shot with another team.<\/p>\n Advertisement 7<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n What did Robertson think went wrong for the Leafs as a whole?<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of reasons,\u201d Robertson said. \u201cLack of execution, buy-in, emotion \u2026 it\u2019s unfortunate how it ended.\u201d<\/p>\n SOME LAST BITS OF UGLINESS<\/p>\n The Leafs had the worst record in the NHL after the Olympic break, going 5-15-5 in 25 games.<\/p>\n Toronto (32-36-14) finished with 78 points, 30 less than a year ago when it won the Atlantic Division.<\/p>\n The Leafs were outshot 38-20 by the Sens, marking the 62nd time in 82 games that their opponent won the shots battle.<\/p>\n The seven-game losing streak (0-6-1) was Toronto\u2019s second-longest slump in team history to end a season. The 1957-58 club went 0-8-0 in its last eight games.<\/p>\n As for the roster re-tooling that will be the task of the new hockey boss, that person will have their work cut out. Teams won\u2019t be lining up to trade with the Leafs, and there are just two unrestricted free agents \u2014 forward Calle Jarnkrok, who did not play in Ottawa because of injury, and defenceman Troy Stecher.<\/p>\n \u201cReally special to put on that crest,\u201d said Stecher, who was claimed off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers<\/a> in November. \u201cI know I had my good days and my bad days, but one thing I can say is I never took the city for granted. I was very proud to come to the rink every day and put on that jersey and try to represent the city as best I could.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0416reimersmall-e1776305839120.jpg\")
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares attempts to keep control of the puck with the Ottawa Senators’ Lars Eller following closely and goaltender James Reimer looking on during the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre on April 15, 2026. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick \/The Canadian PressArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.0.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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