The Toronto Maple Leafs left Seattle with a result that felt bigger than the box score. A 5-4 loss to the Kraken gave them flashes of real offense, some encouraging work on the power play, and then one brutal late finish that wiped out the comeback attempt.
Gavin McKenna was the brightest part of the night. He scored twice on the power play, finished with three points, and looked completely comfortable alongside Auston Matthews.
Hiller said the two were excellent together with the man advantage, and Toronto cashed in on two of its three power-play chances. McKenna also helped set up Matthews’ tying goal with 1:30 remaining after the goalie was pulled, the kind of late-game play that belongs in a highlight reel.
There was more to like than just the offense. Toronto out-shot Seattle 21-17 and out-hit the Kraken 32-23. Hiller said the Leafs competed hard and did a good job of keeping Seattle to the outside for much of the game.
But the problems were impossible to ignore. Seattle scored five times on just 17 shots, and that made it the eighth time this season the Maple Leafs have allowed five or more goals.
Hiller pointed to six or seven major breakdowns, including two two-on-ones and a string of breakout turnovers in the first period. In a close game, those mistakes are enough to swing everything.
Then came the final punch. After Toronto had tied the game and the bench was buzzing, Brandon Montour scored with about 30 seconds left. Hiller called it a dagger, and that was exactly what it was.
Hiller said Bobrovsky was “all right” but would probably want one back. Two of the goals also went in off a toe and a stick, but the last one was the one that will stick in everyone’s memory. Hiller also grumbled about some of the penalty calls, though he made it clear those are part of the game.
Zoom out, and the picture for Toronto is still a messy one. Nearly a month into the season, the Maple Leafs have seven wins, and only two of those came when they scored fewer than five goals.
That’s the profile of a team living on offense. Without John Tavares and Kirill Marchenko, Hiller said the lines still haven’t settled, and he noted those players normally log 18 to 19 minutes a night.
Five-on-five play, as Hiller put it, was far from stellar.
The next stop is Saturday in Vancouver against a Canucks team sitting at 3-10-1. On paper, it looks manageable.
In practice, it has the feel of the kind of game that can quietly get away from a team. If the Maple Leafs can clean up the turnovers, tighten the defense, and stop handing opponents easy lessons, they should be in position to bounce back.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Have One Obvious Cap Casualty To Watch
Dakota Joshua has already become one of the more intriguing depth pieces on the Maple Leafs roster, not because of what he has done this season, but because of how little he has been able to do. The winger has been sidelined by a core injury and has dealt with health issues before, leaving Toronto with another reminder of how fragile the margins can be when a team is trying to manage both performance and payroll.
Given his contract and the kind of game he plays, Joshua fits the profile of a player other clubs could circle if the Maple Leafs look for a way to open up cap room. Teams that want some size and bite in the bottom six could see him as a useful add, and the league has already started to connect him to a few possible destinations. For Toronto, the question is whether a player with that appeal is also the one most likely to be moved. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Losses Are Revealing A Different Team Identity
The Maple Leafs have been talking about accountability all season, and the message is starting to sound less like a talking point and more like a standard. In a 2026-27 season that has already featured some hard lessons, captain Auston Matthews and Easton Cowan have both been willing to own their part in the highs and lows, which is a noticeable shift for a team that has too often been defined by how it handled disappointment after playoff exits.
What stands out now is the tone inside the room, where the emphasis has clearly moved toward a team-first environment. Successes are being shared, mistakes are being acknowledged, and the response to setbacks feels more direct than deflective, which is exactly the kind of cultural change the Leafs have spent years trying to build. Cowan's postgame self-critique after the loss to Calgary fit that pattern, and it left the impression that this group is starting to measure itself differently. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Just Got A Clear Look At Torontos Biggest Problem
Gavin McKennas recent two-goal night on the power play gave the Maple Leafs a glimpse of how much bite their top talent can have when the man advantage starts clicking. There was enough there to suggest some early chemistry with Auston Matthews, and for a team still looking to sharpen its identity, that kind of connection matters as Toronto heads into its next stretch.
The bigger question around the club, though, remains in goal. Toronto is continuing to evaluate Sergei Bobrovskys recent play while weighing whether Anthony Stolarz deserves a turn, a decision that could shape how the Maple Leafs look in Vancouver. For a team trying to steady itself, the crease is still the most closely watched spot on the roster. [Read more 🡒]