John Tavares exited Tuesday’s game after a frightening collision in the third period, leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs with a potential problem right in the middle of a tight divisional matchup.
Toronto was sitting on a 4-2 lead over the visiting Buffalo Sabres when the play took a turn. In the Leafs’ own zone, Nick Paul was trying to cover Sabres center Josh Norris as Buffalo worked with possession near the blue line. Norris slid into Tavares on the awkward sequence, and the impact appeared to catch the former Leafs captain at the knee.
Tavares was helped off the ice and went straight down the tunnel, looking to be in significant pain.
John Tavares heads down the tunnel after an awkward collision. pic.twitter.com/4Jn0fGRs1z
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 16, 2026
There was no official update from the team at the time of writing, but the way he left made a return seem unlikely.
The timing could hardly be worse for Toronto. Tavares has opened the season on solid footing, with two goals and five points in six games while logging a career-low 17:19 per night. He may not be flawless, but he’s still producing at a level that makes him an important piece for this roster.
That matters even more because the Maple Leafs would be thin at center without him. If Tavares can’t go, Toronto would be left scrambling for answers down the middle, with Nick Paul and perhaps even Easton Cowan options to handle second- and third-line duties. Neither offers the same kind of scoring threat Tavares brings, the sort of talent that can turn a broken play into a goal.
Leafs coach Jim Hiller was expected to have more information after the game. Shortly after Tavares left the ice, Buffalo answered back and stormed all the way back to tie the game 4-4 in the third.
In Other News...
Flames Ugly Start Is Fueling Questions Calgary Fans Feared
Calgarys rough start has the Flames already dealing with the kind of early-season noise nobody wanted, with questions surfacing around Ryan Huskas job security as the losses mount. The turmoil has also put a few roster names in the spotlight, including Connor Zary, who was placed on waivers and reassigned to the AHL, while Aydar Suniev has come up and given the club a small jolt of energy in the opening weeks.
For Toronto, the more interesting wrinkle is on the blue line, where Zach Whitecloud has been getting attention as clubs around the league watch Calgarys situation closely. The Leafs are among the teams keeping tabs as they look for ways to bolster their defense, and with trade chatter already circling another Flames piece, this is the kind of messy start that can quickly become a bigger story if Calgary decides to shake things up. [Read more 🡒]
Ex-Wild Forward Nicolas Aub-Kubel Has Taken An Unexpected Career Turn
Nicolas Aub-Kubels path has already taken a few turns since he broke into the pro game, with stops across several NHL teams, time in the AHL and a rsum that still includes a 2022 Stanley Cup ring with Colorado. Now the former Wild forward is starting a different kind of chapter overseas, having signed a one-year deal with Dinamo Minsk in the Kontinental Hockey League for the 2026-27 season.
The move is as much a family decision as a hockey one, with Aub-Kubel settling in for the adventure abroad alongside his young family. Early on, the adjustment appears to be going smoothly on the ice as well, with his first seven games offering a quick reminder that even after a winding route through North America, there is still some punch left in his game. [Read more 🡒]
Kirill Marchenko Already Faces One Early Leafs Concern
Kirill Marchenkos early months with the Maple Leafs have been productive enough on the surface, with six points since arriving in the deal that sent Matthew Knies the other way. He has helped drive play and spend time in the offensive zone, which is exactly the kind of two-way support Toronto wanted to add around its core. The underlying numbers have also been encouraging, with his puck possession work standing out even as the offense has not always flowed through his stick.
Still, the conversation around Marchenko has started to shift from what he does to what he should be doing more often. Former Leaf Jeff ONeill has been among those pushing for a little more urgency and a more assertive shot-first mindset, a reminder that the team did not bring him in simply to move pucks safely. For Toronto, the next step is obvious enough: if Marchenko can turn some of that territorial advantage into more frequent scoring chances, he becomes a much tougher fit for opponents to handle. [Read more 🡒]