The Toronto Maple Leafs head into Edmonton on a three-game winning streak, but Saturday night is shaping up as a much sharper measuring stick than the close calls that got them here. After Thursday’s 5-4 win over the New York Rangers, the Leafs now face a different kind of challenge: a fast, dangerous Oilers team powered by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
That matchup puts Toronto’s depth under the spotlight. The Maple Leafs have been forced to lean on contributions beyond their usual top-end names, and that has started to show up in small but important ways.
Thursday’s win offered a good example, with Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Blueger both scoring their first goals with the Maple Leafs. Toronto’s fourth line finished the night with seven points, the kind of production that can quietly swing a game and ease pressure on the rest of the lineup.
The question now is whether that can happen again. One strong night from the bottom of the roster is helpful, but it does not guarantee anything going forward.
Against Edmonton, those extra goals and secondary assists could be the difference between staying in the fight and getting overwhelmed. The Oilers come in after a wild 6-5 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes, and their top duo was the engine again.
McDavid and Draisaitl combined for ten points in that game, which is exactly the sort of output that can tilt everything in Edmonton’s favor.
Toronto’s defense is also walking into a difficult spot. Chris Tanev is still out with an upper-body injury, and Nick Blankenburg left Thursday’s game after taking a heavy hit. That leaves the Maple Leafs with less margin for error against two players who can punish even a brief lapse.
There is a possible wrinkle in Edmonton’s crease. No. 1 goalie Devon Levi is on injured reserve, and Tristan Jarry is expected to start against Toronto.
Even so, the Maple Leafs can’t count on that to solve their problems. They’ll still need to move the puck cleanly, stay out of trouble in transition and keep Edmonton from turning loose pucks into dangerous chances.
Toronto may also need a steadier night from Sergei Bobrovsky after he allowed four goals on 25 shots against the Rangers. His .895 save percentage through eight games is not where the Maple Leafs want it, especially with the club paying him $21 million over three years. Saturday gives him a chance to calm things down.
There’s another note hanging over the night as well: Mike Babcock will coach against Toronto for the first time since his contentious departure in 2019. That will draw attention, but the real story is still the one unfolding on the ice.
The Maple Leafs have something to build on with three straight wins and a fourth line that chipped in at just the right time. Now they have to show they can take that same approach into a game against one of the league’s most explosive offensive pairings. If Toronto can get reliable goaltending, survive without two key defensemen and keep getting help from depth players, it will give itself a real shot.
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Leafs Make A Surprising Lineup Call Against A Brutal Oilers Test
The Maple Leafs are leaning on a different look in goal for a tough date with the Oilers, with Anthony Stolarz getting the start as Toronto tries to steady itself against one of the leagues most dangerous attacks. Sergei Bobrovsky will serve as the backup, and the setup gives the Leafs a little more intrigue in a game where every lineup choice feels magnified.
On the blue line, Dakota Mermis is set for his season debut after being recalled from the Marlies, a move that reflects just how thin Toronto has become on defense. Chris Tanev, Nick Blankenburg and Marshall Rifai are all in the injury mix, so the Leafs are piecing together their back end while trying to survive a brutal test without much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Face A Familiar Trade Dilemma On Defense
The Maple Leafs keep circling the same question on the blue line: whether a trade can shore up a defense that has left plenty of room for debate. One name that fits the conversation is Rasmus Ristolainen, the Philadelphia defenseman whose size and style have long made him a speculative target whenever Toronto starts looking for help on the back end.
Philadelphias angle is part of what makes the idea interesting, because the Flyers appear more open to players who can help them sooner rather than a package built around draft capital. Ristolainen is on injured reserve but is close to returning, and with no trade protection and free agency looming this summer, his situation gives Toronto another familiar deadline-style dilemma to weigh as it looks for defense without paying too steep a price. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Blue-Line Need Makes One Dream Trade Worth Watching
Torontos blue line remains one of the clearest talking points around the club, and that is what makes the Roman Josi discussion so easy to imagine. If the Maple Leafs are looking for a true difference-maker on defense, the Nashville veteran would sit near the top of the wish list, the kind of player who could reshape the back end and change how the group is built around its top pieces.
The catch is obvious: this kind of move does not exist in a vacuum, and the path to even getting in the conversation would depend on Nashvilles season going off the rails. If the Predators keep sliding and start considering bigger roster changes, Toronto would have to decide how far it is willing to go, with a serious pursuit likely costing a major asset such as Ben Danford or Easton Cowan. For now, it is the sort of trade rumor that says as much about the Leafs need as it does about how rare the solution might be. [Read more 🡒]