The Toronto Maple Leafs have given themselves a little breathing room with a four-game winning streak, but the calendar isn’t about to be kind. Fresh off a 7-2 rout of the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto carries a 7-4-2 record and 16 points into Monday night’s meeting with the Calgary Flames, sitting third in the Atlantic Division and three points behind the first-place Boston Bruins.
At this point, the season already has the feel of a soap opera. There’s been coaching drama, rookie drama, goalie drama, comeback wins, comeback losses, hot streaks and cold spells. But with 13 games in the books, the Leafs are starting to look like themselves - or at least the version of themselves this team may be for the rest of the year.
That’s why this West Coast swing matters more than it might have a few weeks ago. It’s only three games, but with a demanding home stretch waiting when they get back, Toronto has a real chance to bank points before the schedule tightens up again.
The mood around the team is as upbeat as it gets. After Saturday’s win, Anthony Stolarz didn’t exactly hide how good things feel right now.
"An exciting time to be a Maple Leaf," Anthony Stolarz said after the game on Saturday. "We have a great group, the vibes are great, we have an influx of kids who have a lot of energy and are bringing out the best in everyone - That was probably our best game of the year. I hope it sets the standard for us going forward."
Auston Matthews echoed that same idea, pointing to how the team is coming together across the lineup.
"It feels like we're building a team," Auston Matthews said. "It's not just one, two lines a night, you need everybody on board."
Jim Hiller said the same kind of depth is what separates a group that can win consistently from one that’s just leaning on its stars.
"That to me says something about your team. It says you have depth.
It says it's not just Matthews, (William) Nylander, and (John) Tavares. It's going through the lineup and that gives you a chance to win every night."
The Oilers were the toughest opponent on this trip, and Toronto handled them. Calgary comes next, and the Flames are 4-6-0 and near the bottom of the Western Conference, even if they’ve won three straight after opening 1-6-0.
Seattle is up Wednesday, with the Kraken at 7-4-1. They’ve started well, but Toronto still looks like the better team, and they’ve got the more proven body of work right now.
Vancouver rounds out the trip on Saturday, and the Canucks are 2-10-1. The record is the record, and Vancouver has also allowed the most goals in the NHL, though the team still has enough talent to score in bunches.
That’s why going 3-0-0 on the trip is very much in play. A more cautious view - 2-1-0, or even 1-1-1 - would still keep Toronto moving in the right direction, but the way they’re playing, all three wins should be there for the taking.
Then comes the hard part.
After Saturday’s game against Vancouver, the Leafs don’t play again until Tuesday night, Nov. 3, when they open a six-game home stand against the Utah Mammoth. Utah is 8-4-0 and, after reaching the playoffs last season, comes in with real expectations in 2026-27.
Toronto gets three days off before a back-to-back with the Montreal Canadiens on Sat., Nov. 7 and the New Jersey Devils on Sun., Nov. 8.
Montreal is 6-3-2 and still being treated as a legit Stanley Cup contender despite its slow start. New Jersey is 7-4-0 and still trying to figure out exactly what it is, even with newly acquired Connor Hellebuyck expected to be in net by then.
And then the home stand really starts to bite. The Avalanche come to Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 10, followed by the Wild on Nov. 12 and the Oilers again on Nov.
- Those are three of the best teams in the West, and all three are viewed as real Cup threats.
That’s the reason these next three road games loom so large. Toronto doesn’t need to run the table forever, but in a division this tight, taking care of business against the teams in front of you matters. The standings aren’t giving anyone much cushion, and they’re only going to get tighter from here.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Face One Big Trade Question On Their Blue Line
The Maple Leafs blue line remains a clear area of focus as the front office looks for a way to make the defense harder to play against. General manager John Chayka is reportedly searching for a defender who can handle top-four minutes, stay at home, and help the club move the puck out of its own zone more cleanly.
What makes this search especially interesting is the type of player Toronto appears to have in mind, the kind who can steady the back end without needing to carry the offense. Simon Edvinsson and Adam Pelech have been mentioned among the possible targets, but nothing has been finalized yet, leaving the Leafs with a familiar question: how far will they go to solve that side of the ice? [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Regret Letting This Depth Defenseman Get Away
Troy Stechers move from Edmonton to Toronto last November looked like a depth swap at the time, but it has played out as one of those quiet roster decisions that can linger all season. Claimed off waivers by the Maple Leafs, the veteran defenseman has found a clearer path into the lineup and has been able to contribute more than he did with the Oilers, where his role never really took hold.
For Toronto, the timing has mattered as much as the player. Injuries on the blue line have opened the door for Stecher to see more ice and even chip in offensively, giving the Leafs an extra option on the back end when they needed one. For Edmonton, it is a reminder that a useful depth defender can look a lot more valuable once he lands in a situation with a real opportunity to play. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Just Missed On A Goalie Move Fans Will Feel
The goaltending market was active enough to leave a ripple far beyond Carolina, where the Hurricanes explored several ways to land Connor Hellebuyck but never got close enough to Winnipegs asking price. For Toronto fans watching the rest of the league move around the crease, it is the kind of deal that matters even when it does not involve the Maple Leafs directly, because it shapes the competition the Leafs may see down the road.
What made the pursuit sting for Carolina was how close it appears to have come before the price climbed out of reach, with the Jets driving a hard bargain as the Devils ultimately completed the move. For a Leafs team always tracking how the top Eastern rivals improve, it is another reminder that one bold front-office decision can change the balance of power, even if the original suitor walks away empty-handed. [Read more 🡒]