The Toronto Maple Leafs were back in action last night against the Ottawa Senators for another instalment of the Battle of Ontario. It was a game that no member of Leafs Nation wanted to see. The Senators walked all over the Maple Leafs and beat them fairly easily by a score of 5-2.
It was a hard watch considering just a season ago, these two clubs meant in the first round of the playoffs. And, the Maple Leafs came out on top. Unfortunately, this season is a different story and both teams have a chance to miss the playoffs. With the Maple Leafs eyeing the bottom five of the league, Ottawa is trying to make one last push for the playoffs with just 11 games remaining.
Stolarz Leaves During Warmups, Woll Starts
The night got off to a disastrous start before the puck even dropped. Anthony Stolarz was supposed to get the start, but he was forced to leave the ice during warmups after taking a puck to the throat off a shot from William Nylander. It looked like it caught him up near the neck area that resulted in Stolarz being taken to the hospital for precautionary imaging. He has since been released and joined the team on the plane after the game.
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This forced Joseph Woll into the crease for a second straight night after a grueling overtime loss to Carolina just 24 hours prior. He faced 36 shots on Friday and followed it up by seeing another 40 tonight. While the scoreboard looks ugly, it is impossible to pin this one on the goaltender when his team spent the entire night pinned in their own zone, giving him almost no support.
A Complete Lack of Offense
It is genuinely difficult to win hockey games when you only manage 14 shots on goal. The Maple Leafs struggled with Ottawa’s forecheck all night, particularly in a second period where they were held to just five shots. John Tavares did manage to find the net for his 25th of the year and Easton Cowan added his ninth of the season, but those were mere blips in a dominant Senators performance.
The lack of puck possession is becoming a massive concern as the schedule winds down. Without Auston Matthews in the lineup, this group is struggling to generate any sustained pressure, and the defensive core is spending far too much time chasing the play.
Tank for a Top 5 Pick
At this point, the conversation has officially shifted from playoff hopes to the 2026 NHL Draft. With another loss, the focus remains firmly on the “tank.” With the first-round pick traded to the Boston Bruins being top-five protected, the Maple Leafs have every incentive to keep sliding down the standings.
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Toronto is currently in a position where every loss significantly improves their lottery odds. It’s a grim way to look at the final stretch of the season, but keeping that pick and potentially landing a franchise talent like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg is the only real silver lining left. Performances like tonight’s are certainly helping that cause, as the Maple Leafs continue to fall down the standings and currently 25th in the NHL, five points ahead of the St. Louis Blues for 28th.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs are back in action on Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins. Which is a game that doesn’t mean much for them but could impact the Eastern conference wild card race a ton. The Maple Leafs could look to play spoiler, but ideally they should be looking at the 28th overall spot in the NHL.
