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Joseph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

3 Takeaways From the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 Win Over the Hurricanes

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Spencer Lazary | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 8:25 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs took on the Carolina Hurricanes in a rare Sunday 5 p.m. EST start. Toronto entered Game 80 of the season attempting to lock up the top spot in the Atlantic Division. With the win against the Hurricanes, they did their job, and then it turned to the Buffalo Sabres, who needed to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning to clinch the top seed for Toronto.

With their 50th win on the season and the Lightning’s win, the Maple Leafs still have a chance to clinch the top spot in their division for the first time since the COVID-shortened season when they won the Canadian Division. Before that, the last time they won the division was back in 2000, when they went on to face the Ottawa Senators — which just so happens to be the team they’ll play this year as well.

There were some good things that came out of the Maple Leafs’ win, so let’s dive into the takeaways from the game last night.

Woll Looks Playoff Ready

Last night against the Montreal Canadiens, we saw Anthony Stolarz play very well and earn himself a shutout. Tonight, we saw Joseph Woll play just as well and earn a 4-1 win. This is great to see, especially with Game 80 now in the books and the playoffs starting in less than a week. Right now, it looks like Stolarz will be the starting goalie in Game 1 of the playoffs, but Woll has been outstanding — not just last night but throughout the entire season. He’s taken a step in his development, stayed healthy for most of the year, and built up his confidence alongside his goaltending partner.

Last night he faced 26 shots and stopped 25 of them to secure his team a 4-1 win. In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Maple Leafs were being outshot 11-2 by the Hurricanes, and Woll was the one who stood tall and shut the door. Even on the one goal he gave up, he was square to the shooter — he just missed the glove save. Nevertheless, this is a great sign to see Woll rounding into playoff form as the countdown to the 2025 NHL playoffs begins.

Maple Leafs Played 108 Minutes of Shutout Hockey

When was the last time the Maple Leafs had a shutout streak like this just days before the playoffs? In years past, they’ve struggled to head into the postseason. However, under Craig Berube, they look different. A big reason for that is how Brad Treliving rebuilt the blue line. This is a high-octane, high-skill group that needed a stronger defensive core. Treliving recognized that and made the necessary changes to bring in big-bodied, defensive-minded defencemen who could help reshape the team for the better. That’s exactly what happened. They’ve adapted to a new coaching strategy under Berube, who is built for playoff-style hockey.

Maple Leafs’ Blue Line is Built for Playoff Hockey

As mentioned above, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving saw an area of need and addressed it. When he took over, their blue line consisted of: T.J. Brodie, Justin Holl, Morgan Rielly, Luke Schenn, Jake McCabe, and Timothy Liljegren. Now, after two seasons at the helm, the group looks like this: Brandon Carlo, Chris Tanev, Simon Benoit, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Rielly, and McCabe.

That is a huge improvement in just a two-year span. On the ice, it shows with how well they defend and protect the crease. They block shots, finish hits, and clear the front of the net — both of pucks and bodies. They are built for playoff hockey, which is exactly what you want to see, especially as a Maple Leafs fan.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The Maple Leafs will now travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres in Game 81. As of right now, both Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will have another chance to set personal milestones. Marner is only one point away from 100 points in a season for the first time in his career. As for Matthews, he’s just one goal shy of 400 career goals, which would make him the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to do it — ahead of Alex Ovechkin. With the Lightning loss to the Sabres last night, the Maple Leafs’ magic number dropped to one point. All they need is one more, and they will officially clinch the top seed in the Atlantic Division.