4 takeaways from Leafs-Mammoth: Hildeby delivers sub-par start as exhausted team runs out of gas

Dylan Guenther wired a laser off the rush for the game’s second goal. There was plenty of velocity on Guenther’s shot, but Hildeby should’ve tracked the shot better and used his size to cut off the rising trajectory.

JJ Peterka also beat Hildeby with a shot that he should’ve been able to track down, during the second period.

We’re not putting all the blame on Hildeby, as the Maple Leafs were completely exhausted and there were few standouts. It was far from his best game of the season, and it’ll be compelling to see when Hildeby will get his next start, with Anthony Stolarz skating with the team while recovering from an upper-body injury.

Matias Maccelli makes minimal impact in return to Utah

Matias Maccelli has been afforded a fresh start with the Maple Leafs. Ater a rocky opening few months, where he was benched for the majority of December, Maccelli has found new life on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, while controlling the entries on the first power play unit. Unfortunately for Maccelli, Tuesday’s game wasn’t one of his best nights.

Maccelli didn’t make an impact at 5-on-5, whether he played with Tavares and Nylander, or with Auston Matthews and Max Domi. He was relatively quiet during the first two periods, before coming on strong midway through the third period, setting up Matthews for a great chance where the Leafs’ captain hit the crossbar. Aside from this sequence, it wasn’t the high-octane game Maccelli was looking for, and he was one of the worst skaters on the ice against his former team. Burn the tape!

Calle Jarnkrok scores after replacing Nick Robertson in lineup

Calle Jarnkrok was projected to be a healthy scratch, before Nick Robertson was ruled out, after being listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Jarnkrok made the most of the opportunity, registering Toronto’s lone goal during the third period.

It would be somewhat irresponsible to advocate for further playing time, after scoring in what amounted to garbage time, but Jarnkrok was indeed one of the best Leafs in an otherwise forgettable effort. Jarnkrok isn’t the player he used to be, but he still has clever instincts and hockey intelligence, which are qualities that are needed on a successful fourth line. And perhaps Jarnkrok just needs some rhythm after all: he scored during Toronto’s first three games, then was rendered a healthy scratch for most of December and January, where his form was diminished. It’s an encouraging sign during a game that lacks true positives.

An awful night for Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, Troy Stecher and Simon Benoit

Troy Stecher has been excellent for the Maple Leafs since joining the team in mid-November. Stecher’s mobility, competitiveness , and ability to get easy exits helped Toronto overcome its porous defence through the opening two months. We’ve singled him out several times in this space for his strong play. Stecher simply wasn’t good enough on Tuesday, particularly off the rush, where he allowed way too much space off the rush. Simon Benoit did nothing to help Stecher, and both players were disconnected in the defensive zone.

Morgan Rielly and Brandon Carlo have been subject to criticism throughout the season, although both veterans were turning the corner. Rielly and Carlo’s spatial sense were awful on Tuesday, and both partners crashed into each other on Guenther’s second goal of the contest. They were slow, they were late to contest dangerous passes through the crease, and while Carlo has been significantly better since returning to the lineup, after undergoing foot surgery in December, this was his worst showing of the 2026 calendar year.