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Maple Leafs Hand Wild an Easy Two Points

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Old Prof | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 12:35 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened a big homestand Saturday night, and it went about as badly as it could. A 6–3 loss to a Minnesota team that didn’t even have its full lineup dressed. This was supposed to be a get-right game. Instead, it became a reminder of how thin the margins really are for this group when its structure slips.

The Maple Leafs Lost Because They Showed Up Second Best

Toronto didn’t lose because of bad luck or one blown call. They lost because they were second-best in too many areas that matter. Their puck management, defensive detail, and lineup decisions offered very little pushback when things started to unravel. Minnesota didn’t need to be brilliant. They just needed to be organized. The Maple Leafs gave them plenty of chances to work with.

There were moments late that teased hope. Auston Matthews looked every bit like a captain dragging his team forward. Max Domi looked fast and dropped a perfect pass onto Matthews’ stick for a clear-cut breakaway. Nick Robertson found the net again, which mattered in the moment. But the truth is, the game had already tilted away long before that goal arrived.

The Maple Leafs Defense Hung Joseph Woll Out to Dry

The Maple Leafs’ defensive structure completely disappeared on one of those nights where they looked both disconnected and careless. Lost assignments, soft clears, and poor reads all reared their ugly heads. When a team gives up uncontested looks and breakaways like this, the score usually reflects it. No system survives that many self-inflicted mistakes.

Joseph Woll had his moments, but pinning this loss on him misses the point. When goals are coming off blown coverage and failed clears, that’s a team problem. He’s been propping them up for weeks. This time, the netminder was left exposed.

Matthews Is Driving the Play, But Others Need to Jump In

Auston Matthews was excellent again. The effort, the confidence, and the finish are all back. The problem is that too few of his teammates matched his urgency. If this team wants to climb the standings, that standard has to spread through the lineup fast.

The Maple Leafs didn’t lose ground because they lack talent. They lost because they didn’t play like a team that understands how precious points are right now. And that’s the part that should worry them most.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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