Toronto Maple Leafs News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Nylander, Schenn, Matthews & MacKinnon

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 1:25 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs walk into a hard building tonight against a team that doesn’t blink. The Colorado Avalanche have been missing name-brand pieces, and it hasn’t mattered much. They keep rolling, they keep scoring, and they keep winning at home. Seventeen straight home wins isn’t noise — it’s a warning sign.

What makes the Avalanche dangerous isn’t just Nathan MacKinnon at the top of the marquee. It’s that they don’t rely on him every night. When the stars aren’t filling the net, someone else does. A depth defenceman gets his first NHL goal. A backup goalie posts a shutout. Different faces, same result. That’s how good teams insulate themselves when injuries hit.

Toronto comes in playing its best hockey of the season, and they’ll need all of it. Colorado is unbeaten in regulation at home, chasing franchise history, and doesn’t play loose with leads in its own building. If the Maple Leafs are looking for a measuring-stick game, this is it.

Item One: Nylander’s Return Changes the Math

William Nylander’s return to the lineup on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks wasn’t just about points — though the goal and two assists didn’t hurt. It was about balance. When he’s going, the Maple Leafs don’t have to lean so heavily on one line or one look. It stretches matchups and forces the other team to make choices.

John Tavares and Matthew Knies have been productive. Auston Matthews keeps finding ways to score even when the game tightens up. Suddenly, Toronto looks like a team that can threaten in waves again. That doesn’t mean they’ll outgun the Avalanche — few teams do — but it gives them a fighting chance to stay in the game long enough for it to matter late.

Monday’s contest isn’t about streaks or standings as much as it’s about posture. Can the Maple Leafs play a patient road game in a hostile rink against the NHL’s best home team? If they can, the result almost becomes secondary. Almost.

Item Two: Are the Maple Leafs Desperate for Another Defenceman?

As the deadline approaches, it’s easy to assume the Maple Leafs have to add to their blue line. But it wouldn’t be surprising if their most important defensive move was already made months ago, when they quietly claimed Troy Stecher off waivers. He stepped in during a rough stretch of injuries, and the team kept winning.

Troy Stecher, Toronto Maple Leafs (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

That context matters when the bigger names come up. Toronto doesn’t have the assets to chase someone like Rasmus Andersson or Justin Faulk without overpaying, and dealing a piece like Easton Cowan would be a tough sell if it didn’t change the playoff outcome. There’s already some discomfort around the cost of Brandon Carlo, even if his play down the stretch can help justify it.

If a depth move like Luke Schenn for a later-round pick is there, fine. But general manager Brad Treliving doesn’t need to force anything. The Maple Leafs have gone 11-4-4 over a 19-game stretch while constantly patching the blue line together. Another veteran might help at the margins, but one more defenceman isn’t a guarantee of anything. No matter what, the team has to defend better, with or without a deadline move.

Item Three: A Sneak Peek at Milan? Matthews vs. MacKinnon

We don’t get many nights like this anymore, where two of the very best players in the world line up across from each other in a meaningful game. Matthews versus MacKinnon isn’t just a star matchup; it’s a contrast in how elite players tilt the ice in different ways. Speed and power on one side, patience and precision on the other.

Via The Hockey Writers

The last time Matthews went head-to-head with Connor McDavid, it wasn’t much of a contest. Matthews wasn’t quite there yet. Since then, he’s found another gear. His impact is more consistent, even when he’s not scoring. He looks closer to the version you’d expect to carry a team in high-pressure games.

That’s why tonight feels like more than a regular-season meeting. If Team Canada and the U.S. get where they expect to be at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, this is the kind of matchup we could see again. Same stars, bigger stage. Games like this don’t decide anything on their own, but they give you a pretty good idea of what hockey at its highest level still looks like.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

This isn’t a Toronto team limping into a buzzsaw. The Maple Leafs have won three straight and seven of their last nine, and the two losses along the way needed overtime to settle. That’s not dominance, but it’s stability. And stability has been hard to come by this season.

Saturday’s win in Vancouver mattered for more than the scoreline. It looked organized. It looked connected. Nylander stepped back into the lineup and didn’t need a warm-up period. He drove play, moved the puck, and reminded everyone how much smoother things look when he’s in motion.

There’s a confidence growing. They’re defending better, managing games better, and not panicking when chances don’t go in right away. That matters against a team like the Avalanche, where impatience gets punished fast.