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St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Kyrou celebrates with Brayden Schenn, Dylan Holloway, Ryan Suter and Colton Parayko after scoring against Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Woll, Berube, McMann & Sittler

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 12:55 PM ET

Rasmus Dahlin delivered the kind of performance Toronto Maple Leafs fans keep waiting to see from their own blue line. The Buffalo Sabres defenceman recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career and added two assists as Buffalo skated to a 7–4 win over the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. Tage Thompson chipped in a goal and an assist in his 500th NHL game, while Alex Tuch, Jack Quinn, and Josh Doan (son of Shane Doan, who works for the Maple Leafs) rounded out the scoring in the Sabres’ fourth straight win.

Toronto did not disappear offensively. Auston Matthews and Max Domi each finished with a goal and two assists, Bobby McMann added a goal and an assist of his own, and Matthew Knies also found the back of the net. Joseph Woll stopped 24 shots.

But the story of the night wasn’t scoring; it was defensive control. Whenever the Sabres pressed, the game tilted sharply in their favour. Even a first-period injury to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen failed to change the rhythm, with Colten Ellis calmly steering things home in relief.

The result closed the book on a disastrous five-game homestand for the Maple Leafs, who managed just one point (0-4-1). What looked, on paper, like a chance to stabilize their playoff position instead deepened the hole — and sharpened the questions that have followed the team for much of the season.

Item One: Joseph Woll and the Vanishing Safety Net

Woll’s stat line is not flattering – six goals against tends to stick in the mind. But context matters. Once again, he spent much of the night dealing with what has become an all-too-familiar reality: missed coverages, forwards leaving the zone early, and attackers arriving unchecked in prime scoring areas. There is only so much any goaltender can do when structure dissolves in front of him.

Head coach Craig Berube did not dance around the issue afterward. You don’t win consistently, he said, by focusing solely on scoring goals. You win by playing the full rink. Woll’s recent record reflects that imbalance. He is 0-3-2 in his last five starts dating back to January 12, despite posting a .908 save percentage that remains above league average. The concern isn’t whether Woll belongs at this level. It’s how sustainable his performance can be when the margin for error keeps shrinking.

Item Two: Bobby McMann Is Scoring, But Would the Maple Leafs Move Him?

Bobby McMann continues to do something this lineup sorely needs: he produces consistently. He had a goal and an assist on Tuesday night and is now on a three-game, four-point streak, adding volume shooting and physical engagement along the way. Playing alongside Auston Matthews helps, but McMann has earned those minutes by finishing chances and staying involved away from the puck. At 17 goals, he’s once again tracking toward the 20-goal mark, all while carrying a modest $1.35 million cap hit.

That production explains why his name has begun to surface in trade chatter, particularly with whispers about a potential fit with the Edmonton Oilers. Fast, competitive, inexpensive, and Alberta-born. He’s an easy story to sell, and Elliotte Friedman has floated the idea publicly.

But the hard question is why the Maple Leafs would be in a hurry to move one of the few forwards providing reliable secondary scoring, especially when that has been one of the team’s most persistent shortcomings. Could this become another Mason Marchment-type story — a player who finds his value fully appreciated only after leaving Toronto? Marchment, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, is a reminder of how that can play out.

Bobby McMann, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

McMann is a pending unrestricted free agent without trade protection, which (in theory) makes him an easy target. But theory doesn’t score goals. A second-round pick and a prospect may sound appealing in abstraction, yet replacing a 17-goal winger who can slide anywhere in the top nine is rarely straightforward.

At 29, McMann has become a useful, dependable player entering his prime. If the Maple Leafs are serious about stabilizing their lineup and building toward next season, moving him raises a simple, uncomfortable question. Who’s staying and who will leave?

Item Three: The Ceremonial Contrast; Sittler’s Night and Today’s Reality

Before the puck dropped, the franchise honoured Darryl Sittler, marking 50 years since his unforgettable 10-point night against the Boston Bruins — six goals, four assists, and an NHL record that still stands. It was a warm, nostalgic moment, a reminder of a time when dominance wasn’t hoped for or debated, but simply delivered.

The contrast of the game that followed was hard to ignore. Sittler’s night represented control, authority, and a team imposing its will. What we saw instead was a reminder of how far the current group remains from that standard, despite the undeniable talent. Historic nights have a way of amplifying what follows, and this one underscored the disconnect between legacy and reality.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The Maple Leafs entered the night six points back of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They now sit eight points behind the Sabres in the Atlantic Division, and the math is starting to feel more real by the day. Buffalo, written off early in the season, has been the NHL’s hottest team since December 9, posting a remarkable 19-3-1 record.

Toronto, meanwhile, has dropped seven of its last eight games. These are no longer small margins or unlucky bounces. Games that once felt like missed chances are now stacking up in the standings. This is the point in the season when urgency is supposed to assert itself naturally. Right now, it feels forced — and that is rarely a sign of a team finding its way.