Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Tavares, Woll, Domi & Berube

“It was great to compete right to the end, find a way to earn a point,” Tavares said. “We got to find a little more consistency here.”

The former captain also praised Nylander’s continued success. He reached 42 goals on the season, joining an elite group of Maple Leafs with three consecutive 40-goal seasons. With Auston Matthews scoring a goal and adding an assist, and Mitch Marner adding three more helpers to his total, the offense showed up. Despite the result, Tavares shared the importance of staying positive as the team looks to improve and build on the key moments that helped them earn a point.

Item Two: Woll’s Performance Raises Concerns for Postseason Battle

In a game where the Maple Leafs were fighting for a crucial point, Woll’s performance in the crease left much to be desired. He gave up seven goals, including both in the shootout. At least two of those goals were on him. The first came during a 2-on-1, where the puck seemed to go through him. The second came on a fluke play where Woll attempted to pass the puck through an opposing player, only to have it bounce off the player and into his net. 

Woll had a chance to redeem himself in the shootout. But he went 0-for-2. That did little to bolster his case for starting in the postseason. While you can’t necessarily fault a goalie for conceding goals when players come in alone, Woll seemed to overthink both shootout attempts. As a result, there’s some room for doubt in the battle for the starting playoff role.

Item Three: Max Domi’s Undisciplined Play Costs the Maple Leafs

Max Domi’s actions at the end of the second period were unnecessary and costly. On one hand, Domi is easy to root for. On the other hand, he does some thoughtless things on the ice. Sharks youngster Zack Ostapchuk was initially assessed a cross-checking penalty against Domi. It was a retaliatory call after Domi had given him a stick. If Domi had let it go, the Maple Leafs would have gone on the power play. However, Domi escalated the situation by roughing up Ostapchuk and then dropping his gloves when it was clear the Sharks player wasn’t interested in fighting. 

This move shifted momentum, putting the Maple Leafs on the penalty kill instead of the power play. It also added a 10-minute misconduct to Domi’s tally. This put the Maple Leafs on the defensive and forced head coach Craig Berube to shake up his lines, disrupting a strong performance from the Domi, Scott Laughton, and Nicholas Robertson line until then. It was wrong-minded by Domi given the context at that point in the game.

Item Four: Berube’s Response to Poor Play Shows Accountability

Given what happened during the Sharks game, Berube is tightening the reins to ensure his team’s readiness for the postseason. The most recent example of his growing discipline came when he benched defenseman Simon Benoit for a period after being responsible for a San Jose 2-on-1 that led to a goal. However, Berube allowed Benoit to redeem himself by placing him on the penalty kill shortly afterward. 

Similarly, after Domi’s meltdown, Berube benched him for the entire third period. However, he gave him a chance to atone for his mistake in overtime. This balanced approach—penalizing players and offering an opportunity to make up for their errors—shows Berube’s commitment to discipline and growth within his lineup.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

After a hard-fought 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks, the Maple Leafs must focus on consistency moving forward. While they salvaged a helpful point, the missed chances and the inability to finish the comeback raise concerns. They must tighten up their game, especially in key moments, to avoid similar setbacks in the future.

Looking ahead, the Maple Leafs face a critical stretch in their schedule. With the Kings up tonight (they are coming off a 4-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche), the Maple Leafs will need to improve their consistency. They are fighting for position in the highly competitive Atlantic Division. It’s time to pull up their socks and come home with a winning record on this road trip.

[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]