Maple Leafs Quick Hits: Woll, Berube & Roster Decisions

The Florida Panthers evened the Eastern Conference Semifinal at two games apiece with a 2-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night. Sergei Bobrovsky posted his fifth career playoff shutout, while Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett provided the goals. Florida dominated early, outshooting Toronto 21-5 at one point and using a power-play goal to gain control. Joseph Woll kept the game close with his best outing of the playoffs, but the Maple Leafs failed to generate enough offense.

With the series now a best-of-three, Toronto returns home needing answers—and soon.

Quick Hit 1. Woll Gives Maple Leafs Hope

Joseph Woll might have been the only Maple Leaf to leave Game 4 with his stock rising. The 26-year-old made 35 saves and looked confident, calm, and technically sharp throughout the game. He kept the Panthers to just one goal through two periods and bailed his team out on multiple high-danger chances. While the loss stings, Woll’s performance should solidify his role as the starter moving forward, regardless of when Anthony Stolarz returns. He looks like he will give the Maple Leafs a chance to win every night.

Quick Hit 2. Berube’s Simplicity vs. Tactical Tweaks

Craig Berube continues to show he can get buy-in from his players, but his challenge now is tactical. The Panthers’ swarm defense is choking off time and space, and the Maple Leafs need more structured puck support in the offensive zone. Unlike former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, who leaned heavily on system adjustments, Berube is a motivator first. He may need to dial up something new tactically for Game 5, especially with the last change on home ice.

Quick Hit 3. Time for a Lineup Shake-Up?

Does it make sense to re-insert Nick Robertson for more offensive punch? Pontus Holmberg hasn’t been a liability, but the third line could use a shot in the arm. Robertson could be sheltered with offensive zone starts and might create the kind of secondary scoring Toronto badly needs. Meanwhile, David Kämpf’s role should be evaluated—if he’s not offering shutdown value, is his ice time justified? With the series heating up, Berube might need to get bold to tilt the balance.