Dec 4, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images James Guillory-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs Turning Season Around Against Playoff Competition

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Tyler Miller | Last updated Dec 5, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Don't look now but here come the Toronto Maple Leafs. From what seemed like an early season downfall after losing a bunch, to now winning three games in a row against very good teams. Winning games against teams that all currently occupy a playoff spot in the NHL's Eastern Conference.

The Maple Leafs have beaten the Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricanes by a combined score of 16-4. The fact that Toronto beat them all on the road in good fashion with no sweat by it nor any kind of nervousness, says a lot about how head coach Craig Berube is turning things around for this team.

The Maple Leafs finished November with a record of 6-6-2 which was not great as there was a mini losing streak in there. But they have started December with a record of 2-0 and the fact that the last three teams they beat all look really good so far this season, also says a lot about the leadership of the Maple Leafs.

Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares among others all are helping the cause and helping the Maple Leafs try to get back in the thick of things. Toronto needs these guys all season long to try to help them get back to the postseason and this win streak is just the start.

The Maple Leafs have to continue to beat the good teams for fans to consider them back

The last few games for Toronto have gone about as well as they and head coach Berube could have hoped for. They are playing very well and getting clutch goal scoring and are winning puck battles and winning special teams battles with their powerplay and penalty kill.

The last three games for the Maple Leafs have shown the full team effort that they had been hoping to show since the season's beginning. It took a bit for this to all be figured out for them, but it seems like it all came together now. It is better to be able to figure this out now than to figure it out way later in the year when it is too late to make the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs have been a consistent playoff team for the last few years and will hope to make it back there this year. They are towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference Standings as of the current moment, but if they can keep putting together complete performances like the last three games, watch out for them.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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