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Marner Add Salt to Wounds as Maple Leafs Officially Miss Playoffs

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Apr 3, 2026 12:16 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been mathematically eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs following their 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on April 2, 2026. And, if that didn’t sting badly enough, on the same night, former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner scored a hat trick for his new team, the Vegas Golden Knights.

Toronto’s missing out ends their streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances (the longest active in the NHL entering the season), marking the first time they’ve missed the postseason since the 2015–16 season. It also ends the Auston Matthews era’s perfect playoff qualification record, as Toronto had made the playoffs every year since drafting him first overall in 2016.

Mitch Marner’s Hat Trick on the Same Night

Adding salt to the wound for Leafs fans, Marner had a dominant night with the Vegas Golden Knights. On Thursday, Marner scored a hat trick (his fourth career hat trick and first with Vegas) and added two assists for a five-point game in the Golden Knights’ 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames.

Marner was instrumental in Vegas’s comeback, with his third goal (a wraparound) sealing the win late in the third period. It marked the sixth five-point game of his career and came under new head coach John Tortorella, as Vegas improved to 2-0 in his tenure.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for Toronto supporters — the same night their playoff streak officially ended, the player who was a cornerstone of those nine straight postseason appearances was lighting it up in Vegas.

Ironically, this is the same Marner that Maple Leafs fans joked would struggle under recently hired coach John Tortorella. It’s not looking so funny now.

Now What for the Maple Leafs?

Let the speculation begin in Toronto. Not long ago, they were Atlantic Division champions and came within one win of the Conference Finals. This season has been a major disappointment, marked by inconsistency, injuries, management changes, coaching rumors, and speculation about offseason trades.

Now, as the Leafs get set for an early summer in Toronto, the door opens to big questions. What happens with Auston Matthews and William Nylander? Who is part of the long-term future and who isn’t. Will the coach survive the purge, and who will be hired to take over hockey operations? Since talking about games is no longer important, conversations will be all about the draft, free agency, and 2026-27.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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