The Toronto Maple Leafs earned a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday (Dec. 30). The shorthanded Maple Leafs turned in a total team effort to close out 2025 on a positive run. Toronto closed out December with a 3-0-1 record while outscoring the opposition by a 19-11 margin. The victory leapfrogged the club out of the basement of the Eastern Conference and put it three points behind the Florida Panthers for the final playoff spot.
It was a gutsy performance by a Toronto team playing for the third time in four nights without the services of several integral players. The Maple Leafs did not have William Nylander in the lineup for a second straight game. He also missed Sunday’s (Dec. 28) 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings, and plenty of teammates joined him in the infirmary after that defeat.
Stepping up Amid Injuries
Auston Matthews didn’t play in Tuesday’s win because of a lower-body injury after blocking a shot. He was a game-time decision, indicating he may not miss much time. However, Chris Tanev and Dakota Joshua were placed on injured reserve due to lower- and upper-body issues, respectively, before the matchup. Coach Craig Berube revealed that Joshua suffered a kidney injury and remains under observation in Detroit.
John Tavares logged the most ice time (19:35) among the team’s forward group while filling in as the top centre. He had two shots on goal and picked up an assist on Matthew Knies’ empty-netter to round out the scoring. Tavares also won 11 of his 20 faceoffs. The Maple Leafs displayed some depth down the middle with Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy, who had one goal and one helper in the contest, rising to the occasion in increased roles. As far as the wingers go, Nicholas Robertson and Bobby McMann were the other offensive standouts with two points apiece.
Calle Jarnkrok scored on a one-hopper after Knies dropped the gloves with Nico Hischier in a bout that was so surprising that even Knies paused for a moment before easily dispatching the New Jersey captain. Jarnkrok had been a healthy scratch for the previous four games and has played in just two of the last eight contests.
It wasn’t a defensive gem by the Maple Leafs, as the Devils had the bulk of the scoring chances and controlled the play in the second and third periods. However, they didn’t give up many second-chance opportunities, and Joseph Woll was superb between the pipes when he had to be en route to picking up his first shutout of the season and the third of his NHL career. He has been a difference-maker since returning to the lineup from a lower-body injury, posting a 4-1-0 record with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Special Teams Continued to Click
The power play struck again, and the penalty kill is still doing its job. Woll was excellent on the Devils’ second power play late in the second stanza, making some spectacular saves and sweeping the puck away from Hischier in the crease. The Devils pulled their goalie for an extra attacker during a man-advantage situation late in the third to make it a 6-on-4, but the Maple Leafs held on and didn’t give their opponent any hope of a comeback. Woll was up to the challenge again while getting some help from Laughton, Steven Lorentz, and Jake McCabe, who racked up a game-high eight blocked shots.
Related: Woll Shines as Maple Leafs Shut Out Devils 4-0
Toronto’s power play has scored four times on eight chances over the last three games following the firing of assistant coach Marc Savard. The second unit lit the lamp late in the first period after Robertson set up a goal by McMann by denying a clearing attempt at the blue line. The second combination, which also consisted of Roy, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Easton Cowan, scored again just after the third power-play opportunity expired. Robertson, McMann, and Roy combined for a tic-tac-toe tally late in the second period.
The penalty kill has been a strength for most of the season and currently ranks fourth in the league. Meanwhile, the power play’s recent resurgence has lifted the team to 26th overall after it was in last place. Toronto has been much more direct in man-advantage situations lately. The team has been moving the puck more efficiently and shooting much more often, which are typically recipes for success.
Robertson’s Role Should Increase
Robertson has registered two goals and three assists during his three-game point streak. However, he has averaged a mere 12:22 of ice time over that span. His hard work started to be recognized in the second frame when he logged 4:33 of ice time over an 11:47 span. Still, he was at only 9:43 of action through two periods. He has made a strong case for himself to skate on the top line and the first power-play unit, which are spots currently occupied by Max Domi.
Whether Robertson moves up the depth chart or not, he has been active, doesn’t back down physically, and his ability to score could be put to better use, especially if Matthews and/or Nylander miss additional time.
What Comes Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs will ring in the new year by hosting the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday (Jan. 1). It was an up-and-down December for Toronto, but the team managed to finish the month on a high note. Facing the struggling Devils and having several players who wanted to step up in Tuesday’s contest created a perfect storm.
However, anyone suggesting that the Maple Leafs don’t need their stars to be successful is missing the bigger picture. The team requires all of its players to compete with greater consistency to be successful, regardless of who is or isn’t in the lineup. When Matthews and Nylander return, they have to deliver, but all the forwards need to push the pace and not look to the stars to get them through. The talent boost the club receives should enhance the roster and enable it to reach another level. For that to happen, the Maple Leafs have to become a squad that can come at opponents in waves, and that blueprint was on display against the Devils.
