The Minnesota Wild roll into Toronto on Monday night feeling a little better about themselves than they did a few days ago. After a rough 0-2-1 homestand, they opened their road trip with a hard-fought overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres, tying the game late and grabbing the extra point on a power-play goal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs return home off a comeback of their own. Down 3-1 in the third period Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets, they didn’t fold. They stayed patient, tied it late, and finished it in overtime on Max Domi’s winner, set up by Auston Matthews. That win capped a solid 2-1-1 road trip, heading into a five-game homestand, during which Toronto has a real chance to pick up some points.
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Both teams are leaning on belief right now. The Wild are patching things together and asking for buy-in. The Maple Leafs are winning games they don’t fully control. Something has to give.
Item One: Joseph Woll Gets the Crease as Maple Leafs Settle In at Home
Joseph Woll gets the nod tonight. Even in Thursday’s chaotic 6–5 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Woll gave the Maple Leafs a chance, stopping 27 shots in a game that fell apart defensively around him. The goals-against number wasn’t kind, but his performance was solid enough. There’s a difference — and the Maple Leafs coaching staff seems to recognize it.
Woll’s recent stretch looks even stronger. He’s 3-0-1 in his last four starts and has stopped 118 of 128 shots over that span. On the season, he’s built an 11-4-3 record with respectable numbers and a couple of shutouts mixed in. He’s been calm, competitive, and predictable — which is what the team needs right now.
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The Wild still present a test. They are middle of the pack offensively and arrive short-handed, missing some of their firepower. If the Maple Leafs play a responsible defensive game in front of Woll, he should have a chance to keep things under control. At this point, it’s about maintaining rhythm to start this stretch at home.
Item Two: Philippe Myers Searching for Footing on the Blue Line
Philippe Myers remains in a familiar spot. He’s in the lineup, but not fully part of the bigger picture. His point drought hit eight games in Saturday’s overtime win, and it’s hard not to notice how much his ice time has fluctuated. Scratched from the lineup four times during that stretch of games tells the story. When the lineup is full, Myers is still just fighting to stay dressed.
That said, opportunity has opened the door. With Chris Tanev and Simon Benoit sidelined with injuries, Myers has been given a window to play more regularly. His leash remains short, and he is playing third-pair minutes. But if he keeps his game simple and stays out of trouble, he has a chance to show he can be trusted when things tighten up. That’s the kind of play that will keep him in an NHL job.
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Myers’ job isn’t about offence or upside. It’s about reliability. If he can give the Maple Leafs quiet, predictable shifts, he can hang on. If not, he risks sliding out of the rotation once the blue line gets healthy – if it does get healthy.
Item Three: Jacob Quillan Gets the Call as Maple Leafs Shuffle the Depth Chart
Jacob Quillan is back with the Maple Leafs as the club continues to juggle its bottom-six options. His earlier NHL looks produced no points in three games. Still, he didn’t play poorly. He finished checks and didn’t try to be more than he is. He’s still searching for his NHL game.
The bigger story is what Quillan’s done in the minors with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Toronto Marlies. Eight goals and 19 assists in 28 games is just under a point-per-game production. That’s not bad at all for a player whose calling card isn’t offence. Quillan plays with pace and pressure, and that’s earned him another look, even if the role starts small.
This recall doesn’t guarantee ice time or a permanent spot. It does point to the fact that the Maple Leafs want energy and accountability from their depth as they settle in for this home stretch. For Quillan to be successful, he needs to bring the same edge he’s shown in the AHL. He needs to make the organization’s decision harder the next time the roster tightens.
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He has to take heart that two of his former Marlies teammates (Alex Steeves and Fraser Minten) are now a part of the Boston Bruins’ success. For players like Quillan, Steeves, and Minten, there’s a reminder that NHL careers don’t always unfold where they start. Sometimes a player struggles to find footing with one organization, only to land elsewhere, play freer, and prove they belong — a reality every prospect learns sooner or later.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The timing couldn’t be better. After a road trip that asked a lot of them, the Maple Leafs finally get to unpack. Five straight at home could be a chance to pick up some valuable points and put themselves in the postseason race.
The Maple Leafs have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams over the last ten games, and this stretch lines up against opponents dealing with injuries and lineup questions of their own. That doesn’t guarantee wins, but it raises expectations. If the Maple Leafs are serious about moving up in the Atlantic Division standings, it has to start now.
