The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the week of Dec. 15–21 and are coming off their first game without recording a point after collecting points in six straight. Unfortunately, following their terrible 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, the sky appears to be falling again in Toronto. The loss left fans wondering if the Maple Leafs should trade Auston Matthews and whether William Nylander and Craig Berube’s relationship is fractured.
Related: Did the Maple Leafs Have the Assets to Acquire Quinn Hughes from the Canucks?
As they enter the next week, which marks the 10th week of the season, they hold a record of 14-12-5 for 33 points and sit sixth in the Atlantic Division. They are six points back of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings, who lead the division. The Maple Leafs are set to play four games over the next seven days, so let’s get into the biggest storylines for the week ahead.
6-Game Point Streak Snapped
As mentioned above, the Maple Leafs saw their six-game point streak snapped with their 6-3 loss to the Oilers on Saturday night. They had put together a very strong stretch of games during that run. Unfortunately, their play dipped in the final 25 to 30 minutes against the San Jose Sharks last Thursday, and despite playing a solid 20 minutes on Saturday, the final 40 were awful. Poor puck play led to four turnovers, all of which resulted in goals against.
Over the six-game point streak, they picked up four wins and two overtime losses, good for 10 points, which helped them climb the standings. Now, they will look to start a new streak on Tuesday against a Connor Bedard-less Chicago Blackhawks.
Maple Leafs Honouring Joe Bowen Against Blackhawks
The Maple Leafs are set to honour Joe Bowen against the Blackhawks on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The night, dubbed “Holy Mackinaw Night,” will celebrate Bowen’s incredible career, which has spanned four decades and more than 3,000 games behind the microphone. His first game as Toronto’s play-by-play commentator came on Oct. 6, 1982, against none other than the Blackhawks.
Maple Leafs Still Dealing with Injuries
Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs have not been able to catch a break on the injury front. They remain without Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, with no clear timeline for either player’s return. In goal, Joseph Woll could be nearing a comeback, but Anthony Stolarz has yet to start skating and there has been very little clarity on what exactly is sidelining him. It has been a tough season both on the ice and in terms of injuries. Still, if they can weather this stretch and get healthy, there is hope they can push their way back into a playoff spot and stay there.
Maple Leafs Schedule Dec. 15 – 21
| Date | Time (EST) | Opponent | Venue | Notes |
| Tue, Dec 16 | 7:00 PM | vs. Chicago Blackhawks | Scotiabank Arena | Holy Mackinaw Night |
| Thu, Dec 18 | 7:00 PM | @ Washington Capitals | Capital One Arena | Potentially the last time facing Ovechkin in WSH. |
| Sat, Dec 20 | 7:00 PM | @ Nashville Predators | Bridgestone Arena | Last game against NSH this season |
| Sun, Dec 21 | 7:00 PM | vs. Dallas Stars | American Airlines Center | Last road game before Christmas |
