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The Lightning, tied atop Atlantic Division, are in town to face struggling Toronto club
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Published Mar 07, 2026 • 3 minute read
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Auston Matthews of the Maple Leafs warms up prior to a game against the Hurricanes at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Nov. 9, 2025. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty ImagesArticle content
Perhaps it’s time to give the Maple Leafs the benefit of the doubt.
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Of course, that feeling could change by the time the Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning are done squaring off on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.
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The “elephant in the room,” as John Tavares this week called the trade deadline and the worries that come with it, has left the building.
So too did three popular teammates — Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy — all traded as general manager Brad Treliving had no choice but to become a seller leading up to the deadline on Friday afternoon.
The Leafs say they’re not going to feel sorry for themselves. We’re going to find out, between now and April 15, the date of Toronto’s last regular-season game, whether that’s true.
“We have to take responsibility,” captain Auston Matthews said after the morning skate. “It’s obviously on the players, and you lay in the bed you make. It’s tough, it’s never a good time.
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“It’s not ideal, and it’s not fun. It’s never fun losing and and being in this position, this situation.”
There’s relief, naturally, that the deadline has passed, but it’s back to reality and the fact the Leafs were eight points out of a playoff position before NHL games on Saturday.
The deadline is done. The Leafs are almost fully healthy, as only defenceman Chris Tanev (abdominal surgery) is on the sideline.
If excuses were there before, they no longer exist.
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Play VideoWhat is Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s outlook?
The 34-year-old veteran defenceman is glad he was not traded.
But it was clear on Saturday that he was not pleased that he was scratched, as were McMann and Laughton, for games in New Jersey and New York as general manager Brad Treliving worked the phones to try to make deals.
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When the clock struck at 3 p.m. on Friday, Treliving had sent McMann to Seattle and Laughton to Los Angeles, but he didn’t get an offer for Ekman-Larsson to his liking.
Ekman-Larsson was asked, after going through the past couple of days, whether fences have to be mended between himself and the front office.
“I don’t know,” said Ekman-Larsson, who briefly chucked before answering. “I’m just happy to still be here, and that’s what I wanted, and that’s what my family wanted. So super excited about that. I still have a lot of belief in this organization and love being here.
“I was trying not to think about it too much at the same time. But it was pretty tough.”
Ekman-Larsson has two years remaining on his contract.
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Play VideoWhat can we expect on Saturday night?
It’s hard to say.
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Tampa, tied atop the Atlantic Division with the Buffalo Sabres with 80 points, stumbled into Toronto on a four-game losing streak.
The Leafs haven’t won on home ice since Jan. 10 when they beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-0, going 0-5-2 in their seven home games since. And there’s the record of 0-4-2 in six games since the Olympic break.
The Lightning are bound to be buoyed by the return of forward Corey Perry, who was acquired from the Kings on Friday and will be in the lineup despite arriving in Toronto at 4 a.m. on Saturday.
And maybe, just maybe, the Leafs will put something behind their words for a change.
We asked Tampa coach Jon Cooper if it’s bizarre for him to see the Florida Panthers and Leafs at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, tied with 65 points before games on Saturday.
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“Going to three straight (Stanley Cup finals, as Florida did), it’s trying, it’s tough,” Cooper said. “They had some massive injuries. They’ve made a run, and let’s be honest, their run has been pretty special (in winning the Cup in back-to-back years). When the stars align for you, sometimes they don’t, and they didn’t align for them this year.
“As for the Leafs, it’s probably a little bit of the same thing. They don’t have the fruits of their labour like Florida (in the playoffs).
“It’s probably tougher to swallow for the Leafs, in a way. When there’s roster change (losing Mitch Marner), it can affect things.”
Read More
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GM Brad Treliving wants Maple Leafs to man up in final 19 games
SIMMONS: Slew of new draft picks may mean squat for downtrodden Maple Leafs
The projected Leafs lineup
FORWARDS
LW-C-RW
Matias Maccelli-Auston Matthews-William Nylander
Matthew Knies-John Tavares-Easton Cowan
Dakota Joshua-Max Domi-Nick Robertson
Steven Lorentz-Jacob Quillan-Calle Jarnkrok
DEFENCE
Morgan Rielly-Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Simon Benoit-Troy Stecher
GOALIES
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
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