Game 70 is now in the rearview mirror. That is a nice feeling for the Leafs as the sooner they can move on from this season the better. There are some fun games still on the horizon as playing the spoiler on the Bruins playoff run or John Tavares being the dagger in the Islanders run could be outings in the next couple of weeks, but for the most part it is running out the clock time. Here are a few thoughts on players that seem to be making the most of the late season games.
The role of Boyd Devereaux will be played by Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Way back in the John Ferguson Jr. era that we all try to forget the Maple Leafs had another fourth liner with a French last name that would show up late in the season and play his ass off, he was Boyd Devereaux and put up 19 points in 33 games during his initial Leafs run, earning him a couple more seasons of guest appearances in the Leafs lineup.
Groulx is coming in hot as well with four points in his first five games with the Maple Leafs and making a strong case for being a part of the picture in 2026-27. The 26-year-old from Rouen, France has shown that one of the elements missing most from the bottom six was that no one was playing like they had something to prove, and if Groulx doesn’t lose that energy he’s a potential bright spot heading into a summer where a lot of change will be on its way.
As a former second round pick there was the potential that there was some upside to Groulx’s game but it never materialized in Anaheim, and honestly even with the Leafs there is no certainty that this five game sample holds up, but in a short time he’s established himself ahead of players like Quillan, Jarnkrok and Pezzetta on the organization depth chart and has made Laughton’s departure a non-factor as Groulx has even taken Laughton’s time on the penalty kill.
Credit where credit is due, Brad Treliving found a diamond in the rough and the Marlies and the player development team have done an excellent job of getting Groulx ready for this opportunity that is turning him into a potential strong option for next season’s fourth line or at worst taking the spot as the 13th forward on the roster.
Maccelli a fit with William Nylander
When it comes to players looking to show they belong down the stretch, Maccelli is another late season standout. The 25-year-old Finn now has 14 goals, 33 points in 58 games heading into Friday night’s game against Carolina. That is a long way from being an extended healthy scratch from late November into December and looking like a salary the Leafs would be trying to dump.
In March, Maccelli has had eight points in his first nine games, he had four points in five games in February, and there is reason to believe he is fully the player he was when he played in Arizona, not the one that suffered the setback in Utah.
The one catch to Maccelli is that he still seems to be a complementary option to the line’s true play driver and having success with William Nylander seems to be something that a lot of Maple Leafs experience. It might be worthwhile in the remaining 12 games to see what Maccelli can do away from Nylander. Can Maccelli spark anything with Nick Robertson or Easton Cowan or Matthew Knies? Why not find out.
Maccelli definitely looks like someone the Leafs should bring back, he won’t come at a high cost, and his age and performance both fit the current window as well as make him an option to add value after a retooling as well. You can’t get rid of everyone and unless someone is knocking on the Leafs door with an amazing offer, Maccelli being part of the solution seems like a good idea. Again, I guess some credit is due to Brad Treliving for bringing him in.
Rielly wants to be a Leaf
I’m not sure how much you can read into a fight and admit that the narrative might be a stretch, but the message was definitely received by Morgan Rielly that the Leafs came up short in responding to Radko Gudas for his knee on Auston Matthews.
Rielly as one of the players on the ice seems to have additional layer of regret even if the end result would have been Gudas feeding Rielly his lunch and potentially the Leafs having two players out of the lineup because of the giant Ducks defenceman. (If there is one player on the ice who should be losing sleep over the lack of reaction on Matthews’ injury it is Brandon Carlo.)
Still, Rielly, much like his attempt to show life previously with his attack on Ridly Greig, rose to the occasion and demonstrated that he’s willing to fight for the Maple Leafs. That message is significant given that the talk of asking Rielly to waive his no movement clause was certainly a topic at the trade deadline and one that will be exhausting throughout the offseason as well.
The reality is that if Rielly had one foot out the door it’s hard to imagine that he would be out there fighting in meaningless games. He’s acting like he wants to be a Leaf for life and whether or not that is welcomed from the organization or fans remains to be seen, but it feels like Morgan is clearly establishing where his head is at.