OTTAWA \u2014 The Maple Leafs held an optional skate at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
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Rick Bowness called out the Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> in an emotional media session following the team\u2019s final regular-season game on Tuesday night. <\/p>\n \u201cLosing is not important enough to them,\u201d the 71-year-old coach told reporters after watching the Jackets throw just three hits and commit 23 giveaways while losing 2-1 to the Washington Capitals<\/a> on home ice. \u201cYou have to hate losing. I don\u2019t care if it\u2019s a meaningless game. I don\u2019t care. Show up and compete.\u201d <\/p>\n Columbus surged back into contention after Bowness replaced Dean Evason<\/a> on Jan. 12, but the team won just three of their final 13 games to miss the playoffs. <\/p>\n Bowness vowed to change the team\u2019s culture if he returns next season. <\/p>\n Leafs coach Craig Berube<\/a> agrees with Bowness\u2019 view on the significance of hating to lose, but believes that falls to the players. <\/p>\n \u201cLosing has to hurt and it\u2019s got to be vocalized in the room by your players,\u201d Berube said. \u201cLike, when you\u2019re losing and you\u2019re not winning things have to be said in a not-so-nice manner and when that happens in a locker room enough times things are bound to change. You gotta challenge each other. He\u2019s not wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n The Leafs dropped more games than any other team after returning from the Olympic break going 5-14-5 down the stretch. Toronto is winless in six games (0-5-1) since the calendar flipped to April. So, do the Leafs need to hate losing more? <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to talk about all that,\u201d said Berube. \u201cLike, I\u2019m not getting into that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Berube has repeatedly declined to go into detail about how this Leafs season, which started with high hopes, went off the rails so dramatically. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a disappointing season, definitely,\u201d the 60-year-old said. \u201cBut, again, that\u2019s for me to internalize and go through and things like that. I\u2019m not going to express all my opinions to everybody. I\u2019m going to keep that inside.\u201d <\/p>\n Berube defended the team\u2019s culture shortly after MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley decided to \u201cpart ways\u201d with general manager Brad Treliving while citing culture issues in the organization. The team\u2019s next head of hockey operations will ultimately decide whether Berube is back for a third season in Toronto. <\/p>\n \u201cI love it,\u201d said Berube, who has two more years on his contract beyond this one. \u201cI love Toronto. I love the Leafs. Everybody talks about pressure and all this stuff. I think it\u2019s great. For me, I\u2019d rather have the pressure and having to perform and win than not have it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Leafs will hold their end-of-season media availability on Thursday back in Toronto. <\/p>\n Do the Leafs ‘hate to lose’ enough? The Leafs give their reaction to the passionate rant by Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness Tuesday night and share if there’s a strong enough belief in the room that they “hate to lose”. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The Leafs can lock in a bottom-five finish by losing their final game on Wednesday night in Ottawa. Toronto (78 points) will also finish in the bottom five if the Seattle Kraken<\/a> (79 points) gain one point in their final two games. The Kraken own the tiebreaker over the Leafs. <\/p>\n The Leafs will only retain their first-round pick this year if it falls in the top five, otherwise it goes to the Boston Bruins<\/a> to complete the Brandon Carlo<\/a> trade last year. Some fans have been cheering for their team to lose as much as possible down the stretch in the hopes of keeping the pick and getting some sort of reward for this brutal season. Players have been tuning out the tank talk. <\/p>\n \u201cI approach each game the same,\u201d centre John Tavares<\/a> stressed. \u201cThere should be an extreme amount of pride to play in this league, to play this game and to wear the crest that we\u2019re wearing.\u201d<\/p>\n Simon Benoit on final game of the season:<\/p>\n “I wish the situation was different for us. It\u2019s not something you want. You want to be going to the playoffs. It feels like s\u2014t- to be honest, but we still need to show up & play hard for the fans”https:\/\/t.co\/ScpBab5tAw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Tavares is the only player to dress in every game for the Leafs this season. This will be the first time since 2018-19, his first year in Toronto, that he plays all 82 games in a regular season. <\/p>\n \u201cI just try to prepare the best I can,\u201d the Oakville, Ont. native said. \u201cYou want to play every game. That\u2019s what you work all offseason for, that\u2019s what you wait every day for is the ability to wake up and get to go and compete and play in this league. Obviously injuries happen at times, but you do everything you can to put yourself in the best spot each and every day.\u201d<\/p>\n Tavares is often lauded as a consummate professional. He even brings an extra suitcase on the road so that he can maintain all the different routines he has to stay in top shape. <\/p>\n \u201cHe takes care of his body so well,\u201d said rookie centre Jacob Quillan<\/a>. \u201cI looked up to him since I was a kid and just to see it now live is amazing. He gifted the boys some red-light [therapy] thing, so it\u2019s good to add that to the routine. Yeah, it\u2019s unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘Extreme pride’: Tavares tunes out tank talk as iron man season comes to a close John Tavares was asked about some fans wanting the team to lose down the stretch to improve their draft position. “There should be an extreme amount of pride to play in this league, to play this game and to wear the crest that we\u2019re wearing,” the centre said. “I try to approach each game the same.” Tavares is the only player to suit up in every game for the Leafs this season. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n When Tavares scored in Monday\u2019s game, Joe Bowen bellowed, \u201cJohnny Toronto!\u201d on the radio broadcast. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s surreal,\u201d Tavares said. \u201cYou grow up dreaming about the National Hockey League and follow the Leafs and hear him call so many games and [hear his trademark call of] \u2018Holy Mackinaw\u2019 and countless others so for him to give one to me over the course of my time here has been surreal.\u201d<\/p>\n Bowen, who will retire following this season, was honoured with a video tribute and standing ovation during Monday\u2019s home finale. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat a career,\u201d said forward Max Domi<\/a>. \u201cOne of the first people that comes to mind when you think of the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a>. It\u2019s unfortunate that this is the year he had to go out on, but I wish him the best and absolutely love Joe. Special, special guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Bowen has not travelled to road games in recent years, but will be in the press box for the final call of his 44-year career on Wednesday. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just the best guy,\u201d said winger Steven Lorentz<\/a>. \u201cFull of energy, full of life and you can hear that passion when he\u2019s calling the game … He called it with so much passion and emotion that it just made it that much more electric even if you\u2019re just sitting in the car listening to him.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘He’s just the best guy’: Leafs praise Bowen ahead of his final game tonight Members of the Maple Leafs discuss their relationship with longtime announcer Joe Bowen, and what he has meant to them and the franchise, ahead of his final call tonight. Former Leaf James Reimer also reflected on what Bowen meant to him during his time in Toronto. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The Leafs fans that stayed to the end of the final home game saw the players salute Bowen in the press box. They then cheered the home team off the ice. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was a fun game maybe for the fans to watch, but it\u2019s tough ending the season like this,\u201d said winger William Nylander<\/a> following the 6-5 defeat to the Dallas Stars<\/a>. \u201cSo, I mean, just go into the summer and be ready to have a big season next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite how the season has wrapped up, the vibe inside Scotiabank Arena never got too dark. <\/p>\n \u201cObviously incredible support,\u201d said Nylander. \u201cAnd everybody, the fans, the players, everybody is on the same boat. Everybody here wants to win, especially the ones that support us every night and keep the positivity. I mean, walking out throughout the past few games so many people have been super positive. That\u2019s what we\u2019re going to need to come back better and united for next season.\u201d <\/p>\n Nylander has yet to decide if he\u2019ll play for Sweden at the World Championships this spring. <\/p>\n ‘Everybody is on the same boat’: Nylander likes Leafs fans positivity amid ‘tough ending’ The Leafs dropped a sixth straight game on Monday, but still got cheered off the ice following the final home game of a disappointing season. “Walking out throughout the past few games so many people have been super positive,” said winger William Nylander. “That\u2019s what we\u2019re going to need to come back better and united for next season.” <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The Leafs called up Dennis Hildeby<\/a> from the American Hockey League and the 24-year-old Swede will start the season finale instead of Joseph Woll<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cGood to get in for a game,\u201d Berube explained. \u201cWoll, we used him a lot down the stretch here, so good to get Hildeby in here before he goes back to the Marlies. He\u2019s played, what, 19 games this year for us and did a good job, so thought it would be good to get him in for one more.\u201d<\/p>\n Hildeby posted a .912 save percentage in 19 games with the Leafs earlier this season. He last played in the NHL on Jan. 19. <\/p>\n Woll struggled since the Olympic break going 2-9-3 with an .882 save percentage. The team didn\u2019t make it easy on him as Woll faced an average of 37.7 shots per outing during a nine-game stretch from March 10 to April 4.<\/p>\n \u201cOverworked, in my opinion,\u201d Berube admitted. \u201cFaced a lot of rubber. Too much.\u201d<\/p>\n Woll finished the season with 38 starts. Berube believes the 27-year-old, who missed the beginning of the season due to personal leave, is capable of a heavier workload in the years ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a few things he probably has to think about and change a bit to handle that type of load,\u201d the coach noted. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot. You look at the goalies in the league and there\u2019s only a handful of guys who play 50 or more games in a season.\u201d<\/p>\n — <\/p>\n James Reimer<\/a> will start for the Senators against his former team on Wednesday. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve said it a million times, but obviously a lot of special memories from this team,\u201d the 38-year-old said with his usual toothy grin. <\/p>\n Reimer, who spent part of training camp in Toronto on a pro tryout, made his first NHL start for the Leafs in Ottawa way back on Jan. 1, 2011.<\/p>\n Reimer reflects on time with Leafs ahead of start against Toronto James Reimer reflects on his time as a member of the Maple Leafs, including his relationship with longtime announcer Joe Bowen and his first ever NHL start, ahead of tonight’s game where he will be between the pipes for the playoff-bound Sens. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Leafs rookie and Ottawa native Luke Haymes<\/a> will have 20-30 supporters in the crowd on Wednesday. <\/p>\n \u201cSuper exciting,\u201d the 22-year-old centre said. \u201cHometown game and the whole family will be there. Grew up watching lots of Sens-Leafs games so it will be super fun to play in one.\u201d<\/p>\n It will be the third career NHL game for the Dartmouth College product, who has one assist so far. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been good,\u201d Haymes said. \u201cThere\u2019s some things I want to build on. Obviously some nerves in the first few games, but super fun playing in front of the home crowd. The Leafs fans are unbelievable and we\u2019re going to look to win a lot more games next year. For myself, just building my game in the summer to where I can come in and be more of a force, but I\u2019ve been solid the first three games and will look to build on that tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Ottawa-born Haymes excited for homecoming, reflects on path back to Leafs’ lineup Maple Leafs forward Luke Haymes, who was born in Ottawa, shares how excited he is for his homecoming tonight with family and friends in attendance and getting the chance to play in the Battle of Ontario. Haymes also reflects on his path back to the Leafs’ lineup. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n With winger Calle Jarnkrok<\/a> dealing with an injury, Michael Pezzetta<\/a> will draw into the Leafs lineup on Wednesday, per Berube.<\/p>\n The Senators, who are locked into the second wildcard spot, will rest several regulars including Michael Amadio<\/a> who joins Brady Tkachuk<\/a>, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson<\/a> and Thomas Chabot<\/a> on sidelines for tonight\u2019s regular-season game.<\/p>\n