The Toronto Maple Leafs concluded what was a rotten five-game homestead with an 0-4-1 record that also saw them slip to second-to-last place in the tightly packed Atlantic Division standings.
Their latest setback was a 7-4 frustrating final against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday evening, during which Sabres defenseman and team captain Rasmus Dahlin recorded his first-career hat trick.
Head coach Craig Berube was blunt afterward, saying that things will change for his team when they decide to play like it and not a moment before.
Berube also held a closed-door meeting with the Maple Leafs’ leadership core, which included team captain Auston Matthews along with other notable figures on the club.
Details of that closed-door meeting have been revealed by TSN’s Darren Dreger, who reported that while everyone on the Maple Leafs is on the same page, there could be drastic changes on the horizon if things continue to go awry on their upcoming road trip.
“The message that I received from some inside that meeting is that everybody is on the same page,” Dreger said. “The focus has narrowed to the task at hand… Into the teeth of a real important road trip, which starts Thursday in Seattle. It could be a season changing road trip, frankly, in terms of what direction GM Brad Treliving goes in.”
“A lot of people, internally at least, are interested to see how this leadership group responds, and where they are at,” he continued. “Because where they’ve been at for the past four or five games hasn’t been good enough.”
Toronto Maple Leafs Forward William Nylander Could Potentially Return Soon
Dreger continued by saying that Maple Leafs forward William Nylander, who has missed the last several contests after the re-aggravation of a groin injury he had suffered earlier in the season, could potentially return for Toronto’s next game on the road Thursday evening against the Seattle Kraken.
“The fact that he’s been on the ice is a step in the right direction,” Dreger said. “We know that he aggravated a groin issue and that takes time to settle down and to heal. But skating is a big part of the process of getting him back into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup.”
“I think best-case scenario would be as early as Thursday (against the Kraken), and you know that he is real eager to get back into the mix as he referred to his frustration flipping the bird on Sunday when he met the media on Monday, it was directed at the fact that he’s not playing and he’s not able to help his teammates or contribute,” he continued.
The Maple Leafs Went Winless In Their Five Game Home Stand
The loss by the Maple Leafs to the Sabres was only the latest setback for the club on home ice.
Their five-game losing streak at Scotiabank Arena began on Jan. 19, a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. What followed were setbacks against the Detroit Red Wings followed by Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights, as well as the Colorado Avalanche.
Currently, the Maple Leafs are a full eight points outside of the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
NHL Insider Reveals What Took Place In Maple Leafs’ Closed Door Meeting