TORONTO – J.T. Miller and the New York Rangers expected big things when they broke training camp back in the fall.

Coming off a playoff-less spring that resulted in forward Chris Kreider and defenceman K’Andre Miller getting shipped out of town, the club believed its remaining core — led by star goaltender Igor Shesterkin — along with the addition of decorated head coach Mike Sullivan and blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov would get the club back into the NHL’s spring dance.

The Original Six franchise is instead headed toward another long summer of big questions.

The Rangers (28-35-9) became the second team officially eliminated from post-season contention Wednesday when they fell 4-3 in Toronto.

New York, which tied a franchise record with just 10 shots on goal in Monday’s ugly 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 43 pucks on target against Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll, but were unable to avoid the axe finally falling.

“I don’t think anybody thought we’d be where we are,” said Miller, the team’s captain. “It sucks … it’s the worst. We don’t want that. But right now we’re just worried about playing good hockey games during the season and feeling good going into summer — feeling good about our game, at least, and trying to move in the right direction.

“We failed to reach our goal.”

The Rangers made the Eastern Conference final in both 2022 and 2024 to go along with a first-round exit in 2023.

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“Nobody’s thrilled with where we’re at,” said Sullivan, who won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 before leading the United States to gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics. “We’re doing everything we can to try to instil a certain standard here that we can build on moving forward.”

General manager Chris Drury could be in line for some tough conversations once the Rangers, a group with plenty of veterans on big-money deals, play out the string and turn to 2026-27.

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“This is not what we wanted,” said centre Mika Zibanejad, who scored twice Wednesday to give him 32 goals on the campaign. “It’s tough, but it hasn’t come as a surprise in terms of (elimination) happening. It was just a matter of time if you look at the standings. You can do quick math, but it still hurts.”

“We get to evaluate more of it when we play all the rest of the games.”

Sullivan said if the Rangers put in more efforts like Wednesday’s down the meaningless stretch, they will be in better shape moving forward.

“If we play like that, with those intentions, that type of intensity, we’re gonna win games,” he said. “We deserved a better fate (in Toronto) … it didn’t happen, but I thought we played a pretty good game.”

GETTING CHIRPED

Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe said his kids were giving him a hard time before puck drop for not scoring since Nov. 18.

The gritty blueliner, who leads the NHL with 173 shot blocks, promptly went out and buried the game’s first goal — and his fourth overall — with a nice finish off a scramble after pinching down from the point.

“They said, ‘Dad, you never score goals. When are you going to score a goal?’” McCabe recounted with a smile of the conversation back at home. “It’s nice to get one, especially in the first period when I know they’re still up watching. Looking forward to seeing them in the morning.”

GOOD VIBES

Toronto, which is on course to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, picked up a 4-2 triumph in Boston against the Bruins on Tuesday before bagging Wednesday’s result to sweep the team’s mentors trip.

The annual event sees players bring important people from their lives into the Maple Leafs’ circle.

“A fun couple games,” McCabe said. “It’s been tough sledding around here, so it’s nice to collect some points.”

BOYS OF SUMMER

Members of the Toronto Blue Jays, including George Springer, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider, attended Wednesday’s game — and were in Maple Leafs’ locker room before and after the victory.

“A little different type of preparation, but cool having them,” said Toronto centre John Tavares, who scored the game-winning goal against New York. “Regardless of circumstances for us, I think it’s great, the support for each other, and certainly what they did for this city last year, and what they’re hoping to do this year.”

The reigning American League champions, who lost Game 7 of the World Series at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, open the 2026 season Friday at Rogers Centre against the Athletics.

“It was unreal taking in their run,” Tavares continued of the Blue Jays. “I know the excitement and probably the determination for them to go back out, and do it again and finish the job.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

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TORONTO – Joseph Woll made 40 saves and John Tavares scored the winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the New York Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Jake McCabe, Nick Robertson and Dakota Joshua had the other goals for Toronto (31-29-13).

Matias Maccelli added two assists. Woll picked up the second assist on Joshua’s goal for his first NHL point.

Mika Zibanejad, with two goals, and Alexis Lafrenière, with a goal and two assists, replied for New York (29-35-9), which was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Igor Shesterkin stopped 14 shots. Adam Fox chipped in two assists.

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The disappointing Maple Leafs picked up just their second victory (2-7-3) at Scotiabank Arena since mid-January.

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New York, which will finish below the post-season cutline for a second straight spring, sits second-last in the overall standings. Toronto ranks 21st and is on the way to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

TAKEAWAYS

Rangers: Adam Sykora made his NHL debut after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack. The 21-year-old winger, selected 63rd overall at the 2022 draft, put up 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points across 62 games in the American Hockey League in 2025-26.

Maple Leafs: William Nylander is one point away from passing his father, Michael, for family bragging rights. The winger has 679 points in 741 regular-season games. The elder Nylander registered 679 points in 920 contests.

KEY MOMENT

Tavares scored his 26th goal of the season at 11:57 of the third period to make it 4-2 when he ripped a shot past Shesterkin after Toronto had built a 3-0 lead in the second.

KEY STAT

New York, which tied a dubious franchise record with just 10 shots in Monday’s 2-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 14 attempts on target in Wednesday’s opening period. The visitors also pumped 17 more pucks on Woll in the second.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday

Maple Leafs: Visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Macklin Celebrini is often looking down on the bench.

The San Jose Sharks star centre isn’t in pain or checking his laces. He’s usually going over what just transpired — on an iPad.

“If a play didn’t work out how I wanted,” Celebrini explained. “Or if one of my teammates was talking to me about something and I didn’t see it, I think it’s good just to be able to go back and look.”

Technology and sports have countless intersections. One trend in the NHL over the better part of the last decade has been the use of digital tablets in-game that can provide coaches and players with near-instant replays.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is a big fan.

“Love the iPad,” he said. “We have a rule on our team where you only get to watch it during TV timeouts … you don’t want to be on the iPad when you’re trying to make a change.”

That’s where the bench balancing act comes into play.

“Sometimes we feel as coaches we’re working at the Apple Store when the guys are asking for iPads, but I get it, in a sense,” Sharks bench boss Ryan Warsofsky said. “I don’t really appreciate it when they look to see how much they missed the net by.”

Seattle Kraken captain Jordan Eberle said there’s no such thing as too much information, but tablets can become a distraction.

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“The game is so fast, mistakes are going to be made,” he said. “If you’re looking on the iPad to see the mistake, it should already be forgotten and move on to the next shift.”

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New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said while there are plenty of benefits when it comes to parsing technique or structure, the tech can be overused.

“A goalie that made a big save or you flubbed on a pass — don’t waste your time on that,” he said. “Let’s stay in the moment and then move quickly on.”

Keefe, however, added the league’s younger generation grew up with screens and expects immediate intel from the video coaches splicing tape.

“They’ve come up in an era where they’re used to having things at their fingertips,” he said. “They want the information.”

Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy will only really look at the iPad, which officials also use at the timekeeper’s bench on coach’s challenge and other replays, after specific sequences.

“I’m not a huge believer in nitpicking every shift and saying, ‘Why didn’t you pass it to me right here?’” he said. “I’m sure they have plenty of clips of me not passing to them, too.”

Celebrini’s screen time last season as a rookie got some attention.

“It was pretty public that I used the iPads quite a bit,” he said. “I think I got caught (on camera) every time I used it, so it looked like I was on it more than I was.”

Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, who played more than 800 NHL games and owns over 1,000 victories behind the bench, has had a front-row seat to plenty of change in hockey.

“Not a fan (of iPads),” said the three-time Stanley Cup winner, who mostly searches out replays for calls by on-ice officials. “I’m not gonna discourage it, but I don’t promote it.”

Devils centre Jack Hughes said screen use can negatively impact players in the moment.

“You miss a big chance, and you’re upset about it,” he said. “You go back and look at look at it, but then you just get more frustrated. Every guy’s different, but think it’s very useful for some parts of the game.”

“Anything’s good in moderation, right?” New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle added. “But you don’t want to be like a little kid out there on his iPad.”

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, another former NHLer from a different era, noted players are sometimes only interested in tablet-based replays when it makes them look good.

“I love the iPads,” he said in a muted, sarcastic tone. “They want the iPads after a shift when they have a scoring opportunity, but they don’t want the iPad when they screwed up defensively.

“That’s when the assistant coach goes down and shows them.”

TIME CRUNCH

The NHL’s return to the Olympics offered fans a riveting mid-season tournament. That 2 1/2-week break has also left coaches with even less time for on-ice preparations throughout 2025-26 due to a compressed schedule that offers little wiggle room.

“Our morning skate is, a lot of times, our practice,” Quenneville said. “We just go 15, 20 minutes.”

He added that making sure players are ready for important games down the stretch is paramount.

“The other team’s in the same boat,” Quenneville said. “Rest, I think, is probably not a bad idea … we’ve been trying to be aware of that.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – The only thing the Ottawa Senators are worried about right now is themselves.

With 13 games remaining in their regular season, the Senators are desperately fighting to secure a playoff spot. And while they could use a little help from other teams to improve their odds, they’re making sure to hold themselves accountable above all.

Following a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Senators (36-24-9) sit three points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

The Leafs, who’s playoff hopes were dashed a while back, struggled to hold their own against their provincial rivals.

“Obviously, they stuck to their game and what they did well,” said Toronto’s John Tavares. “They executed and made it hard on us and then we still got back in the game, but we just couldn’t seem to make the push we needed.”

Ottawa has been playing some of its best hockey of late going 7-2-1 through its last 10, but more importantly are getting contributions throughout the lineup.

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Playing without Jake Sanderson, who suffered an upper-body injury March 7, and Nick Jensen, who suffered a torn meniscus March 11, the Senators depth at defence has been tested.

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Nicolas Matinpalo and Dennis Gilbert have proven to be a reliable third pairing. Gilbert’s future could be questionable. He left the game late in the third after taking a hard hit from Toronto’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

The Senators are benefiting from the pairing of Jordan Spence and Tyler Kleven. Spence has been able to show some offensive capabilities and Kleven is a steady presence.

“It’s nice to see,” said Senators coach Travis Green. “They’re getting more minutes now, obviously, with our injuries, and you hope you have confidence in everyone on your team, that when that happens they step up and they have. They haven’t missed a beat. They’re playing as good as they were, or even better, with less minutes.”

While much attention has been paid to Ottawa’s back end there’s no denying the contributions from its forwards.

“Our depth has been awesome,” said Tim Stutzle. “It’s been a lot of fun right now to come to the rink everyday and just working together as a group and trying to get better everyday.”

The Senators third line of Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto and Nick Cousins is a threat at both ends of the ice.

Amadio has already set a career high in points (12G, 18A) and is well appreciated by his teammates.

Amadio was traded to Ottawa in March 2021 and he played five games. He wasn’t re-signed by the organization and Tim Stutzle was quick to point out how he had enjoyed playing with Amadio during his first stint and was thrilled when he returned.

“He’s really underrated in my opinion,” Stutzle said. “He has one of the best sticks in the league, out killing penalties and plays in every situation. And just the space he creates for his linemates. It’s been awesome to see, and I think that line has been going really well.”

Ottawa’s fourth line has also found some chemistry. Lars Eller is playing between Warren Foegele, acquired at the trade deadline, and Fabian Zetterlund.

Foegele, who has goals in his last two games, has been a solid addition.

“We have a lot of confidence in the way we play and the players that we have in this locker room,” said Claude Giroux. “So, when you have that confidence, you know you don’t have to be the hero, you don’t have to do the extra play, you just gotta trust your game is going to make you successful.”

The Senators visit the Red Wings on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 22, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Joseph Woll didn’t expect to be in this position.

The Maple Leafs goaltender — like the rest of his teammates — thought the Original Six club would be in the thick of a playoff race down the stretch.

Toronto’s season all but lost after a disastrous stretch coming out of the Olympic break, Woll is doing what he can to build his game over the final weeks of a season that went completely off the rails.

Woll made 32 saves in Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, including some huge stops against the relentless Eastern Conference leaders, but was beaten on a penalty shot and short-handed breakaway before Alexander Nikishin ripped a puck home in the extra period.

The 27-year-old from Dardenne Prairie, Mo., who was away from the Maple Leafs for an extended period due to a “personal family matter” back in the fall, is 1-3-1 over his last five starts with a .914 save percentage for the disappointing Maple Leafs (29-28-13).

“Whether something’s positive or negative, it’s always a learning experience,” he said. “I’m just trying to stick to my process, but learn how to adjust it as necessary.”

Maple Leafs centre John Tavares said Woll has remained steadfast in his approach and preparation.

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“You want your game to be your game,” said the 35-year-old, who scored his 24th goal of a lost campaign Friday. “You want to keep building and contributing to the team and help us get better results, and feel good about what we’re trying to work through and try to build some momentum.

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“(Woll) doesn’t try to change a whole lot and continuously works at things … it’s maybe not always just overnight, but you start to build things, and your game starts to come together. Giving us great opportunities to win games.”

Maple Leafs centre Benoit-Olivier Groux, making the most of his call-up from the American Hockey League with five points in six NHL games, said the netminder has given the group a chance.

“He’s been unreal,” Groulx said. “I’ve watched pretty much all the games this season. He’s been really good throughout the season. He’s really dialed in off the ice, he does every little thing right.”

Toronto head coach Craig Berube said Woll, who dropped to 14-13-5 in 2025-26 and has got call in five of the team’s last six games over crease mate Anthony Stolarz, can get to another level.

“(Against the Hurricanes) we need a save,” Berube said. “Whether it’s (in) OT or it’s one of the breakaways, just need a big save there.”

Woll, meanwhile, will look at Friday’s tape with goaltending coach Curtis Sanford, especially Eric Robinson’s penalty shot and K’Andre Miller’s short-handed effort, but is fine with his recent performances.

“Just hoping to play as much as I can and do whatever I can to help the team win,” he said. “And with that, learn as much as possible.”

PLAYING OUT THE STRING

Tavares is one goal shy of becoming the fourth active player with at least 25 or more in 14 seasons behind only Alex Ovechkin (20), Sidney Crosby (16) and Steven Stamkos (15).

The veteran forward was asked about his approach with Toronto languishing near the bottom of the standings.

“You’re getting an opportunity to play in the National Hockey League … you never take it for granted,” Tavares said. “You want to go out there and play well. It’s obviously been tough sledding.”

TAKING HIS CHANCE

Selected with the 54th pick at the 2018 draft by the Anaheim Ducks, Groulx now has three goals and two assists with the Maple Leafs.

The 26-year-old had just one goal and five points in 65 games across parts of three seasons with Anaheim before signing with Toronto last summer.

“I’m approaching it pretty well, with a lot of confidence,” Groulx, who put up 50 points in 54 AHL games in 2025-26, said of his time with the Maple Leafs. “I know what I can do at this level, and I think I’m showing it.”

Tavares said Groulx’s hockey IQ serves him well.

“A real good sense of where to be and getting the puck in good spots,” he said. “Not trying to overcomplicate things, just take the plays that are there. He’s got some good legs and a really good release.

“He’s capitalizing on the opportunity here.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Craig Berube read his players the riot act after a delayed response to a dirty hit that ultimately ended their captain’s season.

The Maple Leafs are playing out the string in a campaign that started with Stanley Cup talk. The team is now at least making a point of sticking up for each other — even if it’s too little, too late in the standings.

Morgan Rielly dropped the gloves to add to a handful of career NHL fights in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders after goaltender Joseph Woll was bumped. The bout followed a pair of hard-fought road games on the heels of star centre Auston Matthews being felled by a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas last week.

The four other Toronto skaters on the ice Thursday didn’t act in the immediate aftermath of that headline-grabbing altercation, but came out hard for the third period, including the first professional fight from rookie winger Easton Cowan, in what ended as a 6-4 comeback victory.

Toronto then lost to the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in a Saturday shootout that saw blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson get angry and defend Woll before a stick-together 4-2 victory over the Wild in Minnesota on a back-to-back.

The Maple Leafs, however, were torched by media, fans and even players from other teams, namely Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk on his podcast with brother Matthew of the Florida Panthers, in the interim for not doing anything with Matthews lying on the ice in agony.

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Rielly took responsibility for not immediately stepping up against Gudas, who was suspended five games for a hit that resulted in a torn MCL in Matthews’ left knee.

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“It’s everybody,” said Berube, the Maple Leafs head coach. “They all should have been in there right away. But I think that they’ve obviously learned from it, and it’s a difference now.”

The veteran defenceman didn’t blink Tuesday following a sequence that was far less severe, going toe-to-toe with Islanders centre Kyle MacLean in the second period.

“Something that we’ve talked about in the past,” said Rielly, who was assessed an extra two-minute penalty for cross-checking. “And we’ve talked about recently.”

Berube has seen a different mentality from the club since Matthews went down.

“It’s a great job by him getting in there and sticking up for Joseph,” he added of Rielly. “That message has got across.”

Berube said following the morning skate that the injury and subsequent lack of response was a “wake-up call” for his group.

But why did it take losing Toronto’s former 69-goal man to get those juices flowing?

“It’s a good question,” Woll said. “The past few days, past few games have been really great seeing our team do that. From the time I’ve been here, I feel like we’ve had guys that stand up for our teammates, and that hasn’t been an issue.

“Everyone really cares a lot about each other in this room.”

Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz, who scored his team’s only goal Tuesday, commended Rielly’s efforts Tuesday.

“Having each other’s back has been a big part of the talks pre-game,” he said. “Making sure we’re connected out there as a group.”

He added the players are also aware of what’s been said since Matthews saw his season end.

“We’d be lying if we said we don’t hear it,” Lorentz explained. “Sometimes it takes a talk from the coach, a little bit of yelling for the guys to wake up and figure it out. We had a lot of sit-down talks, and we looked in the mirror a little bit to get to this spot that we’ve played these past few games.

“It hasn’t been consistent enough, and it’s been nice to see these past few games. It’s not about going out there and fighting, but if a guy takes a run at a guy on your team, it’s about having the liberty to stick up.”

BABY DUTY

Ekman-Larsson returned to the lineup after missing Sunday’s game in Minnesota and Tuesday’s morning skate to be wife, Maja, who delivered their second child — and second boy — on Monday.

“Not a lot of sleep, but it’s been great,” said Ekman-Larsson, who played a game-high 25:06 against New York. “Wifey had been battling, and some tough nights, but she’s been unbelievable.”

TAKING HIS CHANCE

Maple Leafs winger Benoit-Oliver Groulx created the turnover that led to Lorentz’s breakthrough in the second. The 26-year-old has four points, including three goals, in five games since being called up from the American Hockey League.

“Done a lot of good things,” Berube said. “Not just the points and the goals, it’s the other side of the game … he’s very smart and in position, does a good job. He’s played extremely well.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press