What the Maple Leafs Must Keep Doing to Get Playoff-Ready

In a game that couldn’t have gone any better for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they delivered a 5-0 shutout win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. With just two weeks left in the regular season, this was the perfect type of game for a team fighting for the division title and preparing for the playoffs. Toronto controlled the game early, managed ice time efficiently, and shut down the opposition defensively. Anthony Stolarz earned his 10th career shutout, and the Maple Leafs walked away with a stress-free win.

As if that weren’t enough, the team received some help in the standings, with the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning losing their games. It was an all-around satisfying evening for the Maple Leafs.

As of Monday morning, the Maple Leafs lead the Atlantic Division with 98 points, holding a four-point advantage over the Lightning (94 points) and a six-point lead over the Panthers (92 points). However, the Ottawa Senators are also climbing into the mix with 90 points and could take over third place from the Panthers.

Maple Leafs Engage in Efficient Ice Time Management

The Maple Leafs took advantage of the game by keeping their key players fresh for the crucial matchups in a game that was never really in doubt. Oliver Ekman-Larsson led the team with 23:32 of ice time. At the same time, John Tavares played a manageable 18:38. Meanwhile, Nicholas Robertson, who had been scratched in previous games, received just 10:09 of ice time, emphasizing the importance of balance.

At the same time, Toronto didn’t overextend its star players, ensuring they will be ready for the upcoming battles that will likely decide the Atlantic Division title. Toronto’s defense was superb throughout the game, limiting Columbus to only seven high-danger scoring chances (per Natural Stat Trick). The Blue Jackets had four chances in the first period, two in the second, and just one in the third. The Maple Leafs’ defense tightened up as the game progressed.

Nylander and Marner Chasing Milestones

William Nylander and Mitch Marner are both on the brink of milestones, though their pursuit could be affected by Toronto’s playoff preparations. Nylander scored twice against Columbus, bringing his season total to 44 goals. He’s now firmly in second place in the NHL goal-scoring race, trailing Leon Draisaitl by eight goals. With six goals in his last six games, Nylander could become just the sixth Maple Leaf to score 50 goals in a season. Is there a chance he can maintain this pace through the final stretch?

Marner, meanwhile, is chasing his elusive 100-point season. With 94 points, he needs six more in his final six games to reach the mark. This would be his third attempt at 100 points in the last four seasons. Although last season’s injuries limited his games and slowed him to 85 points, he came close in the previous two seasons. He finished with 97 points in 2021-22 and 99 in 2022-23.

However, both players could be denied the chance to reach these milestones. Toronto is about to enter a crucial stretch with back-to-back games against the Panthers and Lightning. A win in both games would give Toronto a stranglehold on the division title, making the final four regular-season games meaningless for the final standings. As such, head coach Craig Berube could rest Nylander and Marner as the team prepares for the playoffs.

Matthews Sets a New Franchise Record

Auston Matthews might not be having the goal-scoring season he had last year, but he’s still making history. He scored his 30th goal in the win over the Blue Jackets to set a new franchise record. Matthews became the first American-born player to have nine straight 30-goal seasons, breaking a tie with Pat LaFontaine (born in St. Louis). He also passed former Maple Leafs legend Darryl Sittler, who had put up eight straight 30-goal seasons between 1983 and 1991.

While Matthews’ goal total is significantly lower than the 69 goals he scored last season, he continues building his legacy as one of the NHL’s and the Maple Leafs’ most consistent scorers. In light of Alex Ovechkin passing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record on Sunday, if Matthews continues to score at his current pace, he could pass Ovechkin’s current mark of 895 with 920 goals in 10 seasons. The Maple Leafs star will only be 37 then, so he’ll have a few more years before he hits 40.

Stolarz Is Earning the Starting Role

Against the Blue Jackets, the Maple Leafs’ suffocating defensive play made life easy for Stolarz, who stopped all 24 shots he faced for his 10th career shutout. Stolarz continued his strong play, as he has been key to Toronto’s recent success. With the playoff race heating up, unless things go haywire, he has firmly solidified his role as the team’s starting goaltender.

After a shaky stretch in mid-March, Stolarz has bounced back in a big way, winning five straight games. His overall numbers speak for themselves:

Goalie	GP	W	L	OT/SO/L	Win%	SV%	GAA
Stolarz	31	18	8	3	.629%	.923%	2.26
Woll	39	25	13	1	.653%	.906%	2.78

Not only has Stolarz been Toronto’s best goalie this season, but he also leads all goalies with 50 or more games in both save percentage (.924%) and goals-against average (2.16) over the last two seasons. With the playoffs approaching, Stolarz has earned the starting job. His stellar play over the past few weeks has given the team confidence heading into the postseason.

Robertson’s Struggles to Stay in the Lineup

Nicholas Robertson has found himself in and out of the lineup this season, and his inconsistent ice time continues to make fans wonder. He scored twice against the Blue Jackets, bringing his goal total to 14 in the last two seasons. Despite averaging just under a 20-goal pace over the past two years, Robertson’s ice time has been limited. As noted, he only played 10:09 on Saturday, the lowest of any forward.

Robertson’s most significant obstacle to staying in the lineup is his size. At 5-foot-9, he often struggles against larger players, especially in a physically demanding game. After being scratched for three games, Robertson acknowledged his disadvantage and mentioned that he works on his physicality in the gym. He’s improved his hit total this season. Still, despite his goal-scoring ability, he might remain out of the lineup until he can become more consistent defensively and manage the puck better.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The Maple Leafs are entering a key stretch, with two big games on the horizon—against the Panthers and Lightning. These games will likely decide the fate of the Atlantic Division title and could set the stage for a playoff matchup. As the team prepares for the postseason, expect the coaching staff to push the players to continue to play intense, balanced hockey, with contributions from their top stars and depth players.

The Maple Leafs must continue their defensive dominance and efficient ice time management to stay playoff-ready. By keeping key players fresh and maintaining a balanced lineup while relying on solid goaltending from both Joseph Woll and Stolarz, Toronto can position itself for a deep postseason run.

However, as they approach the final stretch of the regular season, the focus will likely shift toward managing their players’ health and readiness for the postseason. That might limit personal player milestones, but preparing for a potential long postseason journey makes that necessary.

[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]

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