Browsing: Leafs

Chris Tanev was placed on injured reserve on Thursday, the team announced. Fellow blue-liner Dakota Mermis was recalled from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in a corresponding move.

Tanev, 35, suffered an upper-body injury during Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

The shot-blocking specialist left the ice early in the second period after an inadvertent hit to the head by Devils forward Dawson Mercer. The back of Mercer’s head appeared to collide with Tanev’s face during a net-front battle.

Tanev stayed down on the ice for a few moments before skating off with the help of defence partner Jake McCabe and a team trainer.

Tanev is in the midst of his second season in Toronto after signing a six-year, $27-million deal prior to the 2024-25 campaign.

In 75 games last year, the rugged blue-liner notched three goals and 15 assists while blocking a whopping 189 shots — good for the sixth-most in the league — while averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per night.

Tanev has one assist through seven contests this season.

Mermis, 31, played four NHL games last season with the Maple Leafs and Utah, recording one assist.

For his career, the six-foot left-shot defenceman has appeared in 78 games with four goals and nine assists. He has also suited up for the Arizona Coyotes, New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild.

The Leafs’ next game is Friday in Buffalo against the Sabres (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT).

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TORONTO — This malaise of the Toronto Maple Leafs feels different than any lull Craig Berube endured in his first season as head coach.

The NHL is a hard league, and its schedule can be relentless. Injuries hurt, and new acquisitions need time to find their footing.

Thereâ€s no shame in losing to a decent team, like Toronto did to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

But itâ€s the quest for a full 60-minute effort and the frequency of self-inflicted errors that leave Berube puzzled over the pieces.

“Some of our new guys coming in, finding some chemistry, where they fit, and trying to prove themselves almost a little bit, you know?†Berube said Wednesday, after a tema meeting and a highly optional practice in which the leadership group remained off the ice.

“And then, our whole team in general, in my opinion, is shooting themselves in the foot at different times in the game where thereâ€s no need to do that. Like, we didnâ€t do that stuff last year.â€

The 2024-25 Leafs were superb at holding leads. They thrived in one-goal nail-biters. They locked it down.

The 2025-26 Leafs have more giveaways (130) than any team in the Eastern Conference and the 29th-best power-play in the league (12.5 per cent).

“Itâ€s all mental for me, more than anything,†Berube said. “We got to play to our identity for 60 minutes and understand what we need to do to be successful. Itâ€s just got to keep banging away at it and keep working at it. But sometimes early adversity is OK. I mean, itâ€s all part of it. You go through it throughout the year at times, and weâ€re going through it right now.â€

William Nylander has received nearly 21 minutes†worth of bump-up shifts to Matthews†unit over these first seven games, usually when pressing for a tying goal or in an O-zone faceoff near the end of a period.

The top line has been out-chanced 17-15 and outscored 2-1 when Knies-Matthews-Nylander has hit the ice. Not great. But there have been dangerous moments, and those have been few and far between with lesser right wings in that spot.

Prolonged zone time and second chances are an issue for Torontoâ€s top unit since that groupâ€s puck-carrier and distributor chose Vegas.

“When you want to create offensive zone time, you got to put pucks in with a purpose. You got to then you got to go and get it, and you got to be physical, and you got to be heavy on your sticks,” Berube said of Matthews and Knies. “You got to win those battles to get those pucks back. And they just got to do better job with it. Thatâ€s really the bottom line.â€

To think: The Leafs used to toy with spreading their offensive threats over three lines. Now, theyâ€re considering stacking them onto one.

“I mean, I always want a little balance,†Berube said. “But itâ€s definitely something that Iâ€m thinking about.â€

In the meanwhile, rookie Easton Cowan (scratched Tuesday) should get another top-line trial against the Sabres in a home-and-home series Friday and Saturday. If the team is hesitant to dress the kid against Buffalo, it might as well send him to the AHL so he can touch the puck.

Chris Tanev, who suffered an upper-body injury Tuesday, did not hit the ice Wednesday and is questionable to participate in this weekendâ€s set against Buffalo.

“When he stays down, itâ€s definitely scary, because Iâ€ve never played with a guy as tough as Chris Tanev,†Max Domi said. “Itâ€s not a good feeling as a group when you see a guy like that go down, but he seems to be doing well. And tough as nails. Huge part of our team.â€

Tanev was just one of Torontoâ€s “banged up†players that prevent Berube from delaying a full practice until Thursday.

Next-man-up Philippe Myers conducted partner work with lefty Oliver Ekman-Larsson, suggesting Simon Benoit and Jake McCabe could reunite as a pairing.

Scott Laughton (foot; week to week) has ditched his walking boot and may return to the ice for solo work as early as Thursday.

“Heâ€s trending really well,†Berube said. “Hopefully heâ€s back on the ice with us shortly.â€

As for Joseph Woll, the coach says he hasnâ€t spoken with the goaltender (leave of absence for a personal matter) but assures heâ€s doing fine. Cayden Primeau (1-0-0, .867) is the backup until further notice.

No update on Joseph Woll from Craig Berube ahead of another Maple Leafs back-to-back.

“When he’s back, he’s back.”

Is he skating?

“When he’s back, he’s back.”

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) October 22, 2025

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Oct 22, 2025, 12:31 PM ET

TORONTO — The Maple Leafs and Raptors are changing the times of their games this weekend and next week to avoid overlap with the Blue Jays’ World Series games.

“Toronto sports fans are undeniably some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we are proud to have the city’s teams come together and give these fans an opportunity to experience a significant moment in our city’s and nation’s history,” said Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Maple Leafs and Raptors.

Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto will host Games 1 and 2 of the World Series on Friday and Saturday. Each game in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

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The Raptors’ home opener against Milwaukee on Friday was moved from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30, and the Maple Leafs’ game against Buffalo on Saturday was moved from 7 p.m. to 5.

The Leafs have also adjusted the start time of next Tuesday’s game against Calgary to 6 p.m. The Raptors will host Houston at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29. Games 3-5 of the World Series are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Oct. 19.

“Each of these game time changes are quite complicated and represent the co-operation of many stakeholders, including the respective leagues, coaches and players of the Leafs, Raptors and opposing teams and broadcasters,” Pelley said. “We are grateful to them all for their assistance as we work to make this a very special moment for Toronto fans as we come together to support the Blue Jays.”

The Maple Leafs and Raptors will also show the World Series games on the Scotiabank Arena videoboard following their games.

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After the Toronto Blue Jays won the American League pennant and booked their trip to the organizationâ€s first World Series in 32 years, Morgan Rielly made some comments that should give fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs some hope.

“Thereâ€s a small part of you that youâ€re envious of them. Youâ€re a bit jealous of what theyâ€re doing, just because of Toronto. You watch it firsthand, youâ€re obviously happy for them, itâ€s a great moment for the city, but we want to be able to do that and have a run like that.â€

Leafs fans should love to hear that this was a key takeaway from a core member of their team. You want your team inspired by what the Jays are doing.

Make no bones about it, what the Jays are doing isinspirational, and can provide some key pieces of guidance for this yearâ€s Leafs in terms what they need to do to have success.

Here are five takeaway lessons that should work as a crossover between the two Toronto clubs.

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On May 23 of 2025, the Toronto Blue Jays had played 50 of their 162 regular season games. They lost 3-1 that day to the Tampa Bay Rays, which dropped their record to a dead even 25-25.

I spoke to some pretty knowledgeable baseball guys right around that time, and Iâ€ll be honest, they had the Jays dead to rights. They gave them just about no shot the rest of the way. They were simply not good enough, there was some buzz that Bo Bichette might get dealt, and it looked like it was all going to come crashing down.

Three months later, they finished 94-68 and won the AL East in a tiebreaker.

Like the Jays, the Leafs have some great core players capable of breaking games wide open. The Jays stuck with it, found some wins, a better energy and, in turn, an identity. Guys took advantage of the opportunities they got, and that allowed the Jays to add a couple players at the trade deadline, which made them better still. Thereâ€s no reason the Leafs couldnâ€t scuffle for a bit while searching for their own identity and find themselves in a much better place than how things feel today. Youâ€ve just gotta keep striving to get better every day.

About part of what I mentioned above…

You reward your depth with opportunities when they excel, and make them important

I got tired of talking about the Leafs being Team A and Team B in the past and, fortunately this year, the plan was to be more balanced. Nic Roy, Dakota Joshua, and Matias Maccelli were added. Easton Cowan has played a few games, Calle Jarnkrok got healthy, and it seemed like the Leafs would have more potential players to do what Bobby McMann has done – take a spot, excel, and force the team to elevate his status.

If you look at the Jays, theyâ€ve got some journeymen big leaguers who are thriving. Ernie Clement was waived by a bad team two years ago. Nathan Lukes spent about a decade in the minors. Itâ€s a pretty long list, actually. But those guys played well enough to get their confidence going, they earned more playing time, and they became essential to the capital-T Team.

If the Leafs, in the post-Marner era, are in fact going to be more balanced, they need to give a few of their own journeymen depth guys the chance to be important, and then itâ€s up to those guys to grab the opportunities. You donâ€t have to be what youâ€ve been in the past. Give Roy that chance. How about Lorentz gets some run higher in the lineup? Theyâ€ve got decent skill in their bottom-six, and donâ€t have to keep trying the same things.

As players establish themselves in the league they can still improve, fit a teamâ€s puzzle better, and sometimes thereâ€s still more juice to be squeezed.

Your best players gotta be your best players

That doesnâ€t mean every night, but it sure should be mostnights. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the ALCS MVP by being nearly impossible to deal with just about every time he stepped to the plate. He was rock solid in the field. The $150 million man, George Springer, hit the biggest dinger of them all.

This is a tale as old as time for the Leafs, but it doesnâ€t make it any less relevant. Yes, you can get big moments in the form of a base knock from Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the bottom of the seventh. Yes, Max Talbot can score two goals in Game 7 to pull Sidney Crosby through. The depth needs to be important.

But at the end of the day, guys like Matthews and Nylander need to be an absolute headache for opposing defences.

Want the ball, want the moment

You didnâ€t think weâ€d get through this without talking about the fire of Max Scherzer did you? Thatâ€s a guy right there who loves the game, wants to compete, and wants to go right at you. He wants to be in the biggest moments, so when he gets that chance, heâ€s ready to eat your heart out.

John Schneider told a story about texting Springer about his bad knee to check in on his availability for Game 7, and Springer told him to stop texting him because he was going to play regardless. They talked in person that day, and Springer told him to leave him alone. He was playing, and he wanted that moment.

Itâ€s about Kevin Gausman saying he couldnâ€t wait to get in Game 7, and Chris Bassitt ready to thrive in his big moment.

There have been some times when the Leafs came up against big moments, and absolutely shrunk. Theyâ€ve hesitated, theyâ€ve balked. Injuries are unfair and unpredictable, but thereâ€s no doubt theyâ€ve popped up at bad times.

Still, the Jays have done this without Bichette. Youâ€re allowed to win when a big player has to miss some time.

If youâ€re not playing for the big moments and winning, then why are you playing? And if the answer to why you are playing is something other than that whole “winning†thing, itâ€s probably not going to go great.

I mentioned that the Jays went from 25-25 to finishing 94-68. Theyâ€ve now won over 100 baseball games this year. Theyâ€ve come from behind more than any team in baseball, 51 times in total between the playoffs and regular season. Thatâ€s over half their wins where they were trailing at some point.

That to me is so much about energy and the “team” concept. When you fall behind, do you start to flag and pout and point fingers? Or do you stay resilient, dig in, and get ready to throw your next best punch?

The Leafs donâ€t have the offence to play bad and come from behind as easily without Marner, and so theyâ€re going to need more of a group effort that uses several skaters. It can be someone different every night, rather than putting all the pressure on a few guys.

At just 3-3-1, people are looking at the Toronto Maple Leafs and asking justifiable questions. Whatâ€s their identity? How are they trying to play? Heck, what are their lines?

The Jays were almost a third of the way into their season before they started to find some answers. The Leafs still arenâ€t even 10 per cent of the way through, and theyâ€re trying to figure things out, too.

But it is time to start finding some answers, whatever they are, so they can start to put forth a better version for themselves.

And if theyâ€re looking for a recipe, a shortcut to get a few of the answers theyâ€re so desperately seeking, it wouldnâ€t hurt for them to look across the street at the Blue Jays, and take a page from that very good neighbourâ€s book.

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The NHL and NBA teams adjusted the start times for several games in the coming days to avoid going head-to-head with the Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Leafs†home game on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres will start at 5 p.m. ET (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+) instead of 7 p.m., the NHL club announced Wednesday.

Also, the Leafs†game on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Arena will start at 6:15 p.m. ET instead of 6 p.m.

The Leafs†game in Buffalo on Friday will move up a half hour to 7 p.m. ET from 7:30 p.m. (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+).

Meanwhile, the Raptors†home opener on Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks will start at 6:30 p.m. ET instead of 7:30 p.m. The same game-time switch is happening for next Wednesdayâ€s home game against the Houston Rockets.

The Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series just down the street at Rogers Centre on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Games 3-5 of the World Series are in Los Angeles next Monday to Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. All World Series games are on Sportsnet.

The Leafs and Raptors say they will show the Blue Jays games on the Scotiabank Arena videoboard following their home games.

“Toronto sports fans are undeniably some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we are proud to have the cityâ€s teams come together and give these fans an opportunity to experience a significant moment in our cityâ€s and nationâ€s history,†MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement.

“Each of these game time changes are quite complicated and represent the cooperation of many stakeholders, including the respective leagues, coaches and players of the Leafs, Raptors and opposing teams and broadcasters. We are grateful to them all for their assistance as we work to make this a very special moment for Toronto fans as we come together to support the Blue Jays.â€

Previously, the Leafs moved a home game up two hours to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving (Oct. 13) to avoid a conflict with Game 2 of the ALCS at Rogers Centre.

The Leafs†home opener on Oct. 8 took place during the Blue Jays†ALDS-clinching win over the Yankees in New York. Toronto fans let out huge cheers several times during the Leafs game when good things were happening for the Jays.

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TORONTO — Sheldon Keefe was going about his normal game-day routine.

The New Jersey Devils head coach then turned a corner and stepped in front of a wall of cameras in the hours before his second trip back to a building he knows very well — down the hall from his old office — in the bowels of Scotiabank Arena.

“Up until about 45 seconds ago, when I stood right here, it felt like any other road game,” Keefe said with a smile shortly before noon Tuesday.

The 45-year-old from nearby Brampton, Ont., led the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2019 through 2024, a stretch that saw the Original Six franchise enjoy plenty of regular-season success with a star-studded lineup, but only secure a solitary playoff series victory in six tries before he was fired some 17 1/2 months ago.

After failing to get a win over his old club in three tries last campaign, the Devils made sure Keefe walked out of his old stomping grounds with a smile following a convincing 5-2 victory.

“We’re a year late from it really meaning a whole lot,” he said post-game in trying to downplay the result on a personal level. “But listen, I’ve got a lot of people here that are waiting to talk to me, and a lot of people in the building. It’s a special place for me. Always will be.

“It certainly feels a lot better coming out on the winning side.”

New Jersey has now won five straight games for the organization’s longest winning streak since January 2023 after dropping its opener.

“We all wanted it for him,” said Devils forward Cody Glass.

Keefe shared before puck drop he feels more comfortable in his second season in charge after not knowing anyone in New Jersey when he was hired only two weeks following his dismissal in Toronto.

“He knows what works with guys, and we know what he expects out of us,” said Devils centre Jack Hughes, who registered a hat trick to give him six goals in three games. “Just more familiarity — that’s the biggest thing.”

The Devils have killed 18 straight penalties over a winning run that’s pushed the club to the top of the Metropolitan Division early in the schedule.

“(Keefe) demands a lot out of us, which is great,” said Devils defenceman Brenden Dillon, who scored the third goal Tuesday. “He holds a high standard for our organization, for the players. We know what roles we have and what our systems are.

“Reacting as opposed to thinking.”

And while Keefe attempted to pour cold water on the result being about more than two points, Dillon said it was no doubt circled on the calendar.

“You’ve got lots of friends and people that you’ve built relationships with,” said the veteran blueliner. “He was here for a long time and had some good success with that group and helped those players build their game to what it is now. It’s a tough environment. His family’s here. He’s from here. Obviously, this place meant a lot to him.

“The guys really battled hard.”

Keefe, meanwhile, said he’s liked both the energy and the buy-in from the Devils early on in 2025-26 after an ugly 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes that opened the schedule.

“We’ve pushed and challenged this group from Day 1 of training camp,” he said. “We’ve continued to push and challenge, even though we’ve been winning.

“When you’re winning, the group’s always going to feel good. But just in terms of how we’re playing, the group is really rallying around what we’re asking them to do.”

Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wore an Auston Matthews jersey ahead of Toronto’s 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday.

The Leafs captain returned the favour roughly 24 hours later with the first baseman’s name and number on his back as he walked into Scotiabank Arena after the Jays advanced to the World Series for the first time since 1993.

“It was awesome,” Matthews said of seeing his threads at Rogers Centre ahead of Monday’s winner-take-all ALCS finale. “Awesome to see them pull out that win, too. Obviously, huge moment in the city.”

Keefe got his first up-close glimpse at Toronto minus Mitch Marner. The star winger played nine seasons with the Leafs before bolting for the Vegas Golden Knights over the summer.

“Mitch was such a dynamic player and did so many things, touched the game in so many areas,” Keefe said. “They look different because of the way that you’re able to spread (financial resources) around and get greater depth, and change the identity and look of the group elsewhere.”

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TORONTO — It may be too early to panic, but itâ€s not too early to shrug.

Stop us if youâ€ve heard this before: The Toronto Maple Leafs just played Game 7, and it did not go so great.

On paper, a 3-3-1 start with a minus-1 goal differential and middle-of-the-pack divisional standing isnâ€t cause for alarm.

But it would be difficult to endure a viewing of Tuesdayâ€s home game against the best opponent the Leafs will face in their first 15 games of a soft early-season schedule and not walk away with a gut feeling: Maybe this team just doesnâ€t have it.

Itâ€s one thing to lose 5-2 to Sheldon Keefeâ€s speedy, organized and detailed New Jersey Devils squad; itâ€s another to routinely blow first-period leads, get caved in territorially, and have your fans cheer loudest for the baseball highlights on the Jumbotron.

Captain Auston Matthews lamented the “roller coaster of consistency†that has marred the first two weeks of the season and, on this night, encouraged locals to flee their seats before a smattering of red caps hit the ice in honour of visitor Jack Hughes†hat trick — and Keefeâ€s first taste of victory against the organization that fired him.

Roller Coaster of Consistency could serve as the memoir of this once-promising era of Leafs hockey, which appears at risk of going out with a whimper unless these on-ice strangers get on the same page.

Since training camp, coach Craig Berubeâ€s forward lines have been half-cooked strings of spaghetti thrown at the whiteboard. Nothingâ€s sticking.

On Tuesday, the coach benched prospect Easton Cowan, whoâ€s in need of “a reset,†and promoted playmaker Max Domi to Matthews†top line.

Keefe, youâ€ll recall, was the first coach to throw Domi on Matthews†wing, and the good pals clicked down the stretch of 2023-24.

“Well, I know Max will be excited,†Keefe said pre-game, upon learning of his opponentâ€s lineup. “Auston really enjoyed that connection when those guys were matched together. I like the line. I like the look of it.â€

Keefeâ€s like may have grown to love Tuesday, as the Matthew Knies–Matthews–Domi line got outscored 1-0, outshot 6-2, and out-chanced 9-1 by his Devils through 40 minutes.

Berube abandoned the combo, as he has so many others.

Through seven games, Berube has cycled Domi, Cowan, Matias Maccelli, Calle Järnkrok, and nuclear option William Nylander on Matthews†right wing.

The coach is running out of ingredients to chuck into his top-line blender. And if Matthews and Knies arenâ€t dominating, the Leafs have no chance against true contenders.

“Early on in the season, I thought they were getting their opportunities and looking pretty good. Now, itâ€s obviously not good enough. I donâ€t feel like they have any sustained pressure in the offensive zone. It’s one and done, theyâ€re out,†Berube said.

Matthews has depended on one all-star right winger for the bulk of his career. Developing fresh chemistry takes time, no?

“It could be,†Berube said. “But Iâ€m getting tired of it, to be honest with you.â€

More tiresome are the Maple Leafs†horrid second periods, momentum killers in which they are now minus-7.

Berube didnâ€t do himself any favours by challenging Hughes’ first goal for goalie interference. A questionable decision at best, and one that failed to result in an overturned goal.

“(Screener Ondrej Palat) is in the blue paint, and our goalie, he couldnâ€t get position,†Berube explained. “Itâ€s always tricky. Itâ€s always 50/50. It is what it is.â€

The Devils took the lead by striking on Torontoâ€s ensuing delay-of-game penalty and never looked back. They doubled their lead on a 4-on-1(!) rush goal, piling three in three minutes and 21 seconds and jumping all over a team prone to turnovers.

“Weâ€re still just a little too sloppy,†John Tavares said. “We have to be smarter with the puck and the way we’re managing the game. And a team like that, with the way they can skate and how quick they are in transition, obviously it really hurt us. And then weâ€re chasing it.

“We talk about checking and grinding and the things that we want to make part of our identity and that we do well, build on some of those things that we brought into our game last year. So, we havenâ€t gotten to that consistently enough.â€

But itâ€s not only the forward lines that seem out of sorts.

The veteran blue line was noticeably slow. (To be fair, they were also shorthanded, as Chris Tanev left midway with an upper-body injury.) And rush chances were far too frequent.

“Our D are just standing in there, jumping in there, not reading whatâ€s coming at them. Weâ€re late sometimes with our reloads, and one of the biggest things is turnovers,†Berube critiqued. “We got to be smarter. Our D gotta be smarter. They gotta make a play. They canâ€t be going all out.â€

If the Devils present the closest thing to an early measuring-stick, the Maple Leafs came up short — and slow.

Is speed a concern for the NHLâ€s sixth-oldest roster?

“When we play the right way and we play direct, we look fast. But when we want to not play that way, we look slow. I think that’s really what it boils down to,†Berube said.

“Is there teams that have more speed in our team? Yeah, there is. But at the same time, thatâ€s why we talk about playing predictable and direct, so you can look fast.â€

Mercifully, the Maple Leafs†next six opponents are all non-playoff teams: Buffalo twice, Calgary, Columbus, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Theyâ€ve been granted a soft schedule to right the ship.

But they need more hands on deck.

The new recruits have yet to pop, and the familiar heroes are riding the â€coaster.

“Thereâ€s a lot of guys that played a good hockey game tonight. They did a lot of good things,†Berube said.

“But we donâ€t have enough of them. And if we donâ€t have everybody going and on the same page and doing the right things, thatâ€s what weâ€re going to look like.â€

A scary — but possibly premature — thought here: Maybe this is all they have.

Maybe this is who they are.

•Tanev will possibly miss time with an upper-body injury after a knock with Dawson Mercer. The shutdown D-man was also favouring his previously injured right shoulder Saturday.

“Hopefully heâ€s all right. Heâ€s a huge part of our back end,†Tavares said. “He does so many things well that donâ€t always get a lot of attention. And his hockey IQ, his awareness, his defending, even his puck play, his reads are exceptional. Hopefully, itâ€s nothing too serious.â€

• Morgan Riellyâ€s biggest takeaway from his five-and-a-half seasons skating for Keefe: “How he looks at the game is unique. He has a really high IQ, feels like, in how he looks at the game from an offensive standpoint. And he was a pretty creative guy when it came to O-zone play. But I liked playing for him. He was a good communicator.â€

The Leafs enjoyed their most productive season over the past 35 years under Keefe, scoring 315 goals in 2022-23.

• Matthews returned the favour Tuesday, walking into the Maple Leafs†Game 7 wearing a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. jersey.

“Vladdy coming in in Austonâ€s jersey, what a great moment for this city and for Auston and for the Leafs — and for hockey, for that matter,†said Keefe, whose family still lives in Toronto. “For that to all come together, itâ€s outstanding.â€

A Brampton, Ont., native, Keefe said Mondayâ€s ALCS clincher, which he watched with his own sons in Toronto, whisked him back to boyhood.

Keefe was about 13, the same as his youngest son, Wyatt, when Joe Carter touched â€em all, and he got to attend Jose Bautistaâ€s bat flip game when he coached the Marlies.

“Iâ€m sure thereâ€s countless stories like that, those connections,†he smiled. “Itâ€s a great day to wake up in Toronto, isnâ€t it?â€

• The wild adventures of Nylander through seven games: 11 assists, two goals, two public callouts, zero 5-on-5 goals, one OT hero moment, one OT goat moment.

• Good news: Injured fourth-line centre Scott Laughton (foot) is no longer in a walking boot.

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TORONTO — Steven Lorentz shocked his new wife pretty good when he leapt out of bed in the seventh inning with a clap and a holler to celebrate George Springerâ€s ALCS-winning home run.

“As soon as it left his bat, I knew it was gone,†the Toronto Blue Jays fan disguised as a Maple Leafs player said excitedly Tuesday morning. “She was kind of rolled over trying to sleep, and I think I woke her up.

“Iâ€ve definitely got a little bit more excitement for this Jays group this year than I have in previous years.â€

Lorentz is all of us in this hockey Mecca turned baseball town.

“I think a lot of people in Canada probably had a similar night last night, watching our Jays move on to the World Series. First time in, what, thirty-something years?†the Ontario native continues. So that’s great to see. “Weâ€re happy for them. But like Vladdy said, the jobâ€s not done for them. So, they still got some work to do.â€

For too many Octobers, the work of the Maple Leafs has dominated Page 1 of the Toronto newspapers†sports section.

The magic of the Jays†post-season run has flipped priorities like Bautista twig — in a way that benefits all involved.

The middling Leafs have five regular-season games scheduled to go head-to-head with the best-of-seven between the Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

You get one guess as to which will be the cheaper ticket.

“Itâ€s an easy team to cheer for,†Morgan Rielly marvels. “Weâ€ve been talking about them all morning.â€

The longest serving Maple Leaf grew up in Vancouver as the son of a Yankees fan; a young Rielly and his father would drive south to Seattle and root against the Mariners when the pinstripes were in town. But Rielly has been wearing Blue Jays caps for years.

Heâ€s all in, even if the sweetness of a Toronto championship series comes with a sting.

“Thereâ€s a small part of you that youâ€re envious of them. Youâ€re a bit jealous at what theyâ€re doing, just because of Toronto. You watch it firsthand. Youâ€re obviously happy for them. Itâ€s a great moment for the city. But we want to be able to do that and have a run like that. We felt that when the Raptors did it, too,†Rielly explains.

“So, you look at the passion that theyâ€re playing with, and thatâ€s contagious. And you want to be able to also bring that when your time comes.â€

To a man, the Leafs spoke glowingly about the baseball clubâ€s formula of simultaneously getting valuable contributions from their depth players as well as showtime moments from their high-paid superstars.

None more impressive than ALCS MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who strode into Rogers Centre on the eve of Game 7 decked out in a No. 34 Leafs replica sweater.

“I think Vladdy broke the curse by wearing Auston Matthews†jersey here today,†Jays manager John Schneider said, following the 4-3 home win.

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool. Iâ€m sure Tone was pretty fired up about that,†enthuses Toronto native Chris Tanev, who played competitive ball through Grade 12.

“Itâ€s really impressive to see the city rallying behind them, and just an amazing comeback from down 2-0 to start the series, and down 3-2, and down in the game as well. So, itâ€s just a lot of relentless efforts.â€

Tanev is a master of smart positioning. He makes subtle, nifty outlet passes and is willing to take abuse to make the right play. So, it should be no surprise that he showers the Jays†role players with credit for contributing small details that lead to the big moment.

“The (Andrés) Giménez bunt probably no one talks about because Springer hit a home run. But no one bunts, really, anymore, and he laid a great bunt. Or (Addison) Barger walking to get on. Little things like that. Not trying to hit a home run and being happy to get on base, to let his teammates help him get home and make the game closer,†Tanev says.

“Itâ€s just like little things like that go into a hockey game, so you sort of watch and learn from that.â€

Craig Berube grew up a baseball-loving kid in Calahoo, Alta. Itâ€s the sport that most closely rivals hockey as his passion. The Leafs coach visited the clubhouse and met with Schneider in September. Heâ€s been studying the post-season at home, quietly rooting for the Jays.Â

“I watch their guy, Vladdy, closely. I watch how he interacts with all the guys and how much energy he brings all the time and happiness for his teammates when they do something well,†Berube says.

“Heâ€s always got a lot of energy and a lot of positive vibe around him, you know? Which a lot of them do. But heâ€s their main guy, and he brings that — and I think the whole team feeds off it.â€

Torontonian Max Domi says itâ€s not only Guerrero Jr.â€s performance at the plate that impresses; itâ€s also his presence in the post-game conversations.Â

“You see his interviews and how emotional he got — what this city means to him. It’s great to see him, and Iâ€m so happy for him and his entire team,†Domi explains.

“It’s inspiring, man. I think if youâ€re not a baseball fan, it doesn’t matter. Youâ€re watching that game, youâ€re watching that interview — everyoneâ€s got chills. If you don’t, then you’re missing a heartbeat, for sure.

“Taking that and seeing how the city responds to it, and listening to each guyâ€s interview is really cool for me as an athlete on a team, to really see how much they love each other, and thatâ€s what got them to where they are. Of course, theyâ€ve got the skill, they got the talent, theyâ€ve got everything. But they all seem to think that the most important thing is how tight they are.â€

The parallels here are blatantly obvious to the Toronto fan.

And the Maple Leafs, who play just a couple Barger relay throws east of the Dome, feel like the sports cityâ€s positive energy could be contagious.

“Itâ€s almost like a little bit of outside motivation, you can look at it, right?†Lorentz says. “Like, you see when that teamâ€s doing well, when our teamâ€s doing well, when it comes to playoff time, thereâ€s extra bodies in the seats. Thereâ€s extra bodies outside. Iâ€m sure the bars are all filled up with people who are rooting and cheering.

“I had some buddies out, and you could see the Instagrams and the Snapchats of people going nuts when Springer hit that home run. So, the Jays get that. We get that when weâ€re doing well, too.Â

“Itâ€s nice that we can kind of feed off that energy that the Jays are bringing, that buzz to the city.â€

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The 20-year-old forward will be a healthy scratch for the team’s Tuesday game against the New Jersey Devils, head coach Craig Berube confirmed.

“He needs a reset, get a game to watch. Itâ€s always good for young guys to watch a game at some point. But Cowanâ€s in a good spot,” Berube said.

Cowan, of Mount Brydges, Ont., made the team out of training camp but sat out the first two games of the season before making his NHL debut on Oct. 13 against the Detroit Red Wings.

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Skating mostly on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, Cowan has one point — an assist — over four games while firing five shots on net and averaging 13:11 in ice time.

He can appear in nine games during his rookie season before the team burns a year of his entry-level contract.

Calle Jarnkrok, who is second on the team with three goals, will draw back in against the Devils after sitting out Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken.

The Maple Leafs sit at 3-2-1 early in the season, but are already facing some turbulence after starting goalie Anthony Stolarz called out his team for being outworked after its most recent defeat.

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And so he couldn’t help but admire as, just a few blocks west of his own arena, the Toronto Blue Jays authored a late-inning comeback to reach the World Series, sending Rogers Centre into pandemonium.

“We want to be able to do that and have a run like that. You look at the passion theyâ€re playing with and thatâ€s contagious,” Rielly said on Tuesday morning.

Rielly, 31, has been on the opposite end of those dramatic post-season games.

The longest-serving Maple Leaf, he’s been a part of every playoff defeat in the Auston Matthews era — none of which have come later than the second round.

Last season, Toronto came within one win of the conference final, only to fall short to the eventual champion Florida Panthers.

The defenceman said his team has been talking about the Blue Jays’ triumph all morning.

“You’re almost jealous at what they’re doing because they’re in Toronto and you watch it firsthand, youâ€re happy for them. It’s a great moment for the city. We want to be able to do that and have a run like that. We felt that when the Raptors did it (in 2019), too,” he said, per Terry Koshan of Postmedia.

Rielly’s Maple Leafs have often been criticized for lacking resilience throughout their post-season losses — a trait of which this Blue Jays team cannot be accused.

Ahead of Monday’s game, Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. entered the stadium wearing a Matthews jersey — a bad omen in the eyes of many Toronto sports fans.

Perhaps now, however, the curse is reversed.

“It’s an easy team to cheer for, the style they play, the depth. … It’s been a lot of fun to watch, and our guys have been supporting them,” Rielly said.

The Maple Leafs are back in action in Toronto on Tuesday as the New Jersey Devils come to town.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays will play Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Rogers Centre (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, Sportsnet, Sportsnet+).

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