Maple Leafs Face St. Louis in Bid to End Losing Streak

Toronto, Ontario — The Toronto Maple Leafs look to reverse their recent struggles as they host the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. The team has fallen from fifth to 15th in the Eastern Conference, earning just one point out of a possible ten in their last five games.

Injuries have piled up for the Leafs, with captain Auston Matthews, goaltender Anthony Stolarz, forward Scott Laughton, and defenceman Chris Tanev all on injured reserve. On Monday, defenceman Brandon Carlo was added to the list, and veteran center Nicolas Roy will also miss Tuesday’s game due to an upper-body injury.

To fill the gaps, the Leafs have recalled forward Jacob Quillan from the American Hockey League and claimed defenceman Troy Stecher off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers just before Saturday’s 3-2 loss against the Blackhawks. Stecher, who has played for seven teams in a decade, sees this as a fresh start with a motivated group.

“Just excited for a fresh start,” Stecher said after practice Monday. “All it takes is one bounce, and you get back in the win column.”

William Nylander, leading the team with 26 points, acknowledges the team has needed more bonding time after starting the season with many home games. “I think we needed it,” Nylander said about a recent night out with teammates.

Head coach Craig Berube has urged Nylander to be more assertive in shooting the puck. Nylander has seen a drop in shots over the past two games. “Just get in the shooting mindset,” he advised.

GM Brad Treliving expressed confidence in the coaching staff despite the current standings. “I’ve got all the faith in our coach right now,” he said, insisting the team’s inconsistency must be addressed internally.

“The majority of the problems we have need to be solved within that group,” Treliving added. Six points currently separate the Maple Leafs from first place in their division, indicating the potential for a turnaround if they can resolve their issues.