TORONTO – John Tavares and his teammates opened the NHL season with plenty of hope.
Toronto’s sports scene was buzzing. The Blue Jays were in the early stages of what would turn into a memorable run to the World Series.
The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, had made the second round of the playoffs just the second time in the league’s salary cap era back in the spring.
Sure, star winger Mitch Marner had bolted town, but the Original Six club still found itself among the Stanley Cup favourites with a core led by captain Auston Matthews and supported by Tavares and fellow star forward William Nylander.
Things went off the rails quickly. Now it’s almost time for the autopsy after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Toronto (32-35-14) closed out its home schedule Monday with an entertaining, mistake-filled 6-5 loss to the Dallas Stars (49-20-12) where the Maple Leafs had built a 3-0 lead by the first intermission and led 5-3 midway through the third.
“When you know it’s the last home game, it’s not a good sign,” said the 35-year-old Tavares. “In some ways, tough coming in today knowing this was the last routine you’re going through, opportunity to go play in front of your fans. In some ways it’s difficult, but you try to go out there and put your best foot forward.
“Unfortunately, it was some of the same for us.”
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Head coach Craig Berube, whose future is unclear beyond Wednesday’s finale in Ottawa against the Senators, lamented another night where crucial errors cost his group.
The playoff-bound Stars, meanwhile, became just the sixth team in NHL history — and first in almost 40 years — to overcome three-goal and two-goal deficits in the same game en route to a regulation win.
Despite the bitterly frustrating season, fans still on hand at Scotiabank Arena gave the players a nice ovation after the final buzzer.
“The support in Toronto is fabulous,” said Berube, whose club finished 18-15-8 on home ice. “It’s been fabulous for as long as I can remember, and it’s going to continue to be fabulous. It’s a great hockey market, it’s a great sports town. The fans are awesome here.
“This is a special place.”
Another member of the organization with clouds of uncertainty is defenceman Morgan Rielly. The longest-serving member of the current roster with 950 games across 13 campaigns, there are questions about his future with a club that will look to a chart its path once a new brain trust is in place following general manager Brad Treliving’s firing last month.
The 32-year-old Rielly, who has four seasons left on a contract that carries a US$7.5-million salary cap hit, would have to agree to a trade out of Toronto, but he was asked following the morning skate if he’d thought about Monday potentially being his last home game.
“It’s crossed my mind,” Rielly told reporters. “All athletes have that at some point.”
Tavares called the blueliner “one of the most selfless teammates” he’s played alongside.
“The way he handles himself day-to-day, the way he puts the team first, and how much he cares about each and every individual,” Tavares said post-game as the Maple Leafs fell to 0-5-1 over their last six. “And you talk about the level of hockey’s played for an extended period of time. With where we’re at this season, it’s pretty obvious everyone’s got to look themselves in the mirror.
“We didn’t come close to where we wanted to get to, so that’s on everyone. He’d be the first guy to put his hand in the air saying, ‘I gotta be better. I got to find ways to improve my game’ — especially as a leader to continue to push forward and find ways to push the group to where we need it to go.”
LOTTERY TALK
The Maple Leafs will surrender their first-round pick at June’s NHL draft to an Atlantic Division rival, the Boston Bruins, if it falls in the top-5 after the lottery.
Tavares was asked what it was like to a play on a night where many of Toronto’s fans were hoping for a loss.
“There should be an extreme amount of pride to play in this league, to play this game, and to wear the crest that we’re wearing,” he said. “I try to approach each game the same, no matter the circumstances, the challenges, the spot you’re in.”
FINAL BOW
Legendary longtime play-by-play man Joe Bowen called his final Maple Leafs home game after 43 years working in radio and television.
The 75-year-old was honoured in the third period with a video tribute and raucous standing ovation.
“Extremely special,” Tavares said. “Couldn’t be more well-deserved. He’ll be in Leafs lore for forever.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press