With just two games left in their regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs need one point to lock down first in the Atlantic and secure the Battle of Ontario for round one of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Set to face off against the Buffalo Sabres, they will have to do it without Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and David Kampf, all of whom didn’t skate Tuesday morning and are expected to be ruled out of the game.
Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and David Kampf absent from Leafs skate in Buffalo.
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 15, 2025
McCabe hasn’t played since an April 2nd contest against the Florida Panthers when he left in the final minute. His injury hasn’t been made public, though head coach Craig Berube previously stated the defenceman would return before the end of the regular season. Kampf suffered an upper-body injury in that same match, leaving in the second intermission. He also hasn’t played since then, though both have participated in practice since.
Ekman-Larsson last appeared with the team on April 9th against the Tampa Bay Lightning when he played a team-high 25:14. He is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
Anthony Stolarz in the starter’s net at Leafs skate in Buffalo @TSN_Sports
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 15, 2025
Anthony Stolarz practiced in the starter’s net Tuesday morning and is presumed to be getting the nod as the Leafs look for a crucial point Tuesday. Stolarz has been in peak form in the lead-up to this year’s postseason, currently riding a seven-game win streak, including two shutouts and key victories against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers to hold their spot at the top of the division.
The 31-year-old has started four of the last six games for the Leafs, as he continues to make a compelling case for being Toronto’s starter for game one of the playoffs.
Here’s how the Leafs lined up in practice Tuesday morning ahead of their tilt against the Sabres, per TSN’s Mark Masters:
Forwards:
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner
Max Domi-John Tavares-William Nylander
Bobby McMann-Pontus Holmberg-Nick Robertson
Steven Lorentz-Scott Laughton-Calle Järnkrok
Defence:
Simon Benoit-Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly-Phillipe Myers
Dakota Mermis-Brandon Carlo
Goaltenders:
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll