Although the Toronto Maple Leafs season hasn’t been the best, with the team currently sitting sixth in the Atlantic Division, they have shown strong play of late. They’ve won three games in a row, with the most recent win coming against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday – the team’s final game before the nearly three-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
While three Leafs will be participating in the Olympics – Auston Matthews for Team USA, and William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson for Team Sweden – the rest of the team will be able to use that time off as a nice late-season break. But when it comes to the non-Olympic participants on the Leafs roster, a few players stand out as especially needing that break right about now.
Let’s take a look at the Leafs who could use this break the most.
John Tavares
Although he isn’t quite at his point pace from last season, John Tavares has been a great asset, as usual, for this Maple Leafs team. With 20 goals and 47 points, Tavares has the third-highest point total on the team, and additionally, Tavares is one of only two players – the other being Ekman-Larsson – who have played in all 57 of the team’s games this season.
That being said, his play has really dipped in the last 15 games or so. He looks tired, which is understandable for the former captain.
This impressive play and longevity are incredible considering that Tavares is 35 years old and in what should be the twilight of his career, but with that same sentiment, Tavares’ age and amount of play this season are all the more reason why he will benefit greatly from a few weeks off. And while Tavares would probably prefer to have been selected to represent Canada in what was likely his last chance to do so after helping the Red and White win gold in 2014 in Sochi, getting a much-needed break as the Leafs sit five points out of a wildcard spot is a good enough consolation prize.
Morgan Rielly
As has been the narrative over the last few seasons, Morgan Rielly has been a lot like the Leafs overall this season: inconsistent. The 31-year-old, while on pace with his numbers from last season, currently possesses a plus-minus total that is tied for the worst of his career, with minus-17 through 54 games. So, just from an on-ice play perspective, Rielly getting a significant break could allow him to rethink some things and escape the pressures of NHL play for a bit.
However, what truly makes Rielly a Leaf that would benefit most from the Olympic break is the fact that Rielly is currently sidelined with an upper-body injury that saw him miss the team’s last two games. Having nearly a month off will give Rielly the time to heal, without the team actually having to deal with his absence for a significant time. So while it is unfortunate Rielly is injured, he really couldn’t have gotten hurt at a better time.
Matthew Knies
Despite his lacklustre -11 on the season, Matthew Knies has still been solid enough for the Leafs, currently with 46 points in 54 games, putting him on pace to surpass the 58 points he achieved in 2024–25. But despite his point total, Knies hasn’t looked like his usual self this season, and much of that can be attributed to the 23-year-old left winger’s nagging lower-body injury that has affected him for parts of the season.
Knies has been honest about his injury troubles this season as well, telling Joshua Kloke of The Athletic on Tuesday, “It sucks when you don’t feel like yourself.”
Like with Rielly, the Olympic break could provide Knies with the perfect chance to heal up without missing any actual regular season games. And if he uses the time wisely, he could become a key reason if the Leafs are able to snag a wildcard spot after the break.
Anthony Stolars and Joseph Woll
We’re grouping Toronto’s top two netminders for this last one, and in the case of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, both have dealt with injuries this season, with Stolarz, the team’s playoff starter last season, appearing in just 16 games this season (just three more games than third-string netminder Dennis Hildeby). And on the statistical side, things haven’t been perfect. Woll has been fairly decent with a .910 save percentage and a 2.92 goals-against average, but Stolarz has been subpar, with a .882 sv% and a 3.55 GAA. Making matters worse, both goalies have performed worse this season than their backup, Hildeby, who has put up a .912 sv% and a 2.90 GAA.
While neither goalie is currently injured, the Olympic break could be a great chance for both netminders to rest any lingering bugs. Additionally, mainly in the case of Stolarz, it could be a good chance to take some time away from the ice and get locked in on performing better as the Leafs look to flip the script in the final third of the 2025–26 NHL season.
Sorry for Rielly but happy the Leafs can’t play him! Especially when their coaches all play him too many minutes, in their own zone and even penalty killing! He’s lousy defensively and needs to be sheltered basically like new players such as Sundin needed for a while. Rielly is NOT a 1st pairing for this reason. He should never penalty kill. He should never be out in overtime. Cowan appears to need some rest. In general, with all the injuries until now, all players could probably use the rest more than most teams!