TheLeafsNation After Dark

Game 35 comes with a dark, gloomy cloud over the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a “piss poor” showing in Nashville, the Leafs roll into Dallas on a back-to-back looking completely lost — and it genuinely feels like this could be Craig Berube’s last game behind the bench. Tonight we break down everything from the lineup chaos, Berube’s postgame comments, and the lack of a morning skate, to which forwards actually deserve to stay in the lineup.

We dig into Auston Matthews, Easton Cowan, and why Matias Maccelli must remain in the top six; the state of Matthew Knies as he battles a lower-body injury; why Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy, and Nick Robertson should be leaned on; how Bobby McMann and Calle Järnkrok fit; and whether Max Domi has earned his way back in.

Plus: a full look at the defensive mess — Morgan Rielly’s brutal night, Philippe Myers’ struggles, Benoit vs. Thrun, and why Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson remain the bright spots. We also break down goaltending (Woll vs. Hildeby), and the Bet365 best bets for Leafs–Stars.

Chapters:

00:00 – Gloomy tone entering Game 35

00:28 – Leafs stumble into Dallas after awful loss

00:54 – Why no morning skate complicates everything

01:19 – Berube hints at lineup changes

02:20 – Reviewing last night’s lines via Daily Faceoff

02:40 – Matthews–Knies–Cowan: what works, what doesn’t

03:03 – Why Maccelli must stay in the lineup

03:42 – Knies’ lower-body injury insight

04:37 – Why Cowan belongs back with Tavares & Nylander

05:49 – Robertson, Joshua, McMann & identity issues

06:56 – Fourth-line confusion: Laughton, Järnkrok, Domi

07:35 – Should Max Domi return?

08:29 – Who actually deserves to come out

09:02 – Defensive pairings breakdown

09:20 – Why Philippe Myers shouldn’t play

09:40 – McCabe–Stetcher and OEL–Benoit evaluations

10:01 – Morgan Rielly’s rough night & defensive trend

11:11 – Goaltending: Woll vs. Hildeby

11:29 – Best Bet: Stars puck line

13:15 – Why Dallas should roll Toronto

15:08 – Robertson goal pick logic

15:45 – McCabe block-shots bet

17:05 – What’s next for the Leafs heading into the holidays

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