Maple Leafs eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Sharks

The Toronto Maple Leafs were mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Thursday's 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

Toronto entered the season with the league's longest active playoff streak at nine years. This spring will mark the first time the Maple Leafs have failed to reach the postseason since drafting Auston Matthews first overall in 2016.

The club won only two series in that span and went 0-8 in winner-take-all games.

Toronto entered the Olympic break six points back of a wild-card spot but is 5-10-4 since the league reconvened in late February.

The Maple Leafs won the Atlantic Division last season with 108 points in Craig Berube's first campaign as the club's head coach. This year, Toronto ranks in the bottom five in expected goals against, shots against, and goals against at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Injuries have been a key factor in Toronto's decline in 2025-26, with Chris Tanev, Anthony Stolarz, William Nylander, and Matthews missing significant time.

Though the Maple Leafs sold a collection of players before the trade deadline, the team might still not draft in the first round this summer. Toronto dealt its 2026 first-round selection to the Boston Bruins last year for defenseman Brandon Carlo, but it'll retain the pick and defer it to 2027 if it falls within the top five.

Berube is expected to be on the hot seat once the regular season ends. The Maple Leafs already fired general manager Brad Treliving on Monday.