Game 7s are where reputations are made—or shattered. The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won enough of them to shed their ghosts, and fans know all too well how much pain can follow these moments. But heading into tonight’s win-or-go-home battle with the Florida Panthers, a few key players on the Leafs’ roster could swing the story.
Here are four Maple Leafs players to watch in Game 7—and what’s at stake for each.
Player One: Joseph Woll: Calm in the Chaos
Joseph Woll earned his first career playoff shutout in Game 6, becoming the first Maple Leafs goalie since Curtis Joseph in 2002 to blank an opponent when facing elimination. That’s not nothing.
Woll has gone from backup to backbone in this series, and Game 7 will be the ultimate test of whether he can handle the pressure or thrive in it. If he can replicate even part of his Game 6 performance, the Maple Leafs will have a real chance. He’s not just playing for this series; he’s making a case to be the starter in the future.
Player Two: William Nylander Break the Silence
After a scorching start to the playoffs—six goals and nine assists through nine games—Nylander has gone quiet. He hasn’t hit the scoresheet in three straight and hasn’t looked like the creative, confident force he was early in the run.
It could be the difference if Nylander gets going again, especially at even strength. He’s one of the best Maple Leafs at generating offense off the rush, and that matters against a physical Panthers team that thrives on clogging up the cycle.
Player Three: Auston Matthews Starting a Legacy
Matthews finally scored his first playoff goal against the Panthers in Game 6—and it was massive. The game-winner. The momentum shifter. The kind of goal captains are supposed to score.
Now comes the harder part: doing it again. Matthews has been eliminated from the playoffs eight times, three of those losses by one goal. Game 7 is the stage to start turning elite production into elite playoff moments. If he scores again—especially in a clutch spot—he could start changing the story that’s followed him for years.
Player Four: Mitch Marner’s Time for a Signature Game
Marner sits second in franchise history in playoff assists with 50, trailing only Doug Gilmour. But assists aren’t what fans are looking for in Game 7—they want a moment.
He hasn’t had a point since Game 3 and hasn’t shaken off the poor decision-making that led to his spinning turnover in Game 5. Marner needs to do more than contribute—he needs to lead. This is a chance to turn criticism into celebration and finally deliver the signature playoff moment that has eluded him.
Why It Matters to Maple Leafs Fans
Toronto doesn’t need a miracle. It needs its stars to deliver. Woll doesn’t need to steal the game, but he can’t give it away. Nylander, Matthews, and Marner don’t all need to be heroic, but at least one must be.
If the Maple Leafs are going to exorcise their Game 7 demons, it will come on the backs of these four players. They’ve all shown flashes of greatness. Game 7 is their moment to make it stick.
Related: Game 7 Between the Maple Leafs and Panthers Could Be Special
