The Toronto Maple Leafs finished the month of November on a winning note with a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. They compiled an 8-4 record for November and finished the month with a 14-7-2 record on the season. That is good enough to remain first in the Atlantic Division.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had their captain, Auston Matthews, return to the lineup after missing nine games with an injury (possibly his shoulder or wrist).
The superstar traveled to Germany to see a doctor he's familiar with to get the best treatment possible. Hopefully, fans will get a fully healthy Matthews now, and we can all watch him score at will again.
The Leafs had an incredible record without Auston Matthews in the lineup, but they were also near the bottom of the league in many important stats, such as 5v5 scoring. What propped the Leafs up while Matthews was out was their incredible goaltending.
If Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz can maintain the quality of play that they have demonstrated so far this season, the Leafs could take step into the NHL's top teir of competitive teams and challange for the Stanley Cup.
Although having Matthews back is a good thing, the Leafs enter the month of December with a sizeable chunk of their lineup still injured. Calle Jarnkrok, Max Pacioretty, Bobby McMann, Max Domi, and David Kampf all remain out. The Leafs must continue relying on younger players like Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin to fill in.
Hopefully, some of the lesser hurt players will return soon. The season only gets harder as it moves forward. The Leafs will play 15 games in December, with nine games on home ice and six on the road. Their longest homestand will be three games from December 2nd to 6th. There will be no long road trips in December. The Leafs will have two separate two-game road trips for the month. Here is a closer look ahead at the Leafs December schedule.