Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
Puck drop is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET
TV/Streaming: NHL Network (national), MSG Sportsnet (Devils market), TSN4 (Maple Leafs market)
This is the first meeting of the 2026-27 season between the Metropolitan Division-leading Devils and the struggling Atlantic Division Maple Leafs. Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back. New Jersey is riding a four-game winning streak after a dramatic 5-4 overtime comeback win at the New York Islanders on Saturday. Toronto is looking to snap a recent skid after a 4-2 home loss to Montreal.
Current Player Rosters / Projected Lineups
Devils projected lineup (based on recent reports and prior game usage; subject to final confirmation):
Forwards: Combinations featuring Jack Hughes centered with Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk (or similar top-line looks); Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Luke Evangelista; Anthony Mantha – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist; depth including Cody Glass, Connor Brown, Amadeus Lombardi.
Defense: Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce; Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton; Declan Chisholm – Johnathan Kovacevic (or similar pairings).
Goalies: Connor Hellebuyck (expected/likely starter after Jake Allen played the previous night) / Jake Allen.
Key available talent includes Hughes (hot recently with multiple points), Hischier, Bratt, Meier, Hamilton, and Luke Hughes.
Maple Leafs projected lineup:
Forwards: Easton Cowan – Auston Matthews – Jack Roslovic; John Tavares – Nick Paul – William Nylander; Dakota Joshua – Colton Sissons – Gavin McKenna; Brandon Duhaime – Teddy Blueger – Zack MacEwen (or similar).
Defense: Morgan Rielly (if available) – Chris Tanev; Jake McCabe – Darren Raddysh; Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Troy Stecher.
Goalies: Anthony Stolarz (projected/expected starter) / Sergei Bobrovsky or Artur Akhtyamov.
Core pieces: Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, and supporting scorers.
Injury Reports
Devils: Seamus Casey (knee, out/IR; expected return later in November). Relatively healthy otherwise.
Maple Leafs: Significant absences — Max Domi (back, long-term IR); Kirill Marchenko (lower body, out); Miles Wood (undisclosed, IR); Elvis Merzlikins (shoulder, long-term); Nick Blankenburg (upper body, IR); Marshall Rifai (lower body, IR); Cade Webber (elbow, out); William Villeneuve (knee, out). Morgan Rielly is day-to-day (lower body) after leaving the prior game early and is a key swing factor.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Jack Hughes / Jesper Bratt vs. Auston Matthews / Leafs defense: Hughes has been surging (strong recent goal/point production). Matthews leads Toronto in scoring. Expect high-event matchups involving the top lines.
Nico Hischier / Timo Meier two-way play vs. William Nylander / John Tavares: Hischier’s faceoff and defensive reliability against Toronto’s skill.
Luke Hughes / Dougie Hamilton blue-line offense vs. Leafs’ thinned defense (especially if Rielly is limited): New Jersey’s mobile D can create transition chances.
Special teams: Toronto holds a strong power-play edge (around 28%); New Jersey’s PK has struggled more. Goaltending battle between Hellebuyck (strong early form with Devils) and Stolarz (solid numbers) is critical.
Supporting depth and physicality will matter in a back-to-back scenario at Scotiabank Arena.
Recent Team Forms
Devils: Excellent form at 12-5-0 overall, with a four-game win streak and 8-2-0 in their last 10. High-event offense (around 3.5–3.6 GF/GP) and improved structure after acquiring Hellebuyck. They scored 4+ goals in the recent streak and showed resilience in the OT comeback vs. the Islanders (50 shots). Road record is solid.
Maple Leafs: 8-8-2 overall, mixed results (recent losses including to Montreal). Strong individual scoring from Matthews and Nylander, solid power play, but defensive inconsistencies and injury issues have hindered consistency. Home record is roughly even (around 4-4-1 range). Last 10 around .500.
Series History
First meeting of the 2026-27 season. The teams have a competitive historical rivalry with mixed recent results depending on the season; New Jersey has often been competitive or held edges in certain stretches, while Toronto has home advantages in past series. Full all-time and recent head-to-head details favor close contests.
Betting Trends
Trends reflect New Jersey’s superior record and recent form despite both teams being on back-to-backs. Toronto’s home ice and power-play efficiency provide underdog value.
The Devils’ momentum, star power (Hughes leading the charge), and goaltending edge should secure a hard-fought road win in a high-scoring affair. Matthews and Nylander keep Toronto competitive, but New Jersey’s depth and form prove decisive on the second night of the back-to-back.
Game Odds
New Jersey Devils – 155
Toronto Maple Leafs 6
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Saturday, November 7, 2026
