An Original Six rivalry renews at Scotiabank Arena as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Chicago Blackhawks in a Tuesday night inter-conference clash. Toronto (14-12-5, 33 points) clings to wildcard contention in the Atlantic, fueled by elite skill up front but undermined by defensive inconsistencies and goaltending questions. Chicago (13-13-9, 35 points) has exceeded expectations with a near-.500 mark, driven by Connor Bedard’s brilliance and opportunistic scoring, though road woes and depth scoring remain hurdles. This matchup pits Toronto’s high-powered offense (top-10 goals per game) against Chicago’s resilient transition play—special teams and star performances will likely dictate the result in a building notorious for its passionate, pressure-cooker atmosphere.
Venue
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON (19,800-capacity iconic venue in downtown Toronto, famous for its steep bowl, “Leafs Nation” banners, and deafening goal horns; a fortress for Original Six games)
Puckdrop: 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT)
Broadcast: Sportsnet/TVA Sports (Toronto); NBC Sports Chicago; streaming on ESPN+ and SN Now; radio on TSN 1050 (Toronto) and WGN 720 (Chicago)
Scotiabank’s holiday decorations and pre-game fan zone on Bremner Blvd add festive energy for Chicago’s lone regular-season visit to Toronto this year.
Team Records
Chicago edges Toronto in points despite more overtime losses, ranking mid-pack in shots generated but bottom-third in goals against. Toronto excels offensively but struggles to close games (5 OT/SO losses at home).
| Team | Overall Record | Division Record | Home/Road | Last 10 | GF/GA (Per Game) | PP% / PK% |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 14-12-5 (33 pts) | 6-5-3 (Atlantic) | 9-5-2 / 5-7-3 | 5-4-1 | 3.10 / 3.15 | 24.8% / 78.2% |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13-13-9 (35 pts) | 5-6-4 (Central) | 7-6-4 / 6-7-5 | 4-4-2 | 2.85 / 3.40 | 20.5% / 76.9% |
Toronto ranks No. 8 in power-play goals; Chicago No. 14 in even-strength scoring.
Recent Team Forms
Toronto has found rhythm with a 5-4-1 stretch, including a 5-4 shootout thriller over Tampa—Auston Matthews (9 points in last 6) and William Nylander drive the attack, but Anthony Stolarz’s .895 SV% in December exposes vulnerabilities. Home form: 4-2-1 in last 7, averaging 3.7 goals.Chicago holds steady at 4-4-2 in their last 10, stealing points in overtime despite a 4-1 loss to Dallas last outing. Bedard’s playmaking (7 points in last 5) keeps them afloat, but road defense falters (3.8 GA in last 6 away). Petr Mrazek has stabilized the crease (.912 SV% recently).
Analytics models give Toronto a 60% win probability (MoneyPuck), projecting a median total of 6.1 goals.
Injury Report
Toronto’s blue line takes hits; Chicago monitors forward depth. Latest as of December 16 morning skate (per team notes/NHL.com).
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Reason/Estimated Return | Impact Notes |
| Maple Leafs | Jake McCabe | D | Out | Upper body (since Dec. 10) | Week-to-week; 23:00 TOI lost |
| Maple Leafs | Jani Hakanpaa | D | Out | Knee (IR since Oct.) | Long-term; physical presence missing |
| Maple Leafs | Calle Jarnkrok | F | Available | Returned Dec. 14; full participant | Depth scoring boost |
| Blackhawks | Tyler Bertuzzi | LW | Questionable | Lower body (day-to-day) | Game-time; 8 goals impacted |
| Blackhawks | Laurent Brossoit | G | Out | Knee (IR since Nov.) | Mrazek starts; backup depth thin |
| Blackhawks | Seth Jones | D | Available | No issues; full minutes | Anchor intact |
Toronto’s big four (Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares) healthy; Chicago relies heavily on Bedard/Reichel.
Key Player Matchups
Star forwards dominate the spotlight, with goaltending and physicality secondary factors.
Auston Matthews (Leafs C, 18 G, 38 PTS) vs. Connor Bedard (Hawks C, 12 G, 35 PTS): Generational talents collide—Matthews’ shot volume (4.2 SOG/game) vs. Bedard’s vision (68% zone entries). Home ice favors Matthews. Edge: Leafs.
William Nylander (Leafs RW, 16 G) vs. Alex Vlasic (Hawks D): Nylander’s speed (6 points last 4) exploits gaps; Vlasic’s reach (115 hits) disrupts. Edge: Leafs.
Mitch Marner (Leafs RW, 42 PTS) vs. Chicago Secondary Scoring: Marner’s playmaking draws Chicago’s PK (76.9%); Hawks struggle containing top lines. Edge: Leafs.
Petr Mrazek (Hawks G, .908 SV%) vs. Anthony Stolarz (Leafs G, .902 SV%): Mrazek’s road rebound (.918 in last 4 away) vs. Stolarz’s home struggles (3.20 GAA). Edge: Push.
Ryan Donato (Hawks F) vs. Leafs Bottom Pair: Donato’s forecheck could generate chaos if Toronto turns over.
Special teams: Toronto’s 24.8% PP feasts on Chicago’s 23rd-ranked PK; Hawks’ speed threatens shorthanded.
Series History
Historic rivals meet for the 679th time (Toronto leads all-time 343-258-77). This season’s lone prior game:
Oct. 28, 2025: Chicago 4-3 OT win @ Chicago (Bedard GWG)
Toronto dominates at home (7-3 last 10 in Scotiabank vs. Hawks). Trends: Overs in 8 of last 10 meetings (avg. 6.9 goals); one-goal games in 5 of last 7.
Betting Trends
Trends: Leafs 4-6 ATS last 10 as -150+ favorites; Hawks 7-3 ATS as road dogs. Overs 7-3 in Toronto’s last 10 home games; 6-4 in Original Six inter-conference.
Historical: Favorites 8-2 SU in last 10 series meetings.
Game Odds
Chicago Blackhawks 5.5
Toronto Maple Leafs – 200
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 15, 2025
