The Toronto Maple Leafs (27-24-11, 65 points) face off against the New York Rangers (23-29-8, 54 points) in an Eastern Conference matchup. Toronto sits 13th in the conference and seventh in the Atlantic Division, while New York is 16th in the conference and eighth in the Metropolitan Division. The Leafs enter on a five-game losing streak but hold a strong recent edge in the head-to-head series. The Rangers, coming off an overtime loss, are desperate for points in a disappointing season. This game features star power on both sides, with Toronto’s high-octane offense clashing against New York’s resilient but injury-hit lineup.
Venue Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY.
Puck drop is scheduled for
7:00 p.m. ET.
Injury Report
Toronto Maple Leafs:
- Chris Tanev (D): Out for the season (abdomen/core muscle surgery).
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D): Out (roster management, expected back March 7).
- Bobby McMann (C): Out (expected back March 7).
- Scott Laughton (C): Out (roster management, expected back March 7).
New York Rangers:
- J.T. Miller (LW/C): IR (upper body, expected back March 10).
- Adam Edstrom (C): IR (lower body, expected back March 7; participating in practice).
- Matt Rempe (C): IR (thumb, out indefinitely).
Note: Adam Fox (D) and Igor Shesterkin (G) recently returned from lower-body injuries and are expected to play.
Key Player Matchups
This Original Six rivalry highlights offensive stars against defensive anchors, with Toronto’s snipers testing New York’s goaltending and vice versa.
- Auston Matthews (TOR, C) vs. Adam Fox (NYR, D): Matthews, with 26 goals in 56 games, is on a goalless streak against the Rangers but averages 3.76 shots per game in the matchup. He’ll face Fox, a top-pair defenseman who recently returned from injury and leads Rangers blueliners with strong possession metrics (e.g., 59 points in prior seasons).
- Artemi Panarin (NYR, LW) vs. Morgan Rielly (TOR, D): Panarin has 3 goals and 5 assists in his last 10 games, using his elite playmaking (high in assists league-wide) to exploit gaps. Rielly, Toronto’s top defenseman, must contain him with his skating and puck-moving ability, especially without Tanev.
- William Nylander (TOR, RW) vs. Igor Shesterkin (NYR, G): Nylander has 5 goals and 6 assists in his last 10, thriving on the rush. Shesterkin, back from injury, boasts a 2.45 GAA and .913 SV% in 30+ games this season but faces a Leafs attack averaging 3.05 goals per game.
- Mika Zibanejad (NYR, C) vs. Joseph Woll (TOR, G): Zibanejad has 24 goals in 59 games and could exploit Toronto’s penalty kill (78.9%). Woll (projected starter) needs over 25.5 saves, facing a Rangers team that generates 30+ shots often.
Other notables: John Tavares (TOR) vs. Rangers’ bottom-six for secondary scoring; Alexis Lafreniere (NYR) vs. Leafs’ depleted defense for breakout chances.
Recent Team Forms
Both teams are struggling, with Toronto on a five-game skid and New York winning just 2 of their last 10.
Toronto Maple Leafs Last 10 Games (3-5-2, -10 goal differential):
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Mar 4 | @ NJD | L 4-3 SO |
| Mar 2 | vs PHI | L 3-2 |
| Feb 28 | vs OTT | L 5-2 |
| Feb 26 | @ FLA | L 5-1 |
| Feb 24 | @ TBL | L 4-2 |
| Feb 22 | @ EDM | W 5-2 |
| Feb 20 | @ CGY | W 4-2 |
| Feb 18 | @ VAN | W 3-2 |
| Feb 16 | @ SEA | L 5-2 |
| Feb 14 | vs BUF | L 7-4 |
New York Rangers Last 10 Games (2-6-2):
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Mar 2 | vs CBJ | L 5-4 OT |
| Feb 28 | vs PHI | L 3-2 |
| Feb 26 | vs CAR | L 3-2 |
| Feb 24 | @ PIT | L 2-0 |
| Feb 22 | vs NYI | L 6-5 |
| Feb 20 | @ NYI | L 2-1 |
| Feb 18 | vs BOS | L 5-2 |
| Feb 16 | @ SJS | W 4-3 |
| Feb 14 | @ LAK | L 3-1 |
| Feb 12 | @ ANA | L 4-3 |
Series History
The Maple Leafs and Rangers have met 665 times all-time (regular season and playoffs), with Toronto holding a 312-251-95-7 edge (54.1% win rate). In regular season only: Toronto 296-232-95-7 (54.5%).
Recent dominance favors Toronto:
- Leafs are 7-3 SU in the last 10 meetings.
- Leafs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games vs. Rangers.
- Leafs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 road games vs. Rangers.
- This season: Toronto leads 1-0 (no specific score available).
Betting Trends
- Key Trends: Underdogs have covered the puck line in the last 15 Leafs-Rangers games. Over is 6-1-1 in Toronto’s last 8 vs. teams with losing records. Toronto is 21-8 SU as road favorites of -151 to -200 (though they’re underdogs here).
Game Odds
Toronto Maple Leafs 5.5
New York Rangers – 135
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, March 4, 2026
