The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers face off tonight, December 2, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. ET in a highly anticipated matchup at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. This game marks the first meeting between these Atlantic Division rivals since the Panthers eliminated the Maple Leafs in a seven-game series during the 2025 Eastern Conference semi-finals, on their way to capturing their second straight Stanley Cup.
Here's a look at the projected lineups:
Toronto Maple Leafs:
- Forwards:
- Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi
- Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander
- Dakota Joshua - Nicolas Roy - Bobby McMann
- Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Nick Robertson
- Defense:
- Morgan Rielly - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
- Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher
- Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers
- Goalies:
- Joseph Woll
- Dennis Hildeby
- Scratches: Calle Jarnkrok, Matias Maccelli, Dakota Mermis
- Injured: Chris Tanev (upper body), Anthony Stolarz (upper body), Brandon Carlo (lower body)
Florida Panthers:
- Forwards:
- Brad Marchand - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart
- Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - A.J. Greer
- Jesper Boqvist - Evan Rodrigues - Mackie Samoskevich
- Noah Gregor - Jack Studnicka - Luke Kunin
- Defense:
- Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola - Seth Jones
- Uvis Balinskis - Jeff Petry
- Goalies:
- Sergei Bobrovsky
- Daniil Tarasov
- Scratches: Donovan Sebrango, Jack Devine
- Injured: Aleksander Barkov (knee), Matthew Tkachuk (lower body), Tomas Nosek (knee), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body), Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder), Eetu Luostarinen (lower body), Cole Schwindt (broken arm)
Storylines to Watch:
- Maple Leafs' Lineup Decisions: Max Domi has been elevated to the first line alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, following a two-assist performance against Pittsburgh. Rookie Easton Cowan continues to impress and will play on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, also earning a spot on the top power-play unit. Simon Benoit returns to the lineup, replacing Dakota Mermis on the third defensive pairing.
- Panthers' Injuries: The Panthers are dealing with a significant number of injuries to key players, including Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Jack Studnicka has been recalled from AHL Charlotte and will center the fourth line.
- Goaltending Matchup: Joseph Woll is expected to start in goal for the Maple Leafs, while Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net for the Panthers.
- Series History: The Panthers have had the upper hand in recent meetings, including the 2025 playoff series. However, the Maple Leafs will be looking to close the gap in the standings with a win tonight.
Additional Notes:
- The game will be broadcast on HULU, ESPN+, TSN4, and TVAS.
- The Panthers are favored to win, with moneyline odds of -170.
- The over/under is set at 5.5 goals.
With both teams battling injuries and striving for playoff positioning, tonight's game promises to be an intense and emotional contest.
