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Maple Leafs’ 3 Stars of the Week: Steeves’ first career NHL goal, Holmberg’s offensive outburst

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The NHL’s 2025 4 Nations Face-Off has concluded, and despite all of the opinions before the start of the tournament, I think everyone can agree that it was a huge success from beginning to end, with Canada winning it all.

That said, the other team with a giant Leaf on their jersey is back on the ice, with the Toronto Maple Leafs finishing week 20 of the season with a back-to-back against the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks.

3rd star: Alex Steeves

Week 20 stats: 2 GP – 1 G – 1 A – 2 PTS

Season stats: 6 GP – 1 G – 1 A – 2 PTS

Two days before the 4 Nations Face-Off final, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they had recalled forward Alex Steeves from the Toronto Marlies, giving Craig Berube another option for the bottom six. Steeves, who played four games with the big club earlier in the season, was leading the Marlies in goals and points at the time of his call-up, so giving the 25-year-old another shot here isn’t a bad idea.

The Saint Paul, Minnesota native’s 29 goals in the AHL also led the entire league at the time of his call-up, and it’s safe to say his goal-scoring ability this season didn’t take a hit in his first game with the big club since late November. Despite playing in 11 NHL games over the past four seasons, Steeves had yet to score his first NHL goal – that all changed last week.

Steeves was pencilled in on the fourth line alongside David Kampf and Steven Lorentz, but it was on a broken line change that benefited Steeves. Not even three minutes into the game against the Hurricanes, Steeves helped force a turnover in the offensive zone, and John Tavares found the 25-year-old in front for a one-timer, and he didn’t miss it, as he ripped the first goal of his NHL career past Pyotr Kochetkov. He also added an assist on Toronto’s third goal after he and his linemates pulled off a nifty passing play in the Hurricanes’ zone.

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2nd star: Nick Robertson

Week 20 stats: 2 GP – 2 G – 0 A – 2 PTS

Season stats: 49 GP – 10 G – 4 A – 14 PTS

He may have gone pointless in their game against the Hurricanes over the weekend, but Nick Robertson’s performance on Sunday night against the Blackhawks deserves some love and recognition. Despite going through another lengthy goal drought, this latest one of nine games, Robertson snapped out of that funk with his second career multi-goal game, thanks to two pretty passes from Max Domi.

The third line of Bobby McMann, Max Domi and Nick Robertson was Toronto’s best line last night, as they combined for two goals and five points on their way to a 5-2 victory. They easily could’ve had a bigger night, though, especially Robertson, who was searching for his first career hat trick. The 23-year-old winger struck iron in between his two goals and had his shot cleared off the goal line by former Maple Leaf T.J. Brodie. He was also on the ice with an empty net twice but couldn’t buy a third goal. Robertson’s big night improves his season totals to ten goals and 14 points in 49 games.

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1st star: Pontus Holmberg

Week 20 stats: 2 GP – 3 G – 1 A – 4 PTS

Season stats: 45 GP – 5 G – 7 A – 12 PTS

Entering week 20 of the Maple Leafs season, Pontus Holmberg had just two goals and eight points through 43 games. Out of nowhere, the 25-year-old fourth-liner erupted for three goals and one assist in two games last week. Albeit he scored two empty net goals, what’s important is the amount of depth scoring the Maple Leafs got over the weekend, something they had struggled with all season.

Holmberg was gifted the opportunity to play in the top six alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, something some fans questioned given that Bobby McMann and newly recalled Alex Steeves were playing in the bottom six. It worked out for the best, as the team won both games and received plenty of depth production.

With the trade deadline looming, it is uncertain what Pontus Holmberg’s role, let alone future, looks like with the Maple Leafs, given the log jam of forwards and the high potential of an addition or two ahead of the trade deadline. But, for now, he seems to be a regular in the lineup more often than not, and his production in week 20 could keep him in the lineup a little longer with Connor Dewar nearing a return.

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Who were your three stars from week 20 of the Maple Leafs’ season? Let us know below!

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