The Maple Leafs have lost five straight at home — and hope for this season is slipping away - Toronto Star

With their playoff hopes fading and no first-round pick this year or next, bright spots are few and far between in Toronto.

Maple Leafs defenceman Troy Stecher, right, gets hit by Wild forward Michael McCarron on Thursday night. Stecher has been one of the few bright spots for the team this season.

Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller is not usually at a loss for words.

But after his team suffered its fifth straight loss on home ice — the last time the franchise accomplished this feat was when it played at Maple Leaf Gardens — he didn’t really have much to say.

At least, he didn’t say much that he hadn’t said already after the Leafs lost 5-2 to Minnesota. Lots of talk about being good, but not good enough; about cleaning up mistakes; about sticking together.

One question, though, left him tongue-tied, searching for an answer: Where does he see hope?

There’s an adage in hockey that you can’t make the playoffs in November, but you can certainly set yourself up to miss them this month.

Back in 1990-91, when Rob Ramage was captain, the Leafs lost five in a row at home, all in November as well. The difference? There were some road games interspersed in between.

There was no hope then. They’d go on to fire their coach and finish third from the bottom. They’d traded that draft pick away. The New Jersey Devils used it to take future Hall of Fame defenceman Scott Niedermayer.

There was little hope last year, either, when a five game-losing streak (0-4-1, a mix of home and road games) in mid-November marked the beginning of the end. Getting Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick was the only saving grace.

Right now — exactly one quarter of the way into the season — it’s hard to see the hope that Hiller speaks of. The Leafs are winless in November. They are six points out of a playoff spot and have played more games (21) than anyone else in the Eastern Conference. They can’t beat playoff teams. They can’t beat teams in their own division.

And, in case you forgot, they don’t have their own first-round pick this year or next.

“Obviously, it’s been a tough stretch,” said defenceman Troy Stecher. “It hasn’t gone the way we wanted this homestand, but our belief hasn’t wavered. We’re all still really close with each other, and the vibe is great in the room.”

Stecher has been one of the few bright spots, a waiver pickup a year ago who has fit in well. Even he made a mistake — a giveaway — that set up Minnesota’s first goal.

Auston Matthews scored for just the first time in five games.

“We’ve got to hold each other accountable,” said the captain. “I think we have been doing that. Gotta come to the rink everyday and work and have fun, no matter what the situation is. Continue to push. It’s on all 20-plus guys to pick each other up and dig ourselves out of this hole.”

And maybe there were other things to like. John Tavares seemed more himself, Hiller saying it was his best game since returning from injury.

Then there’s that fourth line of Teddy Blueger, Zack MacEwen and Brandon Duhaime. It was a two point night for MacEwen, who set up Matthews and scored a goal that gave Toronto a too-brief 2-1 lead.

“Obviously, we want to win,” said MacEwen. “It’s great to get rewarded offensively, but to do it in a win is a whole lot better.”

Toward the end of his post-game availability, Hiller eventually found an example of hope: That fourth line.

“Since we put them together, for the most part, they’ve been one of the drivers of the team,” said Hiller. “You talk about hope? These guys are playing outstanding.”

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Kevin McGran is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Bluesky @kevinmcgran