Our New York Islanders vs Toronto Maple Leafs preview covers the odds, puck line, total, puck drop time, TV channel and where to watch on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The New York Islanders (43-34-5 in 2025-26) visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (32-36-14) at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ont. Puck drop is 7:30 PM ET (7:30 PM local). TV: Prime Video (Canada) / MSGSN (U.S.).
Storyline: The Islanders open their season in Toronto, while the Maple Leafs are on the second night of a back-to-back after hosting Montreal on Tuesday, Sept. 29. It is Toronto’s second game since Monday’s blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Knies to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko, and Matias Maccelli faces the Maple Leafs, the team he played for last season. Peter DeBoer begins his first full season behind the Islanders bench, and Jim Hiller coaches his second game for Toronto. DraftKings lists Toronto at -120 and New York at +100 on the moneyline, with the total at 5.5.
New York Islanders vs Toronto Maple Leafs Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | New York Islanders @ Toronto Maple Leafs |
|---|---|
| 2025-26 Records | New York Islanders 43-34-5 | Toronto Maple Leafs 32-36-14 |
| Head Coaches | NYI: Peter DeBoer (1st full season) | TOR: Jim Hiller (1st season) |
| Puck Line | NYI +1.5 (-238) | TOR -1.5 (+195) |
| Moneyline | New York Islanders: +100 | Toronto Maple Leafs: -120 |
| Total | O/U 5.5 (o-130 / u+110) |
| Venue | Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, Ont.) |
| Date / Time | Wednesday, September 30, 2026 — 7:30 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | Prime Video (Canada) / MSGSN (U.S.) |
| Starting Goalies | Not confirmed. Projected: NYI: Ilya Sorokin / Semyon Varlamov | TOR: Sergei Bobrovsky / Anthony Stolarz |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN), cross-checked on Action Network, as of Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, ~1:40 PM ET. Totals varied by book at research time (5.5 to 6.5). Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. Starting goalies were not confirmed at research time.
New York Islanders Preview: Last Season, Offseason & Goalies
2025-26 recap: The Islanders went 43-34-5 (91 points) and finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division, missing the playoffs for the second straight season after holding third place as late as April 4. GM Mathieu Darche fired coach Patrick Roy on April 5 with four games left and named Peter DeBoer head coach (Islanders.com). The power play ranked 30th (16.5 percent). Defenseman Matthew Schaefer was the unanimous Calder Trophy winner after scoring 23 goals and 59 points as an 18-year-old (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: Longtime captain Anders Lee signed with Utah after 14 seasons with the Islanders, and goalie David Rittich left for New Jersey. New York signed forward Matias Maccelli (39 points with Toronto last season), goalie Vitek Vanecek and defenseman Matthew Kessel, and re-signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo. Rocky Thompson was hired as an assistant coach to run the power play.
Key players & coach: Mathew Barzal led the team with 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists), and Bo Horvat scored a team-high 31 goals. Brayden Schenn, Simon Holmstrom, Emil Heineman (22 goals), Kyle Palmieri (back from a knee injury), Calum Ritchie and Jean-Gabriel Pageau add depth, and 2025 first-round pick Victor Eklund is on the opening roster. Schaefer, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech and Alexander Romanov lead the defense. DeBoer has taken two teams to the Stanley Cup Final and coached Dallas to three straight conference finals.
Goalies: Ilya Sorokin finished second in Vezina Trophy voting after going 29-24-2 with a 2.68 GAA, .906 save percentage and seven shutouts in 55 games, and he led the NHL in high-danger saves (NHL.com). Semyon Varlamov, who has not played an NHL game since Nov. 29, 2024, because of knee injuries, is the projected backup. The Islanders had not confirmed a starter at research time.
Injuries: Barzal (knee) is listed as injured/non-roster after aggravating a prior injury and did not play in the preseason. The Islanders have not ruled him out, and he was expected to skate Wednesday morning (NHL.com, ESPN).
Toronto Maple Leafs Preview: Hiller Era & the Marchenko Trade
2025-26 recap: Toronto went 32-36-14 (78 points), finished last in the Atlantic and missed the playoffs. GM Brad Treliving was fired on March 30 and coach Craig Berube on May 13.
Offseason moves: John Chayka became GM on May 3, with Mats Sundin as special advisor, and Jim Hiller was named head coach. Toronto drafted Gavin McKenna No. 1 overall, signed Sergei Bobrovsky, landed defenseman Darren Raddysh from Tampa Bay and added Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons and Brandon Duhaime. On Sept. 28, the Maple Leafs traded Matthew Knies (66 points last season), Steven Lorentz, Emil Andrae and a 2027 second-round pick to Columbus for forwards Kirill Marchenko and Miles Wood and injured goalie Elvis Merzlikins. Marchenko, who led Columbus with 27 goals and had 67 points, signed a six-year, $75 million extension (NHL.com, ESPN).
Key players & coach: Captain Auston Matthews, William Nylander (team-high 79 points), John Tavares (31 goals), Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev lead the roster. Hiller previously coached the Los Angeles Kings (2023-26) and was a Maple Leafs assistant from 2015 to 2019.
Goalies: Bobrovsky went 27-23-1 with a 3.07 GAA and .877 save percentage for Florida last season. Anthony Stolarz (10-10-3, 3.28 GAA, .893 save percentage in 26 games) is the projected No. 2. With Toronto playing on consecutive nights, no starter had been confirmed at research time.
Season opener: Toronto lost 3–2 in regulation to Montreal on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with Sergei Bobrovsky starting in goal, and the Leafs are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Injuries: Max Domi (back), William Villeneuve (knee), Cade Webber (elbow) and Merzlikins (shoulder) are on injured reserve (ESPN).
Key Matchup Notes: Islanders vs Maple Leafs
- Schedule spot: Toronto plays its second game in two nights after hosting Montreal on Sept. 29. It is the Islanders’ first game of the season.
- New-look Leafs forwards: Marchenko led Columbus with 27 goals last season, while Knies (23 goals, 66 points) is now a Blue Jacket (NHL.com).
- Power play: The Islanders ranked 30th on the power play last season (16.5 percent) and have a new power-play coach in Rocky Thompson (NHL.com).
- In goal: Sorokin, last season’s Vezina runner-up, posted a .906 save percentage with seven shutouts. Bobrovsky posted a .877 save percentage with Florida.
- Barzal watch: The Islanders’ leading scorer from last season had not been ruled out at research time. Check his status before puck drop.
- Odds snapshot: Toronto -120 / New York +100 on the moneyline, Maple Leafs -1.5 (+195) on the puck line, total 5.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch New York Islanders vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Puck drop: 7:30 PM ET (7:30 PM local)
Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ont.
TV: Prime Video nationally in Canada. In the U.S., MSGSN carries the game in the Islanders’ market (NHL.com), and ESPN also lists ESPN+ streaming.
Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the September 30, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.