‘He loves the Leafs’: Tavares gets Toronto back on track with 499th career goal

Toronto Maple Leafs John Tavares (91) celebrates his overtime game-winning goal against the Buffalo Sabres during NHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, October 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

John Tavares inched closer to history Saturday. And helped his team get back on track.

The veteran centre scored the 499th goal of his career in overtime in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres that snapped a three-game slide.

Tavares took a breakaway feed from Matthew Knies in the extra period and ripped his fifth of the season upstairs on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

“He put it in a good spot, really easy for me to corral it and lead the momentum that I had,” said Tavares, whose club improved to 4-4-1 in 2025-26. “Able to take my time with it and hit my spot. Great to see it go in and get back on the winning side of it.”

Tavares recently became just the fourth player in NHL history to register 500 points with two franchises, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Ron Francis.

The 35-year-old is now also just one goal shy of becoming the 49th player all-time to hit 500.

“You don’t really need to coach him,” said Leafs bench boss Craig Berube. “He’s so professional and dedicated. He loves the Leafs, he loves the team. He just comes to work every night. He doesn’t ever take a night off — doesn’t take a day off. He’s always just doing his thing, working, highly competitive.

“It’s great to be able to coach a guy like that.”

Toronto defenceman Jake McCabe, who sparked his team and a docile Scotiabank Arena in the first period with a big hit and ensuing fight following Friday’s 5-3 road loss to the same opponent, said being around Tavares has helped his career.

“Certainly made me a lot better pro,” said the blueliner. “Just being around him, watching him, how he goes through his process, it’s quite impressive. I know we always talk about it, but just Mr. Steady every single year. To have that in your room as a leader is super crucial for our team. We certainly don’t take it for granted

“It’s all credit to him, because he works his (butt) off.”

Leafs backup goaltender Cayden Primeau has only been with the group a short time, but Tavares has still had an impact.

“When we’re on the road, he brings a big extra suitcase of things to make sure that he’s doing the right things,” said the netminder, who started ahead of the rested Anthony Stolarz. “When you see a guy like that who’s achieved so much, it’s motivating.”

PHYSICAL PLAY

The Leafs made a point to use the body Saturday, with 25 combined hits. McCabe delivered a big blow in the first on Sabres defenceman Bowen Byram before making quick work of Alex Tuch in the ensuing fight.

“It’s been a little lacking,” McCabe said of Toronto’s physical play early in the schedule. “I’m certainly guilty of it, too. At the beginning of the year, sometimes you dip your toe in the water, rather than jumping full-in.

“Made it a mission here the last couple nights to bring that side of my game out a little bit more.”

Berube said he felt his team was a “little pissed off” following an OT loss and two regulation defeats.

“If we lost three in a row when I was playing, I guarantee I would have got in two fights,” the former NHL tough guy said with a grin.

WOLL RETURNS

Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll is back with the team after a long absence for personal matters.

“We’ve really missed him,” Tavares said. “Not just on the ice and in net, but certainly as part of our team. Love him as a guy, big part of the group, and his personality and the competitiveness he brings, the attention to detail he brings.

“Looking forward to having him back.”

CLOSE ATTENTION

Tavares said the Leafs were glued to their screens on Friday’s bus ride back from Buffalo watching the Toronto Blue Jays pick up an emphatic 11-4 victory in Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“After a loss, it’s always pretty quiet,” he said. “But I’m not gonna lie, when (Addison) Barger hit that grand slam, there was some good banter going on … guys are pretty excited.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press