The Toronto Maple Leafs had a tumultuous week before the NHL’s holiday break, firing assistant coach Marc Savard and entering Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins with five losses in their previous six games.

However, Santa Claus was good to the Maple Leafs, as veteran defenseman Chris Tanev returned from injury and played meaningful minutes in Toronto’s 6-3 win over the Penguins. 

Indeed, Tanev didn’t have a perfect night, as his rink rust was readily apparent. But Tanev’s return meant that Leafs coach Craig Berube had a significantly better defense corps to work with, scratching struggling veteran Simon Benoit in favor of another D-man who has struggled this year – Philippe Myers.

Tanev’s knack for knowing how to make the simple, zone-clearing play made life much easier for Leafs goalie Joseph Woll, who stopped 29 of 32 Pens shots for a .906 save percentage.

The Leafs’ win sent them into the break on a positive note. And Tanev’s return means Toronto’s D-corps is going to be much-improved on a night-in, night-out basis.

That said, the Maple Leafs’ win over Pittsburgh is only going to hold off the attack dogs for so long.

If the Leafs falter once the Christmas break is over, Berube’s job security is going to come into question. Also,  Toronto GM Brad Treliving is going to be beating the bushes – if he isn’t already – for veteran help, most likely at forward. 

Everyone Is To Share The Blame For The Maple Leafs' StrugglesThe Toronto Maple Leafs have sunk near the bottom of the standings. And Leafs players, coaches and management all share the blame for this Blue & White disaster of a season.

If their performance thus far this season tells us anything, it’s that the Maple Leafs are going to have great difficulty rising the ranks of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference with the lineup they have right now.

Although Toronto’s record improved to 16-15-5 after the win over Pittsburgh, the Leafs currently sit in last place in the Atlantic and in 15th place in the East. 

That means the Maple Leafs’ destiny is partly out of their hands. They’re going to need the teams above them to lose, and lose in regulation time, if they’re going to move into a playoff spot.

Which Team Transformed The Most Since Last Christmas Break?A lot has changed over the course of the past year. Which team has seen the biggest change, for better or worse?

While Toronto is just five standings points out of a playoff berth, the teams above them in the standings are all going to play one another, meaning some of the teams above them will consistently be picking up points. It's a daunting challenge for the Leafs.

But let’s get back to Tanev, who hadn’t played since being injured in a game on Nov. 1. Toronto went 9-10-4 in the 23 games Tanev missed, and there was nobody on the trade market who can step in and give Berube 20 minutes a night of low-event hockey the way Tanev can.

Tanev’s minutes are indeed down this season, but given the choice between playing Tanev more and playing Benoit or Myers at all, the choice for Berube is clear.

We’re not here to tell you Tanev is the most important component of the Leafs’ blueprint for success. He’s a 36-year-old veteran with a lot of miles on his competitive odometer, and he won’t be challenging for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top D-man. 

But for this Maple Leafs defense corps, Tanev is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Furthermore, it’s not a coincidence that Toronto looked calmer and more confident with Tanev in the lineup on Tuesday.

His panic threshold is the best of any Leafs blueliner, his instincts are always to make the smart play, and his return to action is one of the best Christmas presents the Buds could ask for. 

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The Wraparound is here with a special Christmas-themed episode covering the NHL in rapid-fire segments.

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello, and Adam Kierszenblat discussed in this episode:

0:00: Which player has been the best 'early Christmas gift' for their franchise?

3:54: Which pending UFA has proven they deserve a contract extension under the Christmas tree this year?

6:25: Which team needs a Christmas miracle to get back in the playoff race?

9:36: Who has been the best bang-for-your-buck gift to their NHL team this season?

11:38: Which NHL players have some work to do to get back on Santa's nice list?

14:34: Which GM has the longest Christmas list this holiday season?

19:00: Which NHL teams are most likely to do a gift exchange later this season?

23:08: Which NHL team is most likely to have a Boxing Day blowout sale?

Click here to listen to the full episode on Spotify

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Unlike the NBA and NFL, the NHL doesn't have games on Christmas Day. However, there was a time when there was NHL action on Dec. 25.

In the first three years of the NHL's existence, there were no games on Christmas Day, but that changed in 1920. The Toronto St. Pat's defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 in the league's first-ever game on Christmas.

For the following three years, the NHL didn't schedule a game on Dec. 25. 

In 1924, those festivities returned with two games on the timetable. This time, the Hamilton Tigers beat the St. Pat's 8-1, and the Boston Bruins were silenced in a 5-0 loss to the Canadiens.

After that, they skipped another year. But 1926 marked the beginning of a 45-year streak of NHL action on Christmas Day, which lasted until 1971.

With games during a big holiday, some wild scorelines came to fruition.

The biggest win came in 1930 when the Detroit Falcons defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 10-1. Hockey Hall of Famer Ebbie Goodfellow scored four goals and five points in that contest. 

On the same day, the Bruins won 8-0 against the Philadelphia Quakers. The Quakers would go on to have one of the worst seasons in NHL history. They finished the campaign with a 4-36-4 record and a .136 points percentage.

The @NHL played 125 games on Christmas Day from 1920-21 to 1971-72 – the last season with a game on Dec. 25.@DetroitRedWings legend Gordie Howe has the most NHL appearances on Christmas Day – taking part in 16.8% of all Dec. 25 games in League history (21 of 125). #NHLStatspic.twitter.com/fw0XW29BVA

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) December 25, 2018

A notable Christmas Day was in 1967, when the NHL had its first major expansion. The league introduced six new teams: the California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.

The highest-scoring game that day was between the Bruins and Seals, which Boston won 6-3. Boston's Derek Sanderson and Pittsburgh's Andy Bathgate scored the most points on this day, each recording two goals and a helper.

The last time the NHL had games on Christmas Day was in the 1971-72 season. There were six games on that day, and all teams were in action except for the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Black Hawks.

Since then, there have been zero games on Dec. 25. These days, teams aren't allowed to play, practise or even travel during the holiday break from Dec. 24 to 26.

While other leagues in North American sports use Christmas as a time to set up marquee matchups and create a big event, the NHL remains true to giving the players, staff and arena workers time off during the break to spend time with their families.

Game data is according to hockey-reference.com.

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The NHL's past 25 years have brought several significant changes to the game known today. If you'd told people the league would look this different in 2025, many would've been hesitant to believe you.

There have been four new teams added into the NHL, a drastic increase in the salary cap - which continues to rise - as well as the introduction of new rules, including overtime becoming 3-on-3, the introduction of the shootout and more.

Of all the different events that have transpired in the past quarter-century, here are four of the biggest changes the NHL has seen in the past 25 years.

1. The Introduction Of The Salary Cap

Before the NHL's lockout season in 2004-05, teams could spend as much or as little as they wanted. But since the 2005-06 season, the league has been operating in a salary-cap financial system. Commissioner Gary Bettman made it a selling point to all team owners by equalling the playing field when it came to paying for talent.

The first season under cap rules saw a $39-million limit for all teams. With that, no player could earn more than 20 percent of the cap ceiling, which was $7.8 million. Of course, the salary cap has risen to $95.5 million this season, but the 20 percent per-player limit remains. 

With the cap ceiling projected to rise exponentially in the near future, you'd have to say Bettman's plan has been a smashing success. There's great competitive parity in the league. 

2. Crackdown On Obstruction – The End Of The Dead Puck Era

It was the late 1990s, and the NHL knew it had an entertainment problem on its hands. Gone were the days in the 1980s and early '90s when skill ruled the game. In its place was a league that allowed "waterskiing" – the obstruction move when you stuck a stick blade into the belly of opponents' stomachs, impeding their way up the ice.

Essentially, the joy of the game was weeded out by coaches who picked apart opponents and coached to win, no matter how ugly the cost, and the statistics bear out the changes.

The Dead Puck Era essentially ended when the 2004-05 lockout season concluded. The NHL allowed its game product to grow unruly, and only the input of veteran NHL players – most notably, longtime NHL star Brendan Shanahan, who convened a summit to try and improve the game with the input of top figures in the league. 

Shanahan's changes brought the NHL into its current era, and he and the league gave the game back to the players by cracking down on obstruction. And although the NHL has been challenged to maintain that level of officiating vigilance, there's no question the game is more watchable and entertaining than it was in the Dead Puck Era.

3. Introduction Of The Shootout – And Later On, 3-on-3 Overtime

This change boils down to one thing – the NHL's desire to eliminate tie games. In 2005, the NHL embarked on a radical change to its standings point system.

After 87 seasons and 5,729 ties, the NHL preferred giving fans a winner and a loser at the end of every game. And the mechanism the league chose to give fans a guaranteed winner was the shootout.

Since then, the NHL has needed the shootout about 2,500 times. So, in 2015-16, the league went to 3-on-3 overtime to mitigate the number of shootouts. Although the shootout is still loathed by fans who want a team-based solution to games, it's a practical solution that ensures a winner and a loser in a reasonable amount of time.

The shootout is a fixture in the international game for a reason – it's exciting, it's reliable, and there's now a generation who has grown up with it. The shootout clearly isn't for everyone, but barring some significant unforeseen changes, the shootout is here to stay.

While NHL Shootouts Remain Polarizing, Penalty Shots Are Still ExcitingAn NHL insider made an interesting point about encouraging the referees to call more penalty shots, and he's right. Even though the very similar shootout has lost its shine, the penalty shot remains thrilling.

4. More Teams, Expansion Drafts

In the past 25 years, the NHL has added four teams. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild came aboard in 2000, the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, and in 2021, the Seattle Kraken played their inaugural season.

The reason expansion is always a net positive is simple. Fans love the process of teams making players available in the expansion draft. You can project which players from your team will be exposed in an expansion draft, and you can project which available players should be taken in the draft.

There are steady rumors that the NHL is going to expand again, likely growing by two teams. That means the league will have 34 teams, the largest number among the big four leagues in North America. Whether it's adding a team in Houston, Atlanta, Arizona or Quebec City, it feels like the league is going to grow again. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.