Toronto — Daily Digest (March 7, 2026)

Kucherov steals the show — Nikita Kucherov set up four goals (three assists in the first period) and added another assist to reach 100 points as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on March 7, 2026. Tampa (39-18-4) leads the East with 82 points and snapped a four-game slide; Toronto (27-26-11) has dropped seven straight (0-5-2) since the Olympic break and is 10 points out of the final Eastern playoff spot.

Deadline stress for Ekman-Larsson — Oliver Ekman-Larsson, 34, was held out of two games before the NHL trade deadline (3 p.m. ET Friday) while the Leafs shopped him, then said he was relieved to still be with Toronto. The veteran (signed a four-year, US$14-million deal in July 2024) leads Leafs defensemen with 35 points (8 goals, 27 assists) in 61 games, but the team (27-26-11) has struggled since mid-January and sits 10 points shy of a playoff spot.

Surprise warm spell and heavy rain — Environment Canada warned of 15–40 mm of rain, heavy fog and possible flooding as Toronto hit a record daily high of 17.4°C on March 7, 2026 (breaking the 16.7°C mark from 2012). The 10–17°C stretch through Wednesday will melt snow on frozen ground, increasing runoff and flood risk, so drivers should avoid flooded roads and watch for low visibility.

Synagogues struck by gunfire overnight — Two Toronto-area synagogues were shot at late Friday/early Saturday (Thornhill near Clark Ave/York Hill Blvd at ~11:49 p.m.; North York near Bathurst/Glencairn at ~12:08 a.m.), with no injuries but some building damage. York and Toronto police are investigating with extra patrols and a mobile command post at Promenade Mall; Prime Minister Mark Carney and local leaders condemned the attacks and urged anyone with footage or tips to come forward.