When Leafs stars Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Rasmus Sandin celebrated Christmas with Jumbo Joe and his family in 2020

In 2020, Toronto Maple Leafs players Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Rasmus Sandin and Mac Hollowell spent Christmas with Joe Thornton and his family. Thornton shared a photo of the group, which quickly caught fans' attention online.

Nylander, Thornton and his dog were sitting on the floor, with a Christmas tree in the corner of the living area. Matthews and Hollowell sat near the TV while Sandin was on the couch. Everyone looked at the camera for the photo with a smile except for Sandin.

It was fun to see the Leafs stars spending time together during the holidays at Thornton's residence. Fans appreciated the glimpse into their personal lives during a challenging year.

At the time, there were no NHL games because the 2020-21 season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league shortened the season to 56 games, which started on Jan. 13, 2021. Teams were reorganized into divisions to minimize travel and several games were rescheduled due to outbreaks.

Ryan Reaves' funny Christmas photo and Maple Leafs' second loss in Auston Matthews' absence

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves shared a funny holiday photo on Instagram on Monday with teammate Max Domi. Reaves dressed as Santa Claus and Domi posed as his elf. They removed their front teeth for the picture and Reaves added a hilarious caption.

“Chrithmathss,” Reaves wrote.

The lighthearted post came after the Leafs lost 6-3 to the New York Islanders on Saturday — their first game with Auston Matthews out due to a reaggravated injury.

The Leafs played their last game before Christmas against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday and lost 5-2. Despite the setback, the Leafs remain second in the Atlantic Division with a 21-12-2 record.

Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele scored a hat trick, including an empty-net goal, to secure the Jets’ win. Mitch Marner assisted John Tavares for his 200th goal as a Leaf during the game. Tavares became one of the few NHL players to score 200 goals for two teams.

"Their top line is as elite as any in making plays and taking advantage when they get time and space and you're chasing them," Tavares said after the game, via NHL.com.

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg’s goalie and league save-percentage leader, made key saves to stop Toronto’s chances. Ryan Reaves and Chris Tanev were rested for the game and Philippe Myers and Pontus Holmberg replaced them. Domi, who has been performing well recently, has recorded five points in his last five games. However, there's no clear update on Matthews' injury.