Maple Leafs Hotel Shaken By Earthquake During West Coast Trip

Several players were woken up by the late-night tremor, but one veteran was disappointed he slept through it.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:53pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the Maple Leafs' team colors of blue, red, and white, conceptually representing the chaos and disruption of an earthquake striking the team's hotel.A cubist interpretation of the Maple Leafs' hotel being struck by an earthquake, capturing the players' rattled reactions.San Jose Today

The Toronto Maple Leafs were in San Jose, California to take on the Sharks when an earthquake struck their team hotel in the middle of the night. While some players were rattled and woken up by the shaking, veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly admitted he was disappointed he slept through the event, having always wanted to experience an earthquake. Other Leafs players, including forward Steven Lorentz who had previous earthquake experience, described the incident as shocking but not overly concerning.

Why it matters

The Maple Leafs are in the midst of a disappointing season that has seen them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016. This late-night earthquake scare adds another layer of adversity for the team to navigate as they try to finish the season strong.

The details

The earthquake struck the Maple Leafs' hotel in San Jose in the early morning hours, waking up about half the team according to defenseman Morgan Rielly. Rielly said he was upset he didn't wake up to the phone alert, as he's always wanted to experience an earthquake. Forward Steven Lorentz, who played for the Sharks in 2022-23, said the shaking was scary but not his first earthquake. Head coach Craig Berube admitted he slept through the entire incident and only found out about it the next morning.

  • The earthquake struck the Maple Leafs' hotel in San Jose in the early morning hours on April 2, 2026.

The players

Morgan Rielly

A veteran defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs who was disappointed he slept through the earthquake.

Steven Lorentz

A Maple Leafs forward who had previously experienced an earthquake while playing for the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23.

Craig Berube

The head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs who was unaware of the earthquake until his players told him about it the next morning.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm rattled, I was woken up to the alert on my phone, and I was pissed I didn't wake up, because I've always wanted to feel one.”

— Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs Defenseman

“It woke me up, and I thought the whole place was coming down, but fortunately it's not my first one here.”

— Steven Lorentz, Maple Leafs Forward

“I didn't, no clue, I was out. Guys told me this morning, and I was like, 'Really? I didn't feel anything...I slept through it.'”

— Craig Berube, Maple Leafs Head Coach

What’s next

The Maple Leafs will continue their West Coast road trip with a game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, April 3, 2026.

The takeaway

This late-night earthquake scare adds another layer of adversity for the struggling Maple Leafs, who are trying to finish a disappointing season strong after missing the playoffs for the first time in years. While some players were rattled, the team's veteran leadership showed resilience in the face of the unexpected incident.