Toronto Maple Leafs: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Maple Leafs Hotstove / May 5

John Chayka on the Maple Leafs winning the first-overall pick: “Just elated… A meaningful step and a monumental type of opportunity”

After a franchise-altering draft lottery win, John Chayka and Mats Sundin discussed the meaning of drafting first overall, prospects Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, and how this might change the franchise’s direction going forward.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Maple Leafs Hotstove / May 5

A new dawn. A new day. The Maple Leafs have won the 2026 draft lottery.

10 years after the Maple Leafs’ lucky number 13 lottery ball landed them Auston Matthews, Mats Sundin himself represented the organization at the 2026 lottery.

NHL News / Professor Press Box / May 5

Suddenly, the Stars Might Be Aligning for the Maple Leafs

Well, if you’ve followed the Toronto Maple Leafs long enough, you kind of learn not to trust “good news” until it actually turns into something real. But every now and then, the hockey world lobs you a softball that changes things immediately.

Anze Kopitar News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Points leaders by NHL team' quiz

Can you name every NHL franchise's all-time leader in points in five minutes?

The 'NHL 1,200-points Club' quiz

The 'Playoff goal-leaders by NHL team' quiz

The 'Stanley Cup Playoff hat-tricks' quiz

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Field Level Media / May 5

Maple Leafs win No. 1 pick in NHL draft lottery

The Toronto Maple Leafs own the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft following the draft lottery on Tuesday. The Leafs will hold the first overall pick for the third time in franchise history after they chose Auston Matthews in 2016 and Wendel Clark in 1985.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest rookie seasons in NHL history

There have been successful rookie seasons in NHL history, and there have been superior efforts worth celebrating time and time again. Here's our list of the 25 notable seasons from those with official rookie status, as deemed by the NHL, in reverse chronological order.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / ESPN / May 5

Leafs win draft lottery after front office shakeup...

The Toronto Maple Leafs, who this week announced sweeping front office changes, won the lottery for the first pick in the NHL draft on Tuesday, a victory at a critical time for a franchise that failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2016.

NHL News / Daily Faceoff / May 5

2026 NHL Mock Draft: Post-draft lottery top 32

Congratulations, Toronto Maple Leafs fans. You’re getting a good one. The NHL Draft lottery took place Tuesday night, sealing the fate for teams around the league.

Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery

Penguins have yet to make this Evgeni Malkin move amid uncertainty about his future

The 'Highest paid NHL players in 2024-25' quiz

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / May 5

Maple Leafs win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, will pick first overall in upcoming draft

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and will pick first overall in the upcoming draft. This year’s draft lottery had eyes on it from Maple Leafs fans for the first time in exactly a decade, since they selected Auston Matthews in 2016.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / NHL Trade Talk / May 5

The Toronto Maple Leafs Win the 2026 Draft Lottery

Toronto has won the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft lottery. The winning combination: 7-2-11-12. It’s an amazing turn of events, given that the Maple Leafs were really only hoping to stay in the top five and not drop a spot, which would have meant the pick would move to the Boston Bruins.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Daily Faceoff / May 5

Maple Leafs win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery

Mats Sundin and John Chayka are officially on the clock. On Tuesday night, the balls popped up in favor of a team that had a rough 2025-26 season, as the Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and are awarded the No.

Gavin Mckenna News / Yardbarker / May 5

Maple Leafs defy odds to win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, gain much-needed PR boost

The future outlook of the Toronto Maple Leafs is suddenly looking much brighter.

2026 NHL Mock Draft: Post-draft lottery top 32

Penguins have yet to make this Evgeni Malkin move amid uncertainty about his future

The '1961-64 Toronto Maple Leafs' quiz

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Maple Leafs Hotstove / May 5

Maple Leafs’ Draft Lottery Odds: The fate of the first-round pick hangs in the balance

It’s been 10 years since the draft lottery has been relevant in Toronto, and the organization was certainly in a much different place then than it is now.

John Tavares News / Professor Press Box / May 5

Simple Change Could Improve John Tavares’ Game

John Tavares is one of those players who still matters more than people realize. Even if the game around him has changed, even if the Maple Leafs have shifted toward a faster, younger, more transition-heavy group, there’s still a very real place for what he brings.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Professor Press Box / May 5

Simmons Didn't Throw Anyone a Softball Yesterday

If you’ve been around the Toronto Maple Leafs long enough, you’ve seen this before. New faces at the podium, fresh suits, careful optimism. A few nods to the past not being good enough, a promise that things will be different this time.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The '20-point, 15-rebound Game 7's' quiz

The 'Active 30-point playoff games' quiz

The '5 3's on 50% shooting playoff games' quiz

The 'Playoff scoring record by team' quiz

Auston Matthews News / Trade Talk Sports / May 5

Auston Matthews Not Yet Committed to Maple Leafs for Next Season

The Toronto Maple Leafs officially finalized their front office over the weekend, introducing John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as executive advisor on Monday.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / May 5

How winning the NHL Draft Lottery would afford Maple Leafs flexibility in pursuing new direction

The pursuit of a championship in professional sports often comes down to timelines. Executives routinely have to answer the question if their team is genuinely ready to contend for a championship, and if they’ve built a roster with players in their prime years to secure the trophy.

Nick Robertson News / NHL Trade Talk / May 5

Something Has to Give with Nick Robertson in Toronto

For those fans who follow the Toronto Maple Leafs, the clock is ticking on a decision about Nick Robertson. If the Maple Leafs don’t change coaches, for Robertson’s own sake, it’s probably time to let him move on to another team.

NHL News / TheLeafsnation / May 5

Ranking Maple Leafs possible draft lottery scenarios

It’s finally draft lottery day. We now know that it will be John Chayka making the pick if the Toronto Maple Leafs own their first round after Tuesday.

Mats Sundin News / 6IX ON ICE / May 5

Maple Leafs Fan Therapy vol. 17: Sundin, Chayka, and lottery balls

Since my last Fan Therapy, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost their final seven games of the season, missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, finished eighth in their division and fifth-worst in the league, and announced today that John Chayka and Mats Sundin will be running their hockey department.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / EasySportz / May 4