Toronto Maple Leafs: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: A New Era & Jim Hiller’s Biggest Challenges

What I enjoy most about August is that it gives us a chance to stop reacting to every headline and start looking at the bigger picture. The games haven’t started yet, which means hockey writers can step back and ask what all these moves actually mean.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Have the Maple Leafs Stopped Chasing the Wrong Thing?

One of the easiest mistakes we make when judging NHL teams is looking only at what we can count. Goals. Points. Individual statistics. Those numbers matter, of course.

Auston Matthews News / The Hockey Writers / August 3

The Night Auston Matthews Scored Four Goals and Revealed the Maple Leafs’ Biggest Challenge

Sometimes hockey gives us a moment that is very special. A rookie scores four goals in his first NHL game. Fans celebrate. The hockey world takes notice.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Daily Faceoff / August 3

Leafs hire Andy O’Brien to lead sport performance department

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Monday they hired Andy O’Brien as vice-president of the team’s sports performance department. According to a press release

Macklin Celebrini News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

Darren Raddysh News / NHL Trade Talk / August 3

Is Raddysh the Addition the Maple Leafs Have Been Missing?

When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Darren Raddysh, the reaction was basically exactly what you’d expect. Some fans saw the breakout numbers—22 goals, 70 points—and got excited right away.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev News / 6IX ON ICE / August 3

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev could still return to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Russian forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev appears to still be in discussions over a potential return to the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. The 25-year-old

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / August 3

Report: Maple Leafs hire Andy O’Brien to lead Sport Performance department

John Chayka continues to overhaul the Toronto Maple Leafs front office. According to multiple reports, the Leafs general manager is bringing in long-time trainer of Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, Andy O’Brien to lead the team’s Sport Performance department.

John Chayka News / Inside The Rink / August 3

Chayka Continues Overhaul in Toronto

John Chayka, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, continues to add to his front office staff. Last week, the team announced the hiring of Dan Palango, Brad Rossen, and JP Perpich.

Martin Marincin News / Professor Press Box / August 3

Whatever Happened to ex-Maple Leafs D-Man Martin Marincin?

One of the things I have always found interesting about hockey is that we remember the stars. We remember the goal scorers, the captains, the players who lift trophies.

NHL News / TheLeafsnation / August 3

Role certainty and the two-year plan for Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka did an excellent job during his first free agency window with the team, with role certainty and delineation at the forefront.

Hayley Wickenheiser News / Professor Press Box / August 2

Hayley Wickenheiser Always Opens New Doors: What's Waiting?

When the Toronto Maple Leafs moved on from Hayley Wickenheiser this summer, it seemed like a front-office decision on the surface. New GM John Chayka was reshaping the organization, several people were moving on, and the Leafs were clearly heading in a different direction.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

Auston Matthews News / NHL Trade Talk / August 2

Maple Leafs’ Test Is What Happens When Matthews Isn’t Perfect

Every time Auston Matthews gets hurt or looks “off,” the Toronto Maple Leafs instantly ask one big question: what’s wrong with him physically? It’s a fair question to ask.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Professor Press Box / August 2

One Maple Leafs PTO That Never Became a Comeback Story

Every September, NHL training camps bring out the hopeful stories. A veteran player signs a professional tryout contract, shows up at camp, and tries to convince a team there is still something left in the tank.

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The 'Pitching Triple Crown winners' quiz

The 'Active 4th quarter comebacks' quiz

The 'Most playoff games by NBA team' quiz

The '4-TD, 0-INT NFL games' quiz

Auston Matthews News / NHL Trade Talk / August 2

Maple Leafs Called Matthews a 'Happy Captain.' Did You Notice What Wasn’t Said?

When John Chayka spoke publicly about Auston Matthews this summer, the quote that made headlines was: “What I saw was a happy captain.” Chayka’s job was not only to get Matthews to believe in what the Leafs were doing, but convince the fan base that their superstar and captain didn’t have one foot out the door.

Ben Danford News / The Hockey Writers / August 2

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Danford’s Patience, Borgesi’s Chance & Future Blueliners

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reshaped much of their NHL roster over the past year, but some of the most interesting stories heading into training camp may not be about the veterans.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / 6IX ON ICE / August 2

Three players the Toronto Maple Leafs should consider for PTOs

The Toronto Maple Leafs roster looks set for the start of the 2026–27 season, but there is still time to look at alternatives who could potentially improve the current group, assuming more moves are on the horizon.

Wyatt Johnston News / TheLeafsnation / August 2

Wyatt Johnston discusses the ‘boost’ he receives when playing in his hometown of Toronto

For many kids who grow up playing hockey in Toronto, the dream is to eventually don a Toronto Maple Leafs uniform and represent the team they grew up rooting

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / August 2

2026 TLN Maple Leafs Prospect Rankings: Honourable mentions

The Toronto Maple Leafs emerged from the 2026 NHL draft with more excitement surrounding their prospect pipeline than there has been in several years.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / August 2

Why Gavin McKenna and Sergei Bobrovsky are the Leafs’ most important players for 2026-27

Auston Matthews is under contract for the next two seasons, and it appears that the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing everything in their power to prove they’re still in win-now mode entering next fall.

John Tavares News / Professor Press Box / August 1

John Tavares' Biggest Impact May Have Been What He Gave Up

When John Tavares signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018, many people believed the organization was making a mistake. The criticism was everywhere.

Morgan Rielly News / NHL Trade Talk / August 1

What’s the Best-Case Scenario for Morgan Rielly This Season?

The best-case scenario for Morgan Rielly this season (if he wants to stay in Toronto) is pretty simple: he needs to look like the Rielly Toronto is paying for.

Auston Matthews News / Pro Hockey Rumors / July 30

Matthews Enters A Pivotal Season In Toronto

When the puck drops for another NHL season this fall, it will be three seasons since Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had the league’s attention captivated by his quest to reach the 70-goal mark, a plateau the league has not seen surpassed since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny each reached 76 goals in the 1992-93 season.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Pro Hockey Rumors / July 29

Maple Leafs Announce Three New Scouting Department Hires

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced three front office hires on Wednesday, continuing general manager John Chayka’s overhaul of the team’s scouting and analytics infrastructure: Dan Palango as Director of Amateur Scouting, Brad Rossen as Vice President of Research & Development, and JP Perpich as Director of U.S.