Auston Matthews has spent years being one of the faces of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But in these comments, he sounds less like a superstar talking about the pressure of playing in Toronto and more like someone who has started to understand what it means to carry the jersey.
The Maple Leafs will welcome back a key veteran defenseman tonight against Vancouver. Chris Tanev has been activated off injured reserve, according to the NHL’s media site, meaning he will be back to take on one of his former teams.
There's something a little uncomfortable about watching a great player struggle. Especially when that player has spent years earning the respect of teammates, opponents and fans.
In Toronto, there's a tendency to look at a team's struggles and wonder whether the coach is the problem. It's understandable. Coaches are visible, their decisions are easy to question, and a change behind the bench always offers the possibility of a fresh start.
People love a good mid-round draft pick that pans out, and in the NHL you used to see those fairly often, but that’s obviously partially luck. If the Red Wings thought Nicklas Lidstrom was going to become a top-five defenseman in history, they wouldn’t have waited until the 53rd pick to take him.
Some good news for the Toronto Maple Leafs heading into an important game on Saturday night. The Maple Leafs have activated defenseman Chris Tanev from injured reserve, with the veteran expected to return to the lineup when the team visits the Vancouver Canucks.
Toronto Maple Leafs fans have been watching Sergei Bobrovsky closely, and there hasn’t been much to reassure them lately. The veteran goaltender hasn’t looked particularly comfortable, and some of the goals getting past him have raised eyebrows.
The Toronto Maple Leafs face the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, looking to finish their western road trip on a better note. They’ve lost two straight, including a frustrating 5-4 defeat against the Seattle Kraken, where Auston Matthews tied the game late only to see Brandon Montour score the winner with 32.7 seconds remaining.
It doesn’t feel too long ago that Luke Schenn was selected in the first round by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Drafted fifth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Schenn is currently in the midst of his 19th season after being signed by the Vancouver Canucks to a one-year, $2.25-million contract on July 1.
John Chayka has a goaltending problem, and it isn't the one most fans think. Given his recent struggles between the pipes, the easy narrative is that Sergei Bobrovsky is the biggest problem that the Toronto Maple Leafs have between the pipes.
Elliotte Friedman dropped a bombshell on Friday: star winger Nikita Kucherov has told the Tampa Bay Lightning that he is not interested in re-signing and has requested a trade.
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.
The Toronto Maple Leafs giveth and the Leafs taketh away. Last Saturday, the Leafs dominated the Oilers, a big win against a perennial cup contender. It capped off a strong week where everything seemed to go right.
The news of Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov requesting a trade on Friday has left everyone’s heads spinning. As fans and pundits begin digesting the bombshell report by Elliotte Friedman, there’s a natural question: Where will Kucherov land?
The Vancouver Canucks and visiting Toronto Maple Leafs will try to rebound from painful late-game losses when they meet Saturday. The Maple Leafs will look to end their western road trip on a positive note in the midst of a two-game losing skid.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been battling through some major injuries all season long. Ever since the beginning, some number of players have been out and unable to play.
Jacob Quillan is heading back to the NHL just 15 days after the Vancouver Canucks acquired him from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster Vancouver recalled the 24-year-old forward from the Abbotsford Canucks on Friday, October 30, following an impressive five-game stretch in the American Hockey League.
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 5–4 to Seattle, so this wasn’t exactly a night to celebrate. But if you’re looking for a reason to feel a little better about where this team might be headed, Gavin McKenna gave you one.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev was grouped with Morgan Rielly during Friday’s practice via David Alter of The Hockey News. It’s another indicator that the 36-year-old could return for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a new coach, a new message, and a chance to see whether a change behind the bench can help this group become something more than it was last season.
Through 15 games of the Toronto Maple Leafs season, one of the biggest surprises has been the impact of Jack Roslovic. The speedy winger has quickly become an integral piece for Jim Hiller’s hockey club, and he’s essentially gone from a top-nine forward on the Edmonton Oilers last season, to a top-line, impact winger for the Maple Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting an early look at how quickly a season can change when injuries start piling up. One injury might seem manageable on its own, but when a team is already working through lineup questions, the next one can force decisions that weren’t necessarily part of the original plan.
There’s a difference between being given an opportunity and being ready to make the most of it. Gavin McKenna is about to find out where he stands. At Wednesday’s practice, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller moved the 18-year-old rookie onto the top line with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had scouts at four teams’ games on Tuesday, and the rumour mill started to spin. Toronto’s banged up and everyone wants a story, so fair enough.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may be riding a four-game winning streak, but they’re still operating at far less than full strength. Toronto is missing a handful of regulars due to injury, but it appears that at least a few of them are getting nearer to returning.