Toronto Maple Leafs: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Matthews’ Future & The Pressure Nobody Talks About

There’s been a lot of discussion in the comments sections lately about Auston Matthews, and thanks to OldDuffer and Windshear, their thoughts on it are more interesting than most of what’s coming out of the beat writers.

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The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Brandon Carlo discusses Maple Leafs’ ‘delegated’ leadership group from time in Toronto

Last year, everything just felt a little off for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The club finished with a 32-36-14 record, good for last place in the Atlantic

Gavin Mckenna News / NHL Trade Talk / September 2

Maple Leafs Fans Aren’t Loving This Gavin McKenna Prediction

A bold prediction by Frankie Corrado of TSN OverDrive about Gavin McKenna’s rookie season is dividing Maple Leafs fans online — and the debate will be interesting to see play out as the 2026-27 season rolls along.

Morgan Rielly News / The Hockey Writers / September 2

Morgan Rielly Would Benefit From a Reduced Role on Maple Leafs’ Defence

It was definitely a season to forget for Toronto Maple Leafs defender Morgan Rielly. He saw his lowest point total over the last five seasons and was the talk of trade rumours leading up to the start of the offseason.

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

Ethan MacKenzie News / Pension Plan Puppets / September 2

2026 T25U25: Ethan MacKenzie is #10

In a stroke of unbelievable coincidence, Ethan MacKenzie welcomes us into the top 10 of our T25U25 rankings on his 20th birthday! The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him early in the third round as a D+2 prospect out of the WHL.

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.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Professor Press Box / September 2

The Maple Leafs' Biggest Lineup Question Is Where the Scoring Lives

One of the more interesting things about playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup this season isn't figuring out who should play with Auston Matthews.

Calle Jarnkrok News / TheLeafsnation / September 2

Calle Jarnkrok reflects on Maple Leafs tenure and why he chose to sign with Brynäs IF

Calle Jarnkrok’s time with the Toronto Maple Leafs officially came to an end on August 31st when he signed a three-year deal with Brynäs IF of the SHL.

Sergei Bobrovsky News / Editor In Leaf / September 2

Sergei Bobrovsky is one of the Leafs' biggest gambles of all-time

For years, the Toronto Maple Leafs have lacked a true No. 1 goalie. Someone that they can put in between the pipes and rely on to put in quality outings.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Editor In Leaf / September 1

Maple Leafs' intriguing new addition could be in for a major bounce-back season

The Toronto Maple Leafs have added multiple new players to their roster this offseason. Among their notable newcomers is veteran forward Nick Paul. The Maple Leafs acquired Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this summer in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick.

John Chayka News / Editor In Leaf / September 1

John Chayka's Maple Leafs reset will be under the biggest spotlight in the NHL

After firing Brad Treliving, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a bold decision by hiring John Chayka to be their new general manager back in May. It is fair to say that Chayka's first offseason as the Maple Leafs' general manager was incredibly eventful.

William Nylander News / Professor Press Box / September 1

The Scouting Report Pretty Much Got William Nylander Right

Today, JFresh’s Newsletter released its 2014 First Round Retrospective: Projections vs. Outcomes for All 30 Players. The series looks back at what scouts thought they were getting on draft day and compares those projections with what those players actually became.

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.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / The Hockey Writers / September 1

Makar’s New Contract Raises a Big Question About Matthews and the Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have to make a decision about the future of Auston Matthews right now, but make no mistake, that day is coming. And when it does, the record-breaking eight-year Cale Makar deal might have changed the narrative around what the Leafs organization and MLSE are willing to do.

Craig Berube News / Editor In Leaf / September 1

Former Leaf has harsh words for Craig Berube before leaving the NHL

Calle Jarnkrok is on his way out of the NHL after spending four years playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's had an incredible journey back from missing years of time due to injury, leading him to being mostly healthy through all of last season.

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

The 'Season sack leaders by team' quiz

The 'Last 3-HR game by MLB team' quiz

The 'FBS college football nicknames' quiz

The '10-time Pro Bowlers' quiz

Toronto Maple Leafs News / The Hockey Writers / September 1

Calle Järnkrok Opens Up About His Time With the Maple Leafs

It wasn’t the four seasons he had hoped for when he first signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but after signing a contract to return home to Sweden for the upcoming 2026-27 season, Calle Järnkrok reflected on his time in Toronto and how the final two seasons were tough to swallow.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Editor In Leaf / September 1

Maple Leafs shouldn’t be done adding players before training camp

The Toronto Maple Leafs are quietly transitioning into training camp after a busy offseason. John Chayka has done well to partially overhaul the team. But just because he’s added plenty of new names to the roster, it doesn’t mean he should stop now.

Frank Mahovlich News / Professor Press Box / September 1

Frank Mahovlich Was More Than Just a Maple Leafs Legend

Every once in a while, it is worth going back and looking at some of the players whose careers predated most of us paying attention. Frank Mahovlich is one of those players.

NHL News / NHL Trade Talk / September 1

Lanny McDonald: The Trade That Broke the Maple Leafs’ Heart

There’s a good chance younger Toronto Maple Leafs fans only know Lanny McDonald as a Calgary Flames legend with the iconic mustache. But before any of that, he was Toronto’s guy.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Editor In Leaf / September 1

The one Maple Leafs debate that makes zero sense

An insane online debate has brewed, positing that Cale Makar’s record-setting contract is somehow inferior to Darren Raddysh’s. In essence, the main argument claims that the Toronto Maple Leafs got a better deal by signing Raddysh to an $8.5 million cap hit compared to Makar’s league-high $20.4 million AAV.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / The Hockey Writers / September 1

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Nylander, Matthews & Hiller’s Biggest Challenges

The Toronto Maple Leafs already know what William Nylander can do with the puck. He has spent years proving that. Even in a season when almost everything around him seemed to go sideways, Nylander scored 30 goals and 79 points in just 65 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / September 1

Chris Johnston believes Auston Matthews’ usage will be changed under Jim Hiller

TSN’s Chris Johnston believes that Auston Matthews’ role under new Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller will be vastly different to how former head coach Craig Berube deployed him.

Gavin Mckenna News / TheLeafsnation / September 1

What does a successful 2026-27 season look like for Gavin McKenna?

The future outlook for the Toronto Maple Leafs changed immeasurably when the team won the right to select Gavin McKenna at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. McKenna is the most hyped prospect to enter the NHL since Connor Bedard due to his outstanding playmaking ability and offensive talent.

Calle Jarnkrok News / TheLeafsnation / August 31

Calle Jarnkrok signs 3-year contract with Brynäs IF

Calle Jarnkrok signed a three-year contract with Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League, the team announced Monday. Jarnkrok is returning to his hometown club, where he could play through the lineup and provide veteran leadership.

Auston Matthews News / NHL Trade Talk / August 27

Can the Maple Leafs Win With Auston Matthews Leading?

When I wrote about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ depth this week, my argument was pretty simple: give Auston Matthews a real supporting cast and stop asking him to be a shutdown defensive stopper.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Daily Faceoff / August 28

Will Auston Matthews find a second gear later in his career?

Toronto’s chances at consistent success over the next handful of years still rely heavily on one man: Auston Matthews

Can the Maple Leafs win with Auston Matthews leading?

What roster spots are available at Maple Leafs’ training camp, and who might earn them?

Four under-the-radar PTO candidates for NHL teams to consider

The 'Team USA Four Nations Face-Off roster' quiz

Gavin Mckenna News / Yardbarker / August 19

Why Maple Leafs fans should be excited about Gavin McKenna's first season

Gavin McKenna arrives in Toronto as an elite playmaker who stands out for his vision, natural talent, and a potential not seen on the Maple Leafs since Auston Matthews.

Why hasn't Dylan Larkin been traded?

Ranking the Eastern Conference's biggest winners this summer

Five NHL players who could thrive with their new teams in 2026-27

The five most improved NHL teams heading into 2026-27

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz