John Tavares: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Maple Leafs’ lineup news: Stolarz projected to start vs. Mammoth, Tavares rejoins 1st power play

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz is projected to start Tuesday’s game against the Utah Mammoth via David Alter of The Hockey News. Stolarz has won both of his starts this season, posting a .904 save percentage through two games.

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Leafs practice notes: John Tavares rejoins Maple Leafs in Utah, Oliver Ekman-Larsson takes maintenance day

John Tavares is set to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Utah Mammoth. Tavares missed the Maple Leafs’ game against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night to be with his wife for the birth of their fourth child, head coach Jim Hiller said over the weekend.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Editor In Leaf / October 10

Maple Leafs make big lineup change against Avalanche with John Tavares out

The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action tonight as they continue their West Coast swing with a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche. Toronto is coming off a frustrating loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, where the team blew a 3-0 lead before eventually losing in a shootout.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / NHL on ClutchPoints / October 10

Why John Tavares won’t be in Maple Leafs’ lineup vs. Avalanche

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without John Tavares when they face the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, after the veteran center and his wife, Aryne, welcomed their fourth child, a baby boy named Tucker.

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The biggest draft bust for every NHL team

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.

NHL News / Daily Faceoff / October 9

Leafs’ John Tavares to miss game vs. Avalanche for birth of child

Center John Tavares won’t be in the lineup for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche, head coach Jim Hiller confirmed on Friday. According to his bench boss, the 36-year-old and his wife, Aryn, welcomed a fourth child on Friday: a baby boy named Tucker.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / October 9

Maple Leafs’ John Tavares unavailable vs. Avalanche following birth of 4th child

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares will miss Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche for a wonderful reason. Tavares and his family welcomed son Tucker Tavares into the world, head coach Jim Hiller revealed to travelling reporters.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Maple Leafs Hotstove / October 8

Jim Hiller on Easton Cowan moving up to the Tavares-Nylander line: “He started really strong, and then I haven’t played him as much… He probably deserved a little bit more ice time”

Ahead of the game in Vegas, head coach Jim Hiller discussed his lineup change in the middle-six forward group, Easton Cowan’s opportunity alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, Gavin McKenna’s first NHL road game, facing Mitch Marner, and Tavares’ strong performance against Nashville.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / October 5

Maple Leafs need to listen to the numbers and rework John Tavares’ role

Call it a knee-jerk reaction if you want, call it an emotional reaction after only three games, but the numbers don’t lie — the Toronto Maple Leafs need to figure out a new role for John Tavares.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Editor In Leaf / October 4

John Tavares’ role may be holding the Maple Leafs back

If the Toronto Maple Leafs want to get back to the playoffs, they need to upgrade their second-line centre position, downgrading John Tavares to the third line.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / September 28

John Tavares is antsy for Maple Leafs hockey to return after offseason that was ‘way too long for us’

The Toronto Maple Leafs are back from the longest offseason they’ve had since the beginning of the Auston Matthews era. Maybe it felt that way because the Toronto Blue Jays weren’t anything worth watching this summer, but it was also quite literally the longest one.

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 / TheLeafsnation / September 28

What does a successful 2026-27 season look like for John Tavares?

Ever since he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2018, John Tavares has been everything the Leafs could have asked for and more. He’s routinely floated around the 70-point mark, he served as captain for the first half of his contract, and above all else, he’s been a consummate pro the entire way.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / September 24

John Tavares impressed with Gavin McKenna’s quick improvement: ‘It speaks to the quality of the player’

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares can’t help but be amazed by how quickly Gavin McKenna is getting comfortable with the NHL pace. It was only his second preseason game, and with a lot of runway left to go, but Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators was the first time McKenna put on full display what type of player he can become.

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Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / September 18

John Tavares says Gavin McKenna’s puck skills are ‘off the charts’

Toronto’s newest star has officially arrived. On Thursday, Gavin McKenna took part in his first official practice with the Toronto Maple Leafs as he prepares

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / September 17

Leafs’ Gavin McKenna offers 1st impressions of playing with William Nylander, John Tavares

Gavin McKenna is the most compelling player at training camp, as media and fans alike were waiting to see what his initial deployment would look like. McKenna was paired with John Tavares and William Nylander during the first on-ice session of Toronto Maple Leafs’ training camp, and spoke to reporters about his first official NHL practice.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Professor Press Box / September 16

John Tavares Knows What the Maple Leafs Have in Gavin McKenna

There is something pretty interesting about John Tavares opening his home to Gavin McKenna. Sure, it is about helping an 18-year-old kid make the jump to the NHL.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Professor Press Box / September 13

The Tavares Family Is Giving McKenna What Money Can’t Buy

There’s something easy to miss in the story about John Tavares taking Gavin McKenna into his home. Everybody talks about what Tavares can give the Maple Leafs’ new No.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / TheLeafsnation / September 12

Maple Leafs’ John Tavares outlines advice for Gavin McKenna: ‘I think you just want him to be himself’

Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares will be housing Gavin McKenna during his rookie season. Tavares is 17 years senior to McKenna, but he’s uniquely equipped to understand what the Leafs’ rookie will be experiencing, as both forwards were nationally famous at 14, while emerging as prodigies within the Canadian Hockey League.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Daily Faceoff / September 11

Tavares understands Leafs ‘weren’t very good’ – and embraces radical roster turnover

LAS VEGAS – John Tavares was the last interview of the day…by multiple hours. The sun had set long before he arrived to speak at the NHL Player Media Tour, classy as always, thanking all the reporters in attendance for their patience.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / The Hockey Writers / September 10

Maple Leafs News & Rumours: McKenna, Tavares & Building a Team Culture

There is a little bit of everything in the latest Toronto Maple Leafs news. Gavin McKenna is getting an early lesson in what it means to be a Maple Leaf, and John Tavares is the guy helping him learn it.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Professor Press Box / September 9

The Maple Leafs Are Getting More From John Tavares Than Points

One thing I’ve learned when talking about the Maple Leafs is that hockey teams aren’t built on contracts and statistics alone. They're built with people.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / NHL Trade Talk / September 9

McKenna Living With Tavares Is Great for the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are excited to have Gavin McKenna joining the team for the 2026-27 season, and it appears that he will be in the perfect environment to settle into the league during his rookie season.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / The Hockey Writers / August 13

John Tavares’ NHL Career Is Undervalued and Underrated

At one time, he was the headlining star for the New York Islanders. A coveted first overall pick in 2009, John Tavares played nine seasons with the Islanders before signing a seven-year contract with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2018.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / The Hockey Writers / June 2

How Did John Tavares Get Dragged Into the David Carle Maple Leafs Debate?

There’s a funny habit that shows up whenever a young, successful coach gets linked to a big-market NHL job like Toronto. The conversation almost immediately stops being about hockey systems, tactics, or results — and starts drifting into personality theory.

Toronto Maple Leafs News / Trade Talk Sports / May 27

John Tavares Still Miffed Over Maple Leafs’ Disastrous 2025-26 Season

The Toronto Maple Leafs 2025-26 season went about as poorly as they could have expected. Injuries, underperformance, and—even though they don’t like to admit it—the absence of Mitch Marner all culminated in the Maple Leafs missing the playoffs by a landslide for the first time since 2015-16.