Maple Leafs Rumors & News

The Score "Sheldon Keefe believes his club got what was coming to it Thursday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs head coach wasn't happy with the team's play in a stunning Game 3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Keefe was disappointed with what he saw, even when the Leafs..." August 07

Pro Hockey Rumors "August 10, 2020. That’s the day one franchise will earn the right to pick first in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, a selection that will almost surely be used to pick superstar prospect Alexis Lafreniere. The league will hold Phase 2 of their draft lottery on Monday at 5pm CT,..." August 06

The Score "The moment the NHL announced its return-to-play plan, the hockey world began pontificating about one particular matchup: the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The prevailing narrative centered around one familiar paradox: What happens when an unstoppable offensive force..." August 05

Sportsnet "Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin will be sidelined for the rest of the team’s qualifying-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets after he was taken off the ice on a stretcher following a collision with Oliver Bjorkstrand in Game 2, the club..." August 05

The Score "The general managers of the seven clubs not participating in the NHL's 24-team restart have submitted a collaborative proposal to the league requesting extended training camps for their respective teams prior to the 2020-21 season, sources told The Athletic's Craig Custance and..." August 05

The Score "Columbus Blue Jackets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois will not receive any supplementary discipline for his hit on Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin in Tuesday's game, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. The league "views..." August 05

Sportsnet "There are good debates to be had about how long to run with any hockey strategy that didn’t work during one single game, particularly when you’re in a playoff round – and particularly when that round is just five games long. You can’t afford to make the same mistake..." August 04

The Hockey News "If Mitch Marner’s version of the events is accurate, the NHL has a very serious problem on its hands. Because it basically means that what this columnist and many other observers have long maintained is indeed the reality. And that is that the power brokers of the NHL are directing their..." August 04

Sportsnet "Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher after a collision with Columbus Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand late in Game 2 of their qualifying series Tuesday. The injury occurred behind the Maple..." August 04

Sportsnaut "Back in June, a report appeared in the Toronto Sun outing Maple Leafs star, Auston Matthews for testing positive for COVID-19. The reporter who published the article, was Steve Simmons. It certainly left a bad taste in the mouth of the Leafs and Matthews as well. At the time..." August 04

Sportsnet "Don’t check your mentions. If your name is Mitchell Marner, that advice came in handy last August when he was engaged in some tense contract negotiations — and it would be best to heed it again. With great paycheques come great responsibility. And, possibly,..." August 03

New York Post "Unlike most other sports, hockey has a built-in home advantage that many casual fans may not know about. And no, we’re not referring to the fact the player from the visiting team is required to place his stick on the ice first when setting up for the faceoff. Matchups are the..." August 03

The Hockey News "Jarmo Kekalainen knew. Back in 2016, the Columbus Blue Jackets were slated to pick third overall in the draft and to most outsiders, the selection was probably going to be a Finn like the GM himself. Auston Matthews was definitely going first to Toronto and Patrik Laine was almost certainly..." August 03

The Score "So much of what's intriguing about the unique 2020 postseason can be summed up by the Eastern Conference's No. 8 vs. No. 9 qualifying series. Below is a breakdown of three representative storylines that began to take shape during the Columbus Blue Jackets' 2-0 win over the Toronto..." August 03

Pro Hockey Talk "It’s time to focus on the NHL games, including the 2020 NHL playoffs schedule. The 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers will begin on Saturday, Aug. 1 in the hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto. The top four teams in both conference will play a three-game round robin for seeding in the..." August 01

Yardbarker "Just one day before players return to the ice for meaningful games, there is some good news from off the ice.  TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that there have been zero positive tests for COVID-19 since teams entered the bubble cities in Edmonton and Toronto last..." July 31

NHL.com "The drama of the NHL postseason already has started, with seven of the 10 teams scheduled to play Saturday, the first day of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, unwilling to reveal their starting goalie. "As far as the goaltender … there's an old hockey movie called 'Slap..." July 31

Sporting News "Unlike their counterparts in other sports, NHL players have opted not to kneel in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement during their return to the ice this week. " July 31

Yahoo! Sports "For a while now, one major criticism of the NHL has been an inability to think for itself — or at least so it often seems. Rarely making the sort of decisions that might fly in the face of convention, conservatism is the league’s hallmark, while progressiveness has been left to..." July 31

Sportsnet "Let’s begin with a John Tortorella anecdote from eight years ago that echoes in my mind whenever the coach goes Full Torts. Ottawa, January 2012: Reporting on my first major event for this website, NHL All-Star weekend, I decided to gather quotes for a Scott Hartnell..." July 31

Pro Hockey Talk "Gary Bettman stressed that “safety is paramount” while discussing the NHL Return to Play/2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers with Liam McHugh. In the lengthy segment you can watch above, Bettman also sheds some light on the process. " July 31

TSN "In Toronto's 4-2 exhibition win on Tuesday, William Nylander had a quiet night with no shots on net, one giveaway and a minus-one rating against the Canadiens.  "I'm pushing him, because I think he's capable of more in our practices..." July 31

USA Today "Playoff predictions are always difficult. After all, who could have foreseen last season that the record-tying Tampa Bay Lightning would be swept in the first round or that the St. Louis Blues, who were in last place in January, would win the Stanley Cup? But this year is..." July 31

Pension Plan Puppets "The Toronto Maple Leafs are kicking off the 2020 NHL Playoffs with a five game qualifying series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be the first time these two teams will meet in any kind of playoff format, so there isn’t any history to discuss there...." July 31

Detroit Free Press "Former Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock will get back to work this fall after more than eight months off as the University of Vermont announced Wednesday he will join its hockey program as a volunteer advisor. Vermont’s head coach, Todd Woodcroft,..." July 31

Pro Hockey Talk "NHL exhibition games are over and it’s time for the real thing. The Return to Play begins this weekend as 24 teams vie to be crowned the 2019-20 Stanley Cup champion. These unique times called for unique solutions from the NHL and NHLPA — thus the 24-team format with two..." July 31

TSN "Leafs forward Andreas Johnsson joined the special teams portion of Thursday's practice, the club announced. " July 30

Sportsnet "After breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of the Western Conference Canadian teams, it’s time to move East and check out the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs and Habs enter the qualifying round in very different scenarios; Montreal..." July 30

The Score "Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie admitted he wasn't at his best during the first season with his new team, but he believes the postseason represents an excellent opportunity to show what he's capable of. "I'm really glad we're getting a..." July 30

Black Sports Online "If hockey players have a tough time shooting the puck into their opponent’s goal, maybe porn star Phoenix Marie DMs are something they can aim for. Marie went on social media celebrating the NHL return along with bringing her OnlyFans account in the mix. Although the Riverside,..." July 30

Sportsnet "Nineteen wins for No. 19. That’s what stands between Jason Spezza and an elusive Stanley Cup. Of course, you don’t get as deep into your career as the Toronto Maple Leafs forward without learning about the value of staying in the moment...." July 30

Yardbarker "The 2019-20 NHL season is set to resume this weekend in Edmonton and Toronto, but it appears a majority of coaches polled would've rather played somewhere else.  According to a poll of coaches conducted by The Athletic, NHL coaches would've rather played in either..." July 30

Pro Hockey Rumors "For an NHL player, the Stanley Cup playoffs represent a fleeting opportunity to cement your legacy. By hoisting that chalice even once in your career, you join a relatively small group of players that can be identified as champions. It doesn’t happen for everyone. Just..." July 30

TMZ "Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner is putting his fat, new contract to good use ... by investing in a major Esports company!! TMZ Sports has learned ... 23-year-old Marner -- who just inked a 6-year, $65 million deal -- is following The Weeknd's lead in..." July 30

Sportsnet "What you notice are the things that are glaringly absent, of course. The scalpers, sweatered fans and giddy buzz that orbit an NHL rink on game day. And you marvel how easy it is to locate a decent parking space so close to puck drop. But you also notice the things that have always..." July 29

Sportsnet "For everyone else this was the start of the new normal. For Nick Robertson, it was just new. You couldn’t possibly have dreamed up the circumstances that led to the 18-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs winger pulling on an NHL sweater in a game for the first time...." July 29

Pension Plan Puppets "After a few days of unsourced rumours going around that Egor Korshkov would return to the KHL for one season and play for his old club Lokomotiv, the Russian site Sport24.ru has the story, told in typical fashion: As it became known to Sport24, Russian striker Yegor..." July 29

The Score "Paul Maurice has a theory about the rhythm of a new hockey season. "It's kind of like when you're (horsing around) with your brother," the longtime Jets head coach said. "You start pushing and then next thing you know you're throwing haymakers. There's..." July 28

The Score "Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Timothy Liljegren have been selected as part of the club's 31-man roster for Phase 4 of the NHL's return, the team announced Sunday. Liljegren, 21, appeared in 11 games with the Maple Leafs this..." July 27

Pension Plan Puppets "Today the NHL has announced their testing data for the last week of Phase 3, aka training camp. They report zero new tests. There have been two positive tests in total during the training camp period which lasted for just under two weeks. No information has ever been..." July 27

NHL.com "The first team entered the Secure Zone at 10:49 a.m. ET on Sunday, when a guard opened a gate in the black fence surrounding the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Not one but two buses carried the Montreal Canadiens because of the space needed for social distancing. Everyone wore a mask..." July 27

TSN "John Tavares still isn't packed.  "I've got a few things done," the Leafs centre said following Saturday's 75-minute practice. “It's not something you've ever been through so it takes a little time to think about..." July 27

NHL.com " The NHL announced today the Phase 4 player rosters for the 24 clubs contesting the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers that begin Saturday, Aug. 1. Under the Return To Play Plan, each team is permitted to bring a maximum of 31 players into the Secure Zones in the hub cities of Edmonton and..." July 26

The Score "Teams are transitioning to hub cities. Exhibition games are on deck in Edmonton and Toronto. It's time to talk hockey. Below is a breakdown of one dominant storyline for each Eastern Conference club participating in the qualifying round, with a quick note about a player to keep an..." July 26

NHL.com "Eddie Shack, adored by fans of the teams he played for while annoyingly driving opponents and their supporters around the bend, died Saturday night in a Toronto hospital following a battle with cancer. He was 83. Nicknamed "The Entertainer," Shack was a flamboyant figure on..." July 26

The Hockey News "Today, the NHL will receive the final rosters from the 24 teams scheduled to play in the 2020 post-season. Bubble life is upon us, hockey fans. Teams can bring a maximum of 31 players with them to Toronto and Edmonton, while each franchise can bring up to 52 people in total into the..." July 24

The Score "On Sunday, chartered planes in 22 NHL cities across North America will take off carrying professional hockey players, coaches, and staff. One of two Canadian cities will be the destination: Edmonton for those from the Western Conference, Toronto for those in the East. The Oilers and Maple..." July 24

ESPN "The NHL will have a five-second delay on broadcasts and artificial crowd noise when it restarts its season in Toronto and Edmonton beginning Aug. 1. The league distributed "Phase 4" information to teams and media this week, detailing life in the bubbles for the 24 teams..." July 24

The Score "The NHL revealed a detailed plan on Thursday for the final phase of its return to play, including information about general rules and safety measures, life in the bubble for players and staff, and how broadcasts and game presentations will look. The league will test every..." July 24

Sportsnet " With the NHL officially relaxing the league’s game-day dress code policy this summer’s return-to-play tournament, some teams have nobly stepped up to enforce their own sartorial guidelines, lest things get out of hand. The Dallas Stars will skip the suits but have..." July 24