Maple Leafs Team Notes

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Trading Fraser Minten only makes sense if there is a significant upgrade

In this the magical time of year when every single player is rumoured to be coming to Toronto and every player not named Auston Matthews gets mentioned as a possible return, it’s worth taking a moment to look at the situation involving Fraser Minten and his potential to be dealt for a third line centre, a position that Minten could very well comfortably occupy for the Maple Leafs in 2025-26, but understandably isn’t quite ready to take on after the Four Nations tournament.

Most recently, Fraser Minten was the subject of being the potential return for Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers. My initial biases are that I like Scott Laughton but also that I don’t think Scott Laughton is worth Fraser Minten and I would comfortably have the Leafs be worse at the third line centre spot for the playoffs than see them shoot themselves in the foot. That’s the initial reaction, but let’s go to some of the evidence of whether I am right or wrong on that.

Fraser Minten’s initial 4 points in 15 games as a Leaf don’t point to a case for him being the 3C on a competitive NHL team. You could argue that a lot of those games came with fourth line minutes playing alongside the likes of Steven Lorentz and Ryan Reaves and that his sheltering and limited usage doesn’t capture his offensive upside, but the reality is his points per game is at 0.27 so far and his 10 points in 16 games in the AHL translates to a 25 point total over 82 games (a modest increase to 0.30 points per game.) Scott Laughton represents an offensive upgrade to someone who is presently scoring at 0.48 points per game while getting two more minutes a night. More directly, Laughton is scoring 1.94 P/60 at 5v5 (the same rate as Mark Stone, Tim Stutzle, etc.) compared to Fraser Minten’s 1.11 P/60. That context makes a short term case for Laughton and short term is somewhat the name of the game for the Leafs.

There is also something to be said for Scott Laughton’s utilization, although 14:47 a night isn’t an overwhelming amount. Laughton is the leader of the Flyer’s forwards when it comes to time played shorthanded. He checks off the penalty killer/two-way player angle the Leafs are looking for, that Fraser Minten might eventually turn into but up until now has only been used in when injuries necessitate it. The potential for Fraser Minten is there, but as Nick Robertson has demonstrated during his time in Toronto, not all prospects reach their full potential and Minten’s potential might end up being a lot like what Scott Laughton is today.

As you can tell, I’m softening on my take but Laughton’s own six points in his first 31 NHL games back when he started his career reinvigorates my belief that a 20-year old with a $816k entry level cap hit shouldn’t be dealt for a 30 year old that while having one of his better seasons, has shown some inconsistencies throughout his career and is struggling to meet the needs of his current coach.

After Laughton’s first 31 game season, he followed that up with a 71 game season in the NHL, which shows how quickly Minten could be moved up. Laughton was only getting fourth line minutes, and it did take him until the age of 24 before playing what would be considered a third line role, so I guess project your views of what comes next for Minten onto this. It seems reasonable to consider Minten an NHLer next season and it seems reasonable in the year beyond that he could be the two-way 3C they want him to be. It’s also reasonable to consider that Laughton might take a step back with a change from the only team he has ever played on and already with fewer faceoffs this year, it’s entirely possible that once again Toronto might find themselves with someone who is better suited to the wing than the middle and will be back to the drawing board next season.

For Laughton, trading Minten seems like too much of a risk. The better move for the future for the Leafs is to keep Minten and explore potentially lighter demands from other trade deadline sellers, even if it means going with a rental option over someone with term.

That doesn’t mean completely dismiss the idea of trading Minten, but it probably means going after a better player. Even if the deal from the Leafs perspective becomes Minten plus another worthwhile asset, making a move for players that have been rumored to be available like Jared McCann, Brayden Schenn, or Ryan O’Reilly all represent a move for a player with consistent success, term, and even if it is a short term upside, an upside that it would be difficult to project onto Minten. For these teams Minten provides cap and actual dollar savings, a promising NHL ready(-ish) player, and someone who will better fit the competitive window of their club. If the Leafs are once again committing to getting older and more expensive, at least mitigate the buyer’s remorse risk.

Back to Minten and Laughton, it seems like the kind of information that the Flyers would like to put out into the world. If you meet their asking price of good NHL ready prospect or a 1st round pick, Laughton can be yours, and if the Leafs had a 2025 1st, it might be a price worth paying. That said, the Leafs shouldn’t be quick to move on from Minten and the Flyers are going to be hard pressed to get that price.

Data from Natural Stat Trick and NHL.com

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/trading-fraser-minten-only-makes-sense-if-significant-upgrade

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Mitch Marner shows off his clutch gene with OT winner for Canada

Who says Mitch Marner can’t perform in big games?

Marner scored the overtime winner to lead Canada to a 4-3 win over Sweden to open the 4 Nations Face-Off. His idol Sidney Crosby showed off his patience, and Marner took care of the rest with this accurate wrister:

CANADA GOAL

MITCH MARNER WINS THE GAME IN OVERTIME!

: Sportsnet | NHL#Canada #Sweden pic.twitter.com/I84FpmgTqm

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 13, 2025

Marner met with the media post-game and was asked about what how his Dad would react to seeing him score an overtime winner for Canada, on a pass from Sidney Crosby.

“Yeah, he’s going to be pumped as s—t. He’s going to be going nuts for sure. It’s going to be cool to see him, and hear what him and my Mom are going to say about that.”

Marner idolized Crosby growing up and isn’t taking these two-weeks for granted, getting a chance to play alongside his hockey hero.

“If you tell 10-year-old Mitch that he scored an overtime goal assisted by Sidney Crosby, a guy he looked up to from day one. That’s pretty crazy.”

“Ever since day one, like I’ve spoken about all week, 87 is all I wore growing up, it’s all I cheered for. Yeah, it’s a really cool, surreal, pinch-me moment there, for sure.”

Marner’s winner capped off an epic opening night in Montreal, as the Bell Centre was rocking long before the opening puck drop, and the intensity carried throughout. It was great to see Marner get rewarded in the extra frame, after having a couple of good looks, and not pulling the trigger earlier on in overtime.

After a couple of questionable shifts in the second period, the hockey world started chirping about how Marner looked out of place playing alongside Connor McDavid, or how his play falls off in big moments. Needless to say he quieted the noise in a hurry with his beautiful wrister to call game against Sweden.

While Marner seems to hear it from a lot of Leaf fans, and hockey fans in general, it’s worth noting he’s one of the only players in this talent-infested tournament to play in the top six, on the power play, and kill penalties. He’s one of the most complete players in the league. Shea Theodore had to leave the game with a wrist injury, and if Canada had of lost another d-man throughout the game, it wouldn’t have been out of the question for head coach Jon Cooper to consider playing Marner a shift or two on the blueline. Good for Mitch, what a great moment for his hockey career.

On the opposing side, William Nylander had a so-so game for the Swedes. Canada dominated the first period and Sweden wasn’t able to generate much, Nylander included. While he had some good looks later in the matchup, Nylander ended up getting moved down a line later in the game, and was held off the scoresheet.

Marner and his Canadian teammates will host Auston Matthews and Team USA on Saturday. Regardless of the outcome, it’s going to be hard to top what was an electric opening night of the 4 Nations Face-Off.



Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/mitch-marner-clutch-gene-ot-winner-canada

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Auston Matthews praises Tkachuk brothers after Team USA’s 6-1 win over Finland

Safe to say the Americans are off to a hot start at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

After Team USA’s crushing 6-1 defeat of Finland in their opening match Thursday, captain Auston Matthews spoke with NHL Network’s Mike Kelly about the group’s strong third period following a slow offensive start.

“Yeah, I think just sticking with it, obviously that goal to start there on the power play in the third was big and I think we just continued to roll it over,” Matthews said. “It’s a good team over there, good structure, you know the first 40 minutes, good looks on both sides. But I think just sticking with it, continuing to force pressure, get pucks in below the dots and then try to work from there and then attack the net.

Finland opened the scoring seven minutes into the first period with a tight shot from Henri Jokiharju that beat US goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The US responded minutes later when Brady Tkachuk buried their first of the tournament off Juuse Saros’ pads. Late in the second, Matt Boldy tipped one in to give the Americans their first lead of the game. Entering the third with a power play, Matthew Tkachuk and Jake Guentzel quickly potted two in the opening thirty seconds of the period. The US continued to absolutely dominate the third period with four goals in 11 minutes, courtesy of the Tkachuk brothers who both added a second goal to their tally.

Matthews praised the siblings, who come from two of Toronto’s Atlantic division rivals. “Those two guys are some of the best in front of the net, tipping pucks, getting rebounds out there and they got great skill to put pucks away and put it in. So they were great tonight.”

Matthews led the American forward group with 19:52 TOI and added an assist. He had two shots on net and multiple efforts that hit the iron. Overall, he says he’s happy with his game:

“Yeah, felt good. I thought early on I had some good looks,” Matthews told reporters. “Started to work it on the power play a little bit. Got that confidence going, you know I just want to continue to build positive steps as this tournament goes along.

With the regulation win, the Americans walk away with a crucial three points. Now, the US will turn their attention to an all-important match against Team Canada set for this Saturday at 8 PM. A regulation win would clinch the Americans a place in the final in Boston next week.

Meanwhile, the Canadians are looking to build off their big OT win against Sweden (did we mention yet that Mitch Marner scored that game-winning goal?) and take advantage of home ice at the Bell Centre. Knowing what Team Canada can bring, Matthews says his team will have to come prepared:

“Yeah, I mean, we know the building is gonna be rocking. They’re obviously a pretty good team, a lot of great players on that side. And you know we expect their best, so we know we gotta be ready.

No doubt the building will be rocking, booing, and cheering, as this historic hockey rivalry takes centre stage this weekend in Montreal.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-praises-tkachuk-brothers-team-usa-win-finland

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

The Leafs should consider a package deal for Flyers’ Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen

If you’re a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, you’re likely hoping that general Brad Treliving’s second trade deadline is busier than his first.

The Leafs were in the thick of multiple rumours last season, as they always tend to be, but they didn’t do much to upgrade the roster. They re-acquired defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks two years after trading for him the first time and kept their upgrades scarce on deadline day and in the days leading up to it. Defenceman Joel Edmundson was acquired from the Washington Capitals for a couple of draft picks, and forward Connor Dewar was acquired from the Minnesota Wild at the final buzzer for a late draft pick and a prospect.

Not that these guys haven’t contributed anything, but unless your team is firing on all cylinders and doesn’t have much room for upgrades, you’d like to see your team make a bigger splash at the deadline. The Leafs finished third in the Atlantic Division last season and easily could have used another middle-six forward rather than a depth forward and a pair of depth defencemen, but that’s in the past, and they have a chance to write their wrongs.

There have been a number of reports linking the Leafs to a pair of players from the Philadelphia Flyers, to different degrees. Scott Laughton has been directly linked to the Leafs as a trade target, and while there hasn’t been a formal report suggesting that the Leafs have checked in on Rasmus Ristolainen, the two parties have been linked to each other in the past. One of the reports stated that trading for Laughton would cost them a first-round pick or prospect Fraser Minten, which is a little hefty for somebody of Laughton’s calibre, but if there’s a way they can pull off a package deal to acquire both he and the hulking Finnish defenceman, Treliving should consider ponying up for it.

definitely feels like we're getting a laughton/ristolainen deal in the near future

laughton was almost a leaf and dubas was interested in ristolainen a couple years ago too. treliving tried to trade for him when he was with CGY *and* last year with the leafs

a lot of smoke here pic.twitter.com/do7Lb7jfb3

— Willyston Riellander (@nylanderthews) February 11, 2025

Let’s start with Laughton. While most years it seems the Leafs are in a market for a defenceman, they’re pretty set on the back end this year. Their main issue has been consistent depth scoring beyond the core four, and while Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann have stepped up nicely in this regard, they’re still lacking offence from players who were expected to contribute much more of it (Max Domi, Nick Robertson, etc). Laughton hasn’t exactly been a world-burner this season, with 11 goals and 26 points in 54 games, but he’s brought more to the table offensively than some of Toronto’s options. It’s not just the offence he brings, either. He leads all Flyers forwards in average penalty-kill TOI (time-on-ice) per game with an average of 1 minute and 41 seconds, and he’s got more hits than anyone on the Flyers not named Garnet Hathaway with 113, which would be second among Leafs forwards and fourth on the Leafs in general.

Laughton, 30, has spent his entire 11-year career with the Flyers and only has one meaningful playoff run to his name, but he was excellent in a depth role for the Flyers during that run, tallying five goals and nine points in 15 games in the bubble playoffs. He brings a ton of energy and plays that “playoff-style” game that Treliving has pushed for so often, and it also helps that while he’s most comfortable up the middle, he can play both wings too. He has one year left after this season on a five-year contract worth $3 million annually, which is a bargain for what he’s able to bring at his best and likely an attractive factor for the Leafs, who have voiced their desire to trade for players with term.

Let’s revisit the defensive corps. As I said, the Leafs are better positioned on defence than they have been in previous years. Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev are pretty clearly going to be their shutdown pair in the postseason, leaving Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson as the other two locks for the playoff roster. That leaves Simon Benoit, Conor Timmins, and Philippe Myers as current contenders for the bottom pair. Benoit and Timmins have struggled mightily at points this season, and while Myers has been better, he shouldn’t be your fifth-best defenceman. In a perfect world, the Leafs get Jani Hakanpaa back and healthy (which may be a tall order at this point), and trade for a defenceman on the cheaper side who can allow Rielly to play his game and hold the fort in their own zone, think a Luke Schenn type. If you can swing that, you have the opportunity to pair either Myers or Hakanpaa with Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the bottom pair, which is the role that OEL played with the Florida Panthers on their Cup run last season.

Ristolainen has the disadvantage of name recognition working against him after a couple of rough years on an expensive contract, but credit where it’s due, he’s played some rock-solid hockey for John Tortorella’s Flyers. Although he isn’t as much of a two-way threat as he was projected to be early in his career, he’s rounded out his defensive game really nicely under Tortorella and seems like he would be a perfect complement to Rielly. He also falls under the requirement of having term on his deal, with two more years remaining at a price of $5.1 million.

he's been a lot better under torts the last couple of seasons pic.twitter.com/a2qnA1EDdY

— Willyston Riellander (@nylanderthews) February 11, 2025

Ristolainen is third on the team in hits, right behind Laughton, and logs the most time on the Flyers’ penalty kill after Travis Sanheim. His size and right-handed shot are both undoubtedly intriguing factors for Treliving and the Leafs, but how would they prepare a package? The biggest hurdle in this trade is the total salary involved coming back. The Leafs, who currently have just shy of $3 million to play with in cap space, would be taking $8.1 million in salary back with these two players, and while the fact that both players have term increases the likeliness of Toronto having interest in them, it also works against them in that you have to account for these contracts this summer and into next season. This while both Mitch Marner and John Tavares are up for new deals.

David Kampf would almost certainly be a contender to head the other way, with two years remaining on his contract at an average annual value (AAV) of $2.4 million. I would include Max Domi in here as well, who makes $3.75 million annually and has arguably been more disappointing than Kampf, but the reality of the Leafs trading Domi is low considering he’s in the first year of a four-year contract. This pretty much entirely writes off the possibility of the Leafs trading both, unless they’re able to swing the impossible. They do have other contenders for cap dumps, including Timmins and Ryan Reaves, and let’s be honest – the possibilities are endless with assistant general manager and ‘cap guru’ Brandon Pridham. This is one of those scenarios where I recognize my role as a Leafs writer and pass on the dirty work to the guy who’s paid to do it.

After that, you get to the actual asking price. The Leafs should be wary of parting with their 2026 first-round pick if it’s just for Laughton, but they should absolutely be dangling it if there’s an option to use it as a piece in a package deal. Dumping salary in the form of players like Kampf or Domi will add to the asking price as well, so the Leafs may have to ask themselves the tough question of whether these players are worth moving both a first and Minten for. In my opinion, when you consider what these players will be able to bring this season and beyond, it’s a hefty price but one worth paying, especially if it gets you out from underneath the dead cap space going back the other way.

Either way, the Leafs would be adding more than one player at this year’s deadline in a perfect world, and there’s an opportunity for them to check off their shopping list all in one deal. It will require some creativity, but we’ve seen them pull off creative deals in the past, and if they can bring the same energy here, they should go for it.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/lea...deal-flyers-scott-laughton-rasmus-ristolainen

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Trade Targets: 3 Chicago Blackhawks trade candidates for Maple Leafs

Welcome back to another segment of our 2025 Trade Targets series, as we make way to the windy city to check in on potential trade candidates from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks and Maple Leafs have done business together within the past couple of seasons, as former GM Kyle Dubas shipped the 2025 first-round pick and 2026 second-round pick to the Blackhawks for Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty. Brad Treliving has stepped in since and extended McCabe on a long-term deal, meanwhile, shipped Lafferty out west shortly after taking the GM job.

This season, the Blackhawks are once at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, as unfortunately for their fanbase, Connor Bedard and company haven’t been able to take a giant step forward into playoff contention. After moving Taylor Hall to Carolina in the three-team blockbuster a couple of weeks ago, GM Kyle Davidson is likely to continue to sell ahead of the trade deadline on March 7. Here’s who could potentially interest Treliving and the Maple Leafs:

Ryan Donato​

Donato is the Blackhawks’ best trade chip, especially among their rentals. He’s only making $2 million AAV against the cap, he doesn’t have any trade protection, and he entered the 4-Nations Face-Off break with 19 goals and 37 points, in 53 games.

The 28-year-old centre doesn’t have a big frame at just 6 feet, however, he’s not afraid to throw his body around, landing 89 hits to this point. Donato’s had great success finding the back of the net so far this season, thanks to his shot selection. He’s currently shooting at an impressive 15.3% efficiency, and if the Leafs are in the market for adding more offence before the deadline, Donato could be an option. If they are looking for a lock-down defensive-minded centre, they may want to consider another avenue.

Donato’s bounced around since he was originally a 2014 second-round pick, playing for five teams throughout his eight-year NHL career. This season he’s riding high, enjoying a career-best year to this point, while playing the most he’s ever played at 15:02 of ice time per game.

Recently, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Donato was drawing trade interest from Canadian teams, however, didn’t list the Maple Leafs directly. The issue here is the asking price, it’s not cap hit. At $2 million Donato is very affordable, but with him garnering serious interest from a handful of contending teams, Davidson and the Blackhawks’ brass will drive up the asking price. If Davidson would consider an NHL-ready prospect and a 2025 third-rounder, perhaps there’s some business to complete. As far as fit in Toronto goes, it’s not perfect, that’s for sure. Donato doesn’t kill penalties, he hasn’t scored in 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games, so there would certainly be a level of risk involved here, banking on him continuing to stay hot in blue and white.

Pat Maroon​

If the Maple Leafs want some more Stanley Cup Playoff experience in the dressing room for the home stretch of the season, Maroon could be ripe for the taking. The 36-year-old ‘Big Rig’ is a pending free agent making $1.3 million against the cap, and so far in 49 games, Maroon has scored three goals, 13 points, and has landed 80 hits.

Toronto’s had a very inconsistent bottom-six this season, and frankly, they don’t have much identity, so adding Maroon gives the Leafs more size and strength among their depth options. It’s worth noting that Maroon, who won three Stanley Cups in a row, won his first one under Craig Berube in St. Louis, when he averaged 12:20 of ice-time in their Cup run, including causing havoc in front of the net on the Blues’ second power-play unit.

Maroon won’t be at the top of the Leafs’ trade wish list, but when it comes to adding character, a proven winner, and some more toughness for the playoffs, he’s a great candidate to consider. It’s all going to come down to how much Treliving values the likes of Connor Dewar and Pontus Holmberg, and if the Leafs’ GM would like a different look, Maroon is that and then some.

Connor Murphy​

While the Maple Leafs have been linked to the centre trade market for most of the season, there’s a sense that Treliving will look to upgrade his blueline, and if he does so, I’m expecting a right-handed shooting blueliner to be acquired. Murphy could be an option in Chicago, but admittedly, a bit of an expensive one for the value.

The 31-year-old is owed $4.4 million AAV through next season and posted 13 points in 42 games. He’s been a huge part of the Blackhawks’ penalty kill, which ranks an impressive seventh in the NHL. Murphy has great size at 6’4, 212 pounds, and it feels like if he ends up in Toronto, a big reason why is because Davidson was open to retaining salary, which he’s done multiple times in the past, including $4.6 million of Rantanen’s contract, and he’s never played a game in Chicago.

Murphy’s an upgrade on Timmins and Myers, he’s just a bit of a flight risk, with a long list of injury troubles, and spending a decade playing on bad teams in Chicago, resulting in only nine Stanley Cup Playoff games under his belt since 2013-14. Murphy is a keep-it-simple type of defenceman, and with over 700 games of NHL experience, is quite predictable as far as knowing what you’re getting on a nightly basis. There’s not much flashy to his game, which could appeal to Treliving, Berube and company. Like most trades, it’s just going to come down to asking price, and how much salary Davidson is willing to eat.

As far as ideal trade partners go, the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs don’t necessarily jump off the page. Donato is a very affordable option if Treliving wants to add secondary scoring, but we’ll have to wait and see how high the asking price goes. Maroon gives your fourth line some identity and presence, meanwhile, Murphy’s a depth option on the back end, which carries a hefty price tag. Treliving has some decisions to make before early March, and if he’s browsing the Blackhawks’ trade options, he may not necessarily like what he sees.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/trade-targets-3-chicago-blackhawks-trade-candidates-maple-leafs

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Sweden head coach Sam Hallam on William Nylander: ‘He has one more step in him, definitely’

William Nylander is arguably the most explosive scorer at the 4 Nations Face-Off and his countrymen are expecting the Toronto Maple Leafs star to take his game to another level.

Nylander and Team Sweden lost 4-3 to Team Canada in an overtime thriller, where fellow Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner notched the game-winner off a terrific individual rush. It wasn’t the best start to the tournament from Nylander, who committed a key turnover, registering two shots and zero points, and there’s an expectation for him to raise his level ahead of a pivotal contest against Team Finland on Saturday.

“He has one more step in him, definitely,” Team Sweden head coach Sam Hallam said via TSN’s Mark Masters. “I think for a lot of our guys, we grew as a team, as a group, but we still think that we have one more step to take here.”

Nylander ranks second in the NHL with 33 goals this season, leading all entrants at the 4 Nations Face-Off — Leon Draisaitl and Germany were excluded due to the narrow permutations of the event. He’s been elite off the rush, and he could cause havoc against a Finland squad that is undermanned on the blue line, due to a host of injuries.

“He’s a phenomenal player,” Sweden forward Filip Forsberg said of Nylander. “It was a few shifts together with me and him and (Elias Pettersson) and if somebody would have told me I was playing with those guys a couple years ago I’d be very happy. I just got to try and be strong on the puck, get them the opportunity with time, and then try to get open.”

Nylander is arguably the focal point of Sweden’s offence, he’s a one-man chance creation machine, and he’ll be counted upon to be more productive in a pivotal contest Saturday. It’s not unreasonable for Sweden to ask for more, currently sitting in third place after one game, with a chance to move into second place, if Team USA defeats Team Canada in regulation during Saturday’s marquee.

We get to view Nylander on a daily basis as one of the NHL’s most dynamic players, and he’s excelled on the international stage before. Now we’ll get to see if he elevates his game on Saturday, with Hallam keeping a close eye on his star winger.



Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/sweden-head-coach-sam-hallam-william-nylander-one-more-step

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Chris Pronger gives Canada the slight upper hand ahead of their showdown with Team USA: Leafs Morning Take

The scene is set for Canada and the United States on Saturday night.

Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk each scored twice as Team USA hammered Finland 6-1 in their 4 Nations opener.

Jay Rosehill was back in the mix for the Friday edition of Leafs Morning Take. We kicked off the show by discussing how great this tournament has been thus far. Expectations were tempered going into the festivities, but so far, it’s been a tremendous event. With so much passion, too.

Meantime, with Shea Theodore out, Dallas’ Thomas Harley has been put on standby in case of another injury on Canada’s blue line. We’ll see how things play out moving forward.

After that, brought to you by Greta Bar, we dissected America’s lopsided victory. Auston Matthews chipped in with an assist, and for the most part, he showed a lot of promise alongside Jack Hughes. That team is very good. Saturday night promises to be outstandings. Two storied rivals going toe to toe at the Bell Centre. It has the makings of an instant classic. Honestly, it will be fascinating to see what kind of weekend Toronto’s players have. Wouldn’t it be something to see them piggyback off Marner’s signature moment in OT on Wednesday night?

Then, made possible by Charm Diamond Centres, legendary Canadian blue liner Chris Pronger dropped by the show. We got his thoughts on Marner’s opening game heroics, what it’s like to play Canada, and what he expects on Saturday night. Additionally, we did get his quick thoughts on the Leafs moving forward, too.

Join us on Monday (Family Day) for a full recap of this weekend’s 4 Nations festivities. Additionally, we’ll preview Canada/Finland and USA/Sweden from Boston. Also, we have a very special guest planned.

You can subscribe to TheLeafsNation (TLN) YouTube page HERE. Additionally, we’re available in podcast form, too, wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re at it, be sure to leave us a 5-star review!

The first ever TLN Nation Vacation is coming, and you don’t want to miss out on this trip of a lifetime. Join us from Thursday, March 20th to Sunday, March 23rd as we take our talents to Music City to watch Toronto play Nashville. BOOK TODAY!!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/chr...eir-showdown-with-team-usa-leafs-morning-take

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Mike Richter takes us behind the scenes after winning MVP of 1996 World Cup of Hockey

New York Rangers legend Mike Richter joined Nick Alberga and Carter Hutton on Leafs Morning Take this week, where he reflected on being named MVP of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and much more.

Richter raved about Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who serves as USA’s captain during the 4 Nations Face-Off. It’s a tremendous time for U.S. hockey in general, as it stakes a claim to be considered the runaway powerhouse in men’s international hockey.

The three-time NHL All-Star spoke about a number of topics and provided the behind-the-scenes details of what happened when he captured MVP at the 1996 World Cup, leading USA to victory.

“Oddly, they were giving out a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. And it was amazing! The tournament happens fast and you ask anybody, all they care about is playing well and winning, and we did that. Then you get this Harley, and we went out and had a few drinks and a party afterwards, and you kind of don’t think about it. But then at some point, are you going to pick this thing up? And I remember Mess (Mark Messier) going ‘hey buddy, you don’t get a second chance at one of these things, why don’t we think about giving that baby away?’ And so, we did: we auctioned it off for the New York Fire Department, which was really cool.

“They gave me one of those FDNY hats with 35 on it, and we created some money for a fire department fund. It was great, people bid it up higher than its normal cost because the charity was a worthy cause. It was a nice thing. I didn’t crash, someone got a cool motorcycle and there was money made for a charity, so all of it was good.”

Richter remains a legend in New York, backstopping the Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994, while spending the entirety of his 666-game career with the organization. He was named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008 alongside his Rangers teammate Brian Leetch, two core components of the 1994 Stanley Cup win — Leetch won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year as well for a tour-de-force performance.

You don’t get to hear behind-the-scenes stories like this too often, and it’s pretty cool to see that Richter always had community in mind at the peak of his powers. We’ll be curious to see what Matthews or Connor Hellebuyck does, if they win 4 Nations Face-Off MVP this year!

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/mike-richter-behind-the-scenes-winning-mvp-1996-world-cup-of-hockey

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

TLN’s February Maple Leafs prospect rankings: 20-16

A break in the NHL schedule to accommodate the long-awaited return of best-on-best international competition should provide NHL management teams with the opportunity to take stock of where they’re at and how they’ve progressed since the beginning of the season. Today, we’re going to begin the same exercise with the Maple Leafs’ prospect pool, starting with the 20th-ranked prospect in the system and working our way down to number one.

For a team like the Leafs, who have shipped out numerous draft picks in recent years in pursuit of playoff success, it’s not surprising that the bottom end of their prospect pipeline amounts to long shots and potential depth contributors at the pro level. The players listed below still have their work cut out for them to carve out careers in the NHL, but they all possess different tools that could help them reach that goal in the years to come.

20 | Nathan Mayes | LHD | Spokane (WHL) | Drafted: 2024, 7th round, 225th overall​

Holding the final pick in last summer’s draft, the Leafs made Spokane defender Nathan Mayes the “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2024 class, but he’s taken strides to shed that label with the Chiefs this season. His offensive production has improved from his draft year, with more goals and points at the halfway mark than he had all of last season, and he has become a more composed defender as well.

Mayes wasn’t drafted for his offensive ability but rather for his bruising, physically engaged style of defence. He is aggressive in seeking out contact, whether it be shutting down a cycle or stepping up at the blue line to negate a clean entry for the opposition, but he still struggles with picking his spots at times. Mayes can be beaten laterally off the rush when his aggressive nature gets the best of him, but he excels at retrieving pucks and shielding off forecheckers with his large frame at the junior level. He shows flashes of puck-moving skill, but he doesn’t have great hands, and he struggles to process things in the offensive end on the occasions where he joins the rush. Mayes’ physical tools have helped him succeed in the WHL, but he will have to improve his overall processing speed and puck skills to become anything more than AHL depth.

19 | Cade Webber | LHD | Toronto (AHL) | Acquired via trade w/Carolina​

Webber is a player the Leafs deliberately targeted ahead of last year’s trade deadline as he was wrapping up his NCAA career, but he is still very much a project. A former fourth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Leafs dealt a future sixth-rounder for Webber’s NHL rights before signing him to an entry-level contract last spring, and they have since signed him to a two-year extension.

Webber is a monster of a man, standing 6’7″ and weighing over 210 pounds, and he made a name for himself as a legitimate shutdown defender over four seasons at Boston University. He is a fearless shot-blocker, and his size allows him to effectively box out opposing players around his net while simultaneously clogging up shooting lanes. Webber has worked to add more physicality to his game in his first year as a pro, but the pace of the pro game has proven to be an issue he’ll have to overcome. There is next to no offence in Webber’s game, and he certainly isn’t your prototypical puck-mover on the back end, but it isn’t a stretch to think he could grow into a bottom-pairing defender with added reps in the AHL. His size will certainly provide him with plenty of opportunities.

18 | Mikko Kokkonen | LHD | Toronto (AHL) | Drafted: 2019, 3rd round, 84th overall​

Kokkonen has been in the Leafs’ system for a while now, but his time might be running out. It looked like he had taken a step forward last fall, earning praise from former head coach Sheldon Keefe and sticking around late into Leafs camp, but he appears to have fallen back down the depth chart under the Treliving/Berube regime.

The 2019 third-rounder is a defence-first player with average size who gets the job done with smart reads and an active stick. He doesn’t have standout speed or skill, and he isn’t particularly physical, but he can stop the cycle and make a sharp first pass to get play going the other way. He will occasionally join the rush, and he has shown more offensive ability in the AHL than he did during his years in Liiga, but it isn’t a differentiating quality in his tool kit. Overall, Kokkonen is a fine player but also unexceptional in any one area, and with his contract coming to an end after this season, he could be destined for a return to Finland if the Leafs opt not to extend a qualifying offer his way.

17 | Ty Voit | W | Cincinnati (ECHL) | Drafted: 2021, 5th round, 153rd overall​

There’s really no other way to put it: Ty Voit has been dealt a tough hand. First, he missed the entirety of his draft year when the OHL shut down during the pandemic. After entering the draft cycle as a potential first or second-round pick, he fell to the Leafs in the fifth round and went on to become one of the OHL’s most dominant offensive players over the next two seasons. It looked like Voit was set to hit the ground running to begin his pro career, but an injury in the Traverse City Prospects Tournament delayed his start to the season, and when he did finally make his Marlies debut, he suffered a shoulder injury on his very first shift that cost him the rest of the season.

Voit’s offensive vision and playmaking ability have never really been in question, but his lack of size and strength scared some teams away in the draft process. Perhaps there is some unfortunate luck involved as well, but that lack of size and strength has proven to be an issue as he has dealt with various injuries early in his pro career. Voit helps mitigate those concerns with quick hands and good feet that allow him to spin off checks and make plays in tight spaces, and he doesn’t need much room to identify an open target and hit it with a crisp pass. He can manipulate coverages and create lanes with hook passes or feeds into open areas, and he has the ability to finish chances around the net on his own. Unfortunately, the lost development time might be too much for Voit to re-establish himself under a new management team that values size and heavy skill more than the regime that drafted him. He has been relegated to the ECHL for the entire season, but he still possesses the raw skill to make an impact and take advantage of an opportunity against stiffer competition, should that opportunity arise.

16 | Nick Moldenhauer | C/W | Michigan (NCAA) | Drafted: 2022, 3rd round, 95th overall​

Moldenhauer was a bit of a late riser in his draft year after missing the first half of the season with a mysterious virus and then a skate cut to the face and neck area that nearly cost him more than a few hockey games. He showcased some hard skill along with some flash for the Chicago Steel down the stretch that season, and the Leafs’ connections to the Steel made drafting the Mississauga native an easy decision when he fell to the back half of the third round. Moldenhauer returned to the Steel the following season and was one of the top players in the USHL, but he hasn’t been able to take the next step with Michigan in the NCAA, and his game has plateaued somewhat.

Moldenhauer’s versatility made him a valuable contributor for the Wolverines in his freshman season. He was shuffled around the lineup, playing different positions with different linemates, and managed a respectable 21 points in 41 games for one of the top teams in the nation during his first year of college hockey. That stacked roster saw some departures in the offseason, and the hope was that Moldenhauer would be able to step into a larger role and take his game to another level, but that hasn’t happened to this point in the season. Through 23 games, he has scored just once while adding seven assists, and he hasn’t earned the trust of his coaches to play heavier minutes than he did a year ago. There is a lot to like about Moldenhauer’s game when he puts it all together: he is tenacious on the forecheck, he can play through contact and make plays in traffic, he finds teammates in space, and he has good hands around the net. Putting it all together at the collegiate level has been the issue, but if Moldenhauer can add some more pace to his game, there is still a chance for him to develop into a versatile bottom-six forward at the NHL level.

(Statistics from EliteProspects.com)

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/february-maple-leafs-prospect-rankings-20-16

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Chris Pronger shares what Leafs gain playing alongside best players in the world

Is it possible that greatness is contagious?

It was heavily debated in the lead-up to the 4 Nations Face-Off if the effort level at this competition would be more All-Star game civility or Olympic ferocity. Now after two games, it’s clear players are bringing their all (or at least trying to, in Finland’s case) in representing their nations on the world stage for the first best-on-best hockey in nearly a decade.

Knowing this, Toronto fans are left wondering what Maple Leafs players could take back to the team from this competition after playing alongside some of the best in the world. For Mitch Marner, for example, what effect on his play does scoring a Crosby-assisted OT winner in his national sweater have, beyond just being the coolest thing ever for him?

On Friday’s edition of Leafs Morning Take, two-time Canadian Olympic gold medalist Chris Pronger stopped by to chat 4 Nations. He told Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill about the effect rubbing elbows with some of the world’s best can have on a player like Marner:

“When you win on the highest stage it helps, you know? It builds your confidence, especially if you play a significant role and are able to produce and play a significant role in winning hockey games. You know, scoring the OT winner in this case.”

"When you win on the highest stage, it helps.."

– @chrispronger dished on Marner, Matthews, & Nylander at the #4Nations #LeafsForever @thegoldenmuzzy | @Jay_D_Rosehill

Presented by @CharmDiamonds pic.twitter.com/eM6Sr3Dluj

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) February 14, 2025

Pronger has experienced how playing with winners can help not only in building confidence, but in improving your game too. Speaking about his Olympic debut in Nagano, Pronger shared how skating among some huge names in hockey history inspired him to be better:

“You know, I remember ’98, I was a young 23-year-old playing in the Olympics for the first time. Gretzky’s there, Scott Stevens, Ray Bourque, you know, all kinds of guys, all walks of life from there, you know? Players that I watched growing up, and you’re like, oh my god, you know? And you’re now immersed in playing at the highest level with these guys and you’re not [just] watching, you’re paying attention and trying to pick out little things that are germane to how you play that you can add to your repertoire, if you will. And watching how they lead, how they handle situations.”

Under the direction of Craig Berube, the Leafs have seemed to come into this year with a new mentality, a real ability to win tough games. As is all too familiar in Toronto though, fans wait with baited breath to see how this team takes shape when tested in the playoffs.

So whichever Maple Leaf wins the 4 Nations Face-Off, be it Marner, Matthews, or William Nylander (or by some miracle, Jani Hakanpää, watching from the bench), fans will hope Pronger’s words ring true, and they return to Toronto with a winner’s mentality. And for all of them, win or lose, that they bring back lessons they can carry with them into this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/chris-pronger-shares-leafs-gain-playing-best-players-world

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Team USA edges Team Canada 3-1 in an instant classic at the 4 Nations Face-Off

An enthralling matchup between Canada and the USA on Saturday night ends with a 3-1 win for the Red, White, and Blue to punch their ticket into the 4 Nations Face-Off Finals.

The start of the contest was one for the ages as three fights within the first nine seconds brought the ruckus crowd at the Bell Centre to their feet. It started with a tilt between Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel two seconds after the opening face-off that saw the Canadian get the better of the two and pump the crowd up. A second later, Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett exchanged blows which went more in favour of the American. Six seconds after that, a scrum ensued in front of the Canada net before JT Miller and Colton Parayko gave it a go.

USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS

: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J

— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025

Given how long it had been since a best-on-best game between the two teams and the recent political events, suffice it to say that the start of the contest was one that everyone in attendance will never forget. Some wondered if the animosity between Canada and the US on the ice had dissipated since the last major tilt between the two at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but they silenced those critics with authority.

Once the fireworks dispersed and the game properly began, the two hockey powerhouses were evenly matched as many came to expect. Connor McDavid opened the scoring with a spectacular goal where he flew by the defence and roofed a backhander that Connor Hellebuyck had no chance to stop. Jake Guentzel responded a little over five minutes later with a shot off the rush that got through Jordan Binnington’s five-hole.

In the second period, both teams came up short on the power play and engaged with plenty of hits though it was not quite as electric as the first. Then with just under seven minutes remaining, Dylan Larkin fired a shot that Binnington could not stop to give the USA the lead.

The Americans did a masterful job from that point on shutting things down defensively and making it impossible for the Canadians to generate much offensively. While the Red and White certainly had their chances to tie the game, Hellebuyck was the difference maker in this one with 22 saves and allowing only one goal against. It was enough to help propel the US to hold the fort within the dying minutes, culminating with an empty-net goal from Guentzel to ice it.

With the win, the USA clinched their spot in the finals on Thursday at TD Garden and will be looking to go undefeated in the round-robin on Monday night against Sweden. As for Canada, they will need to secure a regulation victory on Monday afternoon against Finland if they wish to get a rematch with their bitter rivals and right the wrongs.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tea...-an-instant-classic-at-the-4-nations-face-off

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Why the Leafs need to keep Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten out of trade packages at all costs

As we approach the NHL trade deadline on March 7, the Toronto Maple Leafs should go all in on this current team, adding pieces they think will push them to the Stanley Cup promised land.

With that, comes the potential problem of giving up top prospects like Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten, but would giving these guys up really be worth it?

Let’s start with Minten, who was drafted 38th overall by the Maple Leafs back in 2022 and appears more likely to be traded than Cowan.

Minten has been in trade rumours leading up to this deadline, and most recently has become the talking point of a potential deal for Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton. That happens when you’re a young good prospect on a contending team looking to go all in and mortgage the future.

But giving up Minten would be a huge loss for not only the future, but also for the current. The 20-year-old has already well exceeded expectations for this season, as he’s shown an ability to think the game at a high level, developing a strong offensive side to his game while also becoming a strong two-way player.

Minten has five goals and 10 points in 17 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this season. He has appeared in 15 games this season with the Maple Leafs, recording two goals and four points in 12:14 minutes of ice time on average. Plus, at 6-foot-2 and 192-pounds, he’s also found the time to deliver 36 hits.

Yes, there are still a lot of things that Minten needs to improve upon, but more playing time might just be the solution for this youngster and the Maple Leafs, who should look to keep trade assets for the future instead of trading them away.

Good centres just don’t grow on trees in the NHL, and trading for one costs a lot in return. For if the Maple Leafs trade Minten to try and win this season, it will only be a few years before fans look back and ask, “why did we ever do that!”

The more untouchable prospect of the two is Easton Cowan, but even his name has been mentioned in trade talks as of recently. Cowan ranked 45th on The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s top 100 drafted NHL prospects list.

Cowan was put on the map after a strong training camp in the fall following the 2023 NHL Draft, where he emerged as a surprise pick at No. 28 overall, and since then he’s only gotten better.

Consistency is one way to describe Cowan’s play since joining the Maple Leafs organization. In his 85 OHL games since, he’s posted 52 goals and 137 points for the London Knights.

Whether it’s his unofficial 65-game point streak in the OHL that sets the record (unofficial, as it is spread across two seasons) or his outstanding play in the OHL playoffs last year with 10 goals, 34 points in 18 games while leading the Knights to their first championship since 2016, he’s been an unstoppable force.

Cowan’s skating ability is top notch and that, combined with his drive to work and grab pucks, shows he’s developing into an impact player at the NHL level.

Although it might be easier to trade Cowan as fans have yet to see him play a game of importance for the Maple Leafs, it too would be a huge mistake. The wing position, outside of William Nylander and Mitch Marner, has been lacking until the emergence of Matthew Knies. Add Cowan to the group next year and the Maple Leafs might make a bid for the best top-six group in the NHL.

Understandably, a lot of teams are going to demand one of those two prospects (they should, they’re an NHL franchise trying to build for the future), but the Maple Leafs should be trying to get better now without giving up their bright future.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/why...an-fraser-minten-out-trade-packages-all-costs

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Moving David Kampf: Someone has to want a penalty killer

It’s easy to see a path where some of the current Maple Leafs on the roster will be shown the door. If new players are coming in at the trade deadline someone is going to come out.

When it comes to moving on from one of these players it seems like the most likely decision that Brad Treliving will make is to pay a little higher price on an asset that he is acquiring to send out a contract/roster spot/salary that is interfering with the Leafs being compliant with the collective agreement and NHL rulebook. The Leafs have certainly dealt away players that way before, but in this short series of articles, the idea of dealing players based on their potential merit around the league will be explored before things ultimately play out the way we expect them to and a fourth round pick is attached to a deal to make the Leafs’ trade partner take back some salary.

After looking at Ryan Reaves and Max Domi, we’ll take a look at whether there is possibly a market for David Kampf.

David Kampf’s contact is a strange one. It seems one heavily based in Kampf being a trusted option for Sheldon Keefe and the former Leafs’ coach expressing to his GM that Kampf would be a player they would want to keep around despite the fact he had a down year heading into his contract. Kampf somehow getting more than two years term, more than a $2M AAV cap hit, and a 10-team no trade list to boot is beyond ridiculous for a fourth line centre. His contract is essentially a “what not to do” when it comes to team building, but there are a couple of catches.

The first catch is that David Kampf is a trusted penalty killer. He has the speed to keep up with Mitch Marner and that the Leafs have leaned heavily on that duo is likely a big part of why Kampf is still around.

The second catch is the rising salary cap. The Leafs are already becoming quite familiar with the lack of trustworthy bottom six centres around the league and while Kampf’s contract might have looked like a burden before, it could very well be in-line with what a lot of fourth line centres who kill penalties make going forward.

The Leafs might not want to sacrifice their centre depth, but the cap savings are significant, and while Kampf might be trusted and a better penalty killer than the other options, having Fraser Minten, Pontus Holmberg, Connor Dewar, and Steven Lorentz as fourth line centre options and armed with the knowledge that playing Kampf as a third line centre is a bad idea, it’s probably worth checking out who needs centre depth/a strong penalty killer.

Kampf’s no trade clause

Kampf’s 10-team no trade clause probably isn’t much of a barrier for the Leafs. His list likely consists mainly of non-playoff teams, and non-playoff teams wouldn’t be looking to add a role player at the trade deadline anyway. The Leafs might actually struggle more to move Kampf as salary in a deal with a deadline seller than they would flipping him to a playoff bound team or one that believes a penalty kill upgrade is their barrier to a wild card spot.

Who would want David Kampf?

It always feels like low hanging fruit to connect a Leafs player to the Edmonton Oilers but here we are once again. The Oilers bottom six doesn’t make a lot of sense for what would presumably be asked of them. There is no real “shutdown” guy in the mix and their penalty kill is in the bottom third of the league at 75.6%. If there is a gap on what appears to be a strong roster, that’s probably it and it was probably something that Viktor Arvidsson was expected to help sure-up but he has responded with about as underwhelming a season as you could imagine. Plus, he’s not a centre, and after an unquestionably strong 1-2 punch of McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers are either going to need to rely on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins up the middle as well or hope for some consistency out of both Mattias Janmark and Adam Henrique to carry them. It’s not unreasonable to suggest David Kampf being a fit.

I don’t know how serious the Minnesota Wild are about their status as a playoff bound team. It’s easy to see the Avalanche passing them in their division, but as long as they don’t completely implode, they look like a sure thing for at least a wild card spot. They don’t look like a team that should be beefing up for a long run and swinging for the fences at the deadline, but a tweak or two to get an extra round of playoff revenue would make sense, and with the second worst PK% (71.6%) of any team presently sitting in a playoff spot, David Kampf would be a fit.

The Red Wings are a bit more of a bubble team as they are barely hanging onto a wild card spot heading into the break. They have a point advantage and games at hand over the Bruins and Blue Jackets (who could also benefit from a PK specialist). The Red Wings having the worst PK in the league at 69.7% make them a worthwhile landing spot for Kampf as well. It’s odd because their roster looks like a collection of PK specialists and this could be more system driven, but on the surface Kampf looks like he’d address a pressing need and the team also looks like it could benefit from some centre depth as well.

As mentioned above, the Bruins and Blue Jackets also fit as potential landing spots, but the Bruins are likely looking to get younger and the Blue Jackets are likely looking to go bigger in the trade market.

What would the return look like?

It goes without saying that the return wouldn’t be much. A late round draft pick would be quite the achievement for the Leafs, but what seems more likely is that Kampf gets flipped for someone who needs a change of scenery.

With the Oilers, I’d suggest Kampf for Adam Henrique as an interesting idea. While Henrique costs a little more, he sheds a year of term from the commitment to Kampf, and if things are going right with him he could be the third line centre option he was considered to be last season.

For the most part, a Kampf move is either about gaining the short term cap availability now to bring in a roster upgrade or looking at the long term outlook where shedding Kampf’s term as soon as the Leafs can find a suitor is the priority. Opening up a space for Fraser Minten next season to come in as the 4C is also a benefit.

Mitigating Seller’s Remorse

I’m not sure there would be any seller’s remorse under any situation. While Kampf is still killing penalties and is second among forwards in short handed time on ice, Craig Berube has used Matthew Knies, Pontus Holmberg, Connor Dewar, Steven Lorentz, and Auston Matthews with regularity as well. Throw in the fact that whatever third line centre the Leafs are targeting will also likely be capable of filling that role, it’s not a huge risk, especially when Calle Jarnkrok may also return.

Prediction

It seems like some money needs to be moved off the Leafs roster and Kampf is the easy favourite to be the odd man out. This also isn’t the first time Kampf was expected to be the odd man out and he has consistently avoided being traded and has even been re-signed over that stretch of Leafs’ fans playing matchmaker for him. Just like every other time, this time feels real and with Kampf’s average time of ice at a career low and with Craig Berube having none of Sheldon Keefe’s willingness to put Kampf at the 3C position, this is probably it.

Depending on what those ten teams are on Kampf’s no trade list, it will determine whether he’s a salary throw-in or gets shopped on his own.

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/moving-david-kampf-someone-has-to-want-a-penalty-killer

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Auston Matthews ruled out vs. Sweden, expected to play Thursday vs. Canada

Team USA and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has been ruled out of Monday’s game against Team Sweden.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported that Matthews is dealing with upper-body soreness, and is expected to play in Thursday’s final against Team Canada. It’s not believed to be a significant issue, via The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. It’s unclear when Matthews started experience soreness through the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Matthews has missed 15 games for the Maple Leafs due to an upper-body injury, but he’s been in great form since returning to the lineup on January 4. The 27-year-old has recorded 20 goals and 45 points in 40 games for the Maple Leafs.

It appears at the time of this filing that it’s a precautionary measure. Matthews and Team USA clinched its berth to the 4 Nations Face-Off final with a 3-1 victory over Team Canada on Saturday. Matthews has been primarily paired with Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes at 5-on-5.

“Definitely wanted to come out and send a message right away,” Matthews said, of the electric start to USA’s victory over Canada, which started with three fights in nine seconds. “And those three guys stepping up like that, I mean, those guys are as hard as it gets when it comes to just playing the game hard and with an edge.”

Jake Sanderson will also enter Team USA’s lineup in place of Charlie McAvoy. Matthew Tkachuk was previously ruled out, with the expectation that he will suit up for Thursday’s final against Canada.

Team Sweden is also battling the flu, and Linus Ullmark, Rickard Rakell and Mika Zibanejad have all been ruled out of Monday’s game. Samuel Ersson is starting for Team Sweden as a result. Sweden has been eliminated from the tournament, after two overtime losses in round robin play.

There’s nothing to play for but national pride, so it’s in Matthews’ best interest to sit out Monday.



Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-ruled-out-sweden-will-play-vs-canada-usa

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

New Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer compares pitchers to goaltenders

If you’re both a Toronto Maple Leafs and a Toronto Blue Jays fan, I completely understand if you don’t have the appetite to read anything Blue Jays-related right now.

In a rare instance of breaking Blue Jays news on a Maple Leafs site, if you haven’t heard, the Blue Jays and star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr failed to reach a contract agreement before the deadline that was set by Guerrero and his camp. This doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t be able to re-sign with the Jays during the season, but it implies that he’ll be testing free agency after the 2025 season, which is a point nobody wanted to reach. Anyway! If you’d like to read more about that, head over this way.

Before all of the Guerrero drama came to a boiling point, the folks at Leafs Morning Take had a chance to talk to one of the Jays’ new signings of the offseason, Max Scherzer. The 40-year-old starting pitcher is much more than just that, having won a World Series twice. Once with the Washington Nationals in 2019 and once with the Texas Rangers in 2023. He’s taken home the Cy Young Award as the league’s best pitcher four times and made the all-star game eight times. He comes to Toronto on a one-year contract with aspirations of winning his third ring, and although age has caught up to him, he’s still a capable back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher with enough wisdom and experience to last a lifetime.

While there wasn’t a lot of Leafs-specific chatter during Scherzer’s conversation with TLN’s Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill, he did confirm the parallel that some people draw between goaltenders and pitchers, with Rosehill using the Leafs’ tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll as an example.

“Yeah, it’s kind of like the ‘defence wins championships’ model,” Scherzer said. “The goalie is kind of the last defender, everyone looks at them, kind of like everyone looks at the pitcher. They’re the ones holding the ball, they’re the ones attacking the other lineup. It’s the pitcher against the other team’s nine hitters, it’s the goalie against the other team. Those are some similarities, I definitely get that train of thought.”

It’s easy to ask Scherzer about the comparisons between pitchers and hockey because he’s going into his 18th year as a pitcher in Major League Baseball, but make no mistake, the veteran hurler is as much of a hockey fan as anyone.

“I love watching every facet of hockey. The defencemen, the penalty kills, just watching the sport, how everybody competes and how everyone thinks around it, that’s definitely fun to watch.”

It’s not uncommon for Blue Jays players to show up and support the Leafs at their home games and vice versa, and although Scherzer hasn’t had a chance to connect with Auston Matthews or anyone else on the Leafs, he plans to make it to a game this season and hopes the two teams come out and lift each other up.

“Get the Blue Jays over to see a [Leafs game], get the teams kind of mingling a little bit. Hope we can rub off on each other, hope the fans rub off on each other, that’s where the magic happens.”

You can watch the full video below.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/new-blue-jays-starter-max-scherzer-compares-pitchers-goaltenders

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Calle Jarnkrok returns to practice, Maple Leafs call up Alex Steeves

It was an eventful first day back for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who resumed practice after the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Calle Jarnkrok returned to practice Tuesday. Jarnkrok has been on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) for the entire season, and underwent groin and sports hernia surgery in November. Jarnkrok was placed on a makeshift top line featuring Matthew Knies and Alex Steeves, as Steeves was called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old recorded 10 goals and 21 points in 51 games during the 2023-24 season and started training camp on a line with Max Domi and William Nylander.
“He looked fine, he’s really coming along,” Berube said of Jarnkrok via Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun. “Great to have him out there. He needs time. He needs time to practice with us, and work and see where he’s at, make sure he’s feeling good.”
Steeves has recorded 29 goals and 46 points in 40 games with the Marlies, and could find an extended place in the lineup if his current form continues. The 25-year-old previously played in four games with the Maple Leafs this season, but was held without a point. He previously broke the Marlies’ all-time goals on February 7 and set the Marlies’ franchise record for points on December 7.
Jani Hakanpaa also participated in Tuesday’s practice. Hakanpaa was ruled out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, after initially being named to Team Finland’s roster. He has played in two games for the Maple Leafs, but hasn’t been able to return to action since facing off against the Edmonton Oilers on November 16.

Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander were exempt from Tuesday’s session. Nylander and Team Sweden were eliminated Monday, while Matthews and Marner will square off in Thursday’s final between Team USA and Team Canada. Matthews missed Monday’s game against Team Sweden with an upper-body injury, but it was a precautionary measure.

Toronto resumes its schedule Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Matthews, Marner and Nylander’s return to the lineup will surely impact the lines as currently presented. Maple Leafs head coach said that it’ll be up to Nylander, whether he wants to participate in practice immediately upon returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off, via David Alter of The Hockey News.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/calle-jarnkrok-returns-practice-maple-leafs-call-up-alex-steeves

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

TLN After Dark: Is Mitch Marner playing himself out of the 2026 Olympics?

1 goal, 0 assists, -3 in 3 games played.

That’s Mitch Marner’s stat line to conclude round-robin play at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament for Team Canada. After two games, Mitch was moved to a checking line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli and found himself a -1 in 12:46 of TOI in a must-win game against Finland. The second-least minutes played of all players on Team Canada and if not for his 1:05 of penalty killing, it could have been even less.

Going into the 4 Nations Face-Off, it was a foregone conclusion that Marner would be joining Team Canada in the tournament. Top offensive talent who can kill penalties at the NHL level was certainly a guy that Canada would be looking for, but his inability to create alongside Connor McDavid, the urge to shrink when a game gets tough like it did against the US on Saturday night, and the struggle to adapt to a bottom-six role has pushed him down the totem pole. Given that this Canadian management and coaching staff is likely the group to lead the team in Milan, Italy in 2026, Mitch Marner’s security with Team Canada may be at its all-time lowest point.

Mitch isn’t the only one of the three Maple Leaf superstars to pull the Houdini act at the 4 Nations tournament, as pointed out by Jay Rosehill and Nick Alberga on Leafs Morning Take, but it’s gone deeper than just wondering where their offence has gone to… there’s concern about the DNA of the big boys…

“Neither of those players in Mitch and Auston are the guys that just break through and lead the charge and say get on my back” said Jay Rosehill following a disappointing performance from both on Saturday night.

"Neither of those players, in Mitch and Auston, are the guys that just break through and lead the charge…"

Are you concerned about your Maple Leafs results during the Four Nations?@thegoldenmuzzy | @Jay_D_Rosehill

Presented by @CharmDiamonds pic.twitter.com/N0mqoi4iSp

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) February 17, 2025

The concern amongst Leafs fans watching this tournament is legitimate. Players who seem to lack the ability to rise to the moment for their NHL clubs are doing it yet again on the international stage and are being outshined by players like Brandon Hagel, Dylan Larkin, and Jake Guentzel who don’t get thrown into the same conversations as the Leafs big boys ever. Watching them struggle like this is concerning for their respective countries, but also for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Looking around there’s at least some discourse for each player that can be somewhat understood… William Nylander was stuck with Mika Zibanejad, who is really struggling for the Rangers, Matthews is clearly still fighting through some type of injury – why he’s doing that is another story – but his impact defensively has at least been noticed. Marner, on the other hand, was handed the keys to the Ferrari in Connor McDavid and hasn’t done anything with it outside of his overtime winner against Sweden.

Of the three, Marner’s inability to generate has stood out the most and seems like it would cause the most concern for the Canadian coaching staff making any decisions going forward. Keep in mind that Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini will be knocking on the door, Mark Scheifele, Robert Thomas, Tom Wilson, and Zach Hyman were left off this year’s team and it seems highly unlikely Hyman isn’t put back on McDavid’s wing next February. Who knows who else comes out of the woodwork? You can only score 99 points in the regular season so many times before people decide that your true identity is the guy who doesn’t show up on the big stage.

Oh, by the way, the OT goal is not cause for celebration with Marner. 3 on 3 doesn’t happen in the Olympics or in the playoffs. He’s scored those before and he’ll score those again.

One final shot to change people’s minds Thursday night.



Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/tln-after-dark-mitch-marner-playing-himself-out-2026-olympics

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Auston Matthews good to go for Team USA, says injury was unrelated to previous ailment

Toronto Maple Leafs and Team USA captain Auston Matthews revealed that the injury that kept him out of Monday’s game against Team Sweden was new.

Auston Matthews says Monday was something new that popped up injury wise. Not the same as earlier this season. Says he has progressed nicely and feels good now and is ready to go for tomorrow night.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 19, 2025

He assured reporters that he feels he has progressed nicely and is ready to play in Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off Finals against Team Canada. USA coach Mike Sullivan told reporters before Monday’s game that Matthews would be held out of the lineup due to upper body soreness but would be back in time for the finals.

He was skating on the top line with Jack Hughes and Jake Guentzel during USA’s practice on Wednesday, which should once again see the bulk of the minutes against Canada.

While reports have indicated that this latest ailment is not serious, there is no doubt going to be concerns from Leafs fans that their captain is once again going to be playing hurt which could impact his abilities. He has missed 15 games this season due to various injuries, which included taking a trip to Munich in November to receive treatment.

Matthews has not revealed the extent of the aforementioned ailment was but it hasn’t impacted his overall play throughout the 2024-25 season. Despite playing at less than 100%, he is still well over a point-per-game player with 45 points (20 goals and 25 assists) in 40 games while also taking significant strides in his defensive game. Those shutdown abilities were on full display on Saturday when he did a masterful job of neutralizing Canada’s potent attack and was a factor in why the Red and White were limited to only one goal.

It made sense for Matthews to sit out of Monday’s game since the Americans had already clinched their spot and the game was meaningless. You can also commend him for taking care of his body and not wanting to risk a further ailment when the stakes were low. At the same time, it is concerning that he is dealing with something else unrelated to the one that has been bugging him all season long. The Leafs can’t afford to have their franchise player missing any time in the playoffs, so the hope is that this is something that won’t linger.

It is unclear at the time of filing if Matthews will be ready to get back in the Leafs lineup when they resume play on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Regardless, Leafs Nation will be holding their collective breaths throughout Thursday’s game in the hopes that their captain does not suffer any further setbacks.



Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/aus...says-injury-was-unrelated-to-previous-ailment

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Mitch Marner says he’s ‘calm and chill’ heading into Canada-USA rematch

Mitch Marner is ready to embrace the moment and try to make his family, friends and the country of Canada proud.

Marner spoke to reporters following Team Canada’s practice on Wednesday, and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward is trying to keep his mind at ease, while he knows there’s a ton on the line in the highly anticipated rematch against Auston Matthews and Team USA.

“Calm and chill. That’s what you want. We’ll go through a couple more things throughout the day, and night, and get yourself ready. You can’t overthink it, it’s just another game, and go do your thing,” Marner said of his mentality.

Marner has taken some heat throughout the two-week event, as he started on Canada’s top line with Connor McDavid, and while he did score the OT winner in Canada’s opening victory over Sweden, Marner has been placed on the third line, in a more defensive role for head coach Jon Cooper. Marner enters the final with one point in three games, and is averaging 17:47 of ice-time.

“I’ve known Cirelli for a long time, I’ve been working out with him for countless amount of years now. Hagel, I never knew before this tournament, but got quickly acquainted with him in Montreal. Another great guy, who works extremely hard on that ice. I think all of us our workhorses, I think for my part, like we did last game, I thought we were good with our pucks, put them in places to get them back a lot.”

Marner is squaring off against Matthews once again, where both Maple Leafs’ stars are expected to elevate their games in the final.

“No, nothing yet,” when asked about potential side bets with Matthews. “I was talking to him the other day about something. We were talking about our flight situation out of Montreal to Boston, and just stuff like that. I was talking to him two days ago, or something, can’t really remember about what though.”

Marner is expecting an electric atmosphere at TD Garden in Boston, the same arena where he’s lost three Game 7’s as a member of the Maple Leafs.

“It’s going to be great, a fun one to be a part of. There’s going to be a lot of fans on both sides, and it something, again, that you’ve dreamt of as a kid, so it’s going to be exciting.”

Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/mitch-marner-calm-chill-canada-usa-rematch

 

[Toronto Maple Leafs]

Team Canada defeats Team USA 3-2 in OT to win the 4 Nations Face-Off

Team Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime to clinch the 4 Nations Face-Off championship and cap off an incredible tournament on Thursday.

Mitch Marner had a solid outing with two assists on the night, including on the OT winner from Connor McDavid. Auston Matthews was excellent, finishing with two assists of his own and a boat load of chances.

The atmosphere going into the game was loud and intense as fans from both countries were heard chanting well before the teams took to the ice for warmups. It was followed by a lengthy opening ceremony that included Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and American hockey legend Mike Eruzione heading to the ice for the opening faceoff.

Unlike the previous matchup which saw three fights in the opening nine seconds, it was a more business-like affair as both teams were focused on the task at hand to clinch the championship. Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring with a seeing-eye shot from up top that Connor Hellebuyck which silenced the American faithful at TD Garden. But from there, both teams exchanged quality chances that could have tipped the scales of the game in either direction with both goalies standing tall.

Late in the first period, the US dumped the puck into the offensive zone off a neutral zone face-off and then quickly collected by Matthews. He gathered it from behind the net and wrapped it around before Brady Tkachuk knocked in the loose puck that Jordan Binnington missed to tie the game.

The middle frame saw things start to get chippy as scrums after whistles became a more common occurrence with the intensity continuing to ramp up. Eight minutes into the second period, Matthews was once again instrumental in a goal for the Americans as he was in front to shoot a rebound, then created another for Jake Sanderson to bury through the maze of bodies.

The Canadians certainly had their chances from that point on – including a power play chance not long after the Sanderson goal – but to no avail. Their best chance in the second came midway through the second when Sidney Crosby was on the doorstep with the net wider open only to have the puck thwarted away in time by Jaccob Slavin.

Late in the second, Marner had his moment as he led the rush going into the zone and spotted a streaking Sam Bennett coming in from the left side of the ice. He flew in and roofed it past Hellebuyck to even things up again. Momentum shifted in favour of the US in the final frame with a flurry of chances in tight, though Binnington stood tall and even made a big stop on Jake Guentzel. But as time progressed, things evened out and both teams traded blows at either end.

Regulation solved nothing and overtime was required, which played to the rules of the Stanley Cup playoffs where it was 5v5 until someone scored regardless of how long it takes. Early on, Matthews had a glorious chance to win it when he got a shot away in the slot that Binnington knocked away with his blocker. Matthews was involved in another prime opportunity where he was denied again and then fed Brock Nelson who got robbed by Binnington, and then he snagged one from the US captain right off the faceoff.

Then right around the midway mark of the extra frame, the Canadians cycled it around off a faceoff with Cale Makar banking it around to Marner on the opposite end of the ice. He spotted McDavid parked in the slot who made no mistake to clinch the title in front of a mostly American crowd.

While there is no telling if another iteration of the 4 Nations Face-off, this was a huge stepping stone for both Matthews and Marner who proved they can step up in winner-take-all games. They will look to carry that momentum to the Toronto Maple Leafs when they resume their season on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

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Source: https://theleafsnation.com/news/team-canada-defeats-team-usa-ot-win-4-nations-face-off