In case you missed it, and it’s entirely possible during the middle of a beautiful Thursday night in Toronto, the Maple Leafs traded Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Henry Thrun.
It’s a clever acquisition for the Leafs, adding a 24-year-old left-shot defenceman in Thrun, who could reasonably compete for, but isn’t guaranteed a place in the lineup this fall. He carries a $1-million cap hit for the 2024-25 season, and is slated to become a restricted free agent. Toronto did well to recoup some depth in exchange for Reaves, who was phased out of the lineup last season and his $1.35 million cap hit was considered onerous to the vast majority of teams. San Jose is expected to have some steady internal improvement from its very young core, while still being amid a promising rebuilding and can incur Reaves’ cap hit for one year without real detriment to its short-term goals.
This trade should be considered a win for the Maple Leafs, but it’s also important to be realistic about Thrun’s output. Thrun posted two goals and 12 points in 60 games for a Sharks team that finished dead last in the NHL by nine points. Simon Benoit has a clear advantage ahead of Thrun heading into training camp for the team’s third-pair spot on the left side, especially after his game took a clear leap after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. And really, here’s the important part: Thrun’s defensive metrics were awful last year, but how much of this is a function of being on a Sharks team that could stomach another year angling for a top pick?
There were 229 defencemen who played greater than 400 minutes at 5-on-5 and Thrun posted the fifth-worst Corsi (42.10%), the ninth-worst expected goals against per 60 (3.36) and fourth-worst expected goals share (38.66%) so it’s worth proceeding with some caution, even if this trade favours the Leafs. He was primarily paired with Cody Ceci last season as the 150th-most used pair in the NHL at 5-on-5. Thrun is still a young player who will benefit from a far superior lineup that’s positioned — at least theoretically, with the Florida Panthers in a different tier — to win immediately. Even if Thrun’s a true NHL No. 7-8 defenceman, he has more immediate value to the Leafs than Reaves, who did not appear in any games after March 2.
Reaves was well-liked by his teammates and he provided some requisite toughness at times for the Maple Leafs, but ultimately, he still graded out as one of the worst players in the league, both by conventional metrics and the charts. Toronto recoups some cap space in a 1-for-1 trade as well, which continues to be of paramount importance as general manager Brad Treliving remains in pursuit of a top-six forward. After the Reaves-Thrun trade, the Maple Leafs are operating with $5.33 million in cap space via PuckPedia. And this trade is essentially about the Leafs clearing cap space. Reaves has played 912 career games, and it’ll afford him a chance of approaching the 1,000-game milestone with a young Sharks team that is certainly still building towards a very bright future.
For further analysis on the trade, The Leafs Nation’s Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill provided an instant reaction to the deal Thursday evening:
Maple Leafs grade: B
Sharks grade: C+
All stats from NHL.com and Natural Stat Trick
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When Auston Matthews was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016, it was a development that was expected to change the franchise’s fortunes. Matthews lived up to the preposterous hype and emerged as one of the best goal-scorers on the planet, winning the Hart Trophy in 2022, while capturing three Rocket Richard Trophies.
Matthews took over the Maple Leafs’ captaincy for the 2024-25 season, where the team was eliminated in seven games against the Florida Panthers. He’s lived up to the hype, but it’s worth revisiting where Matthews stands among the 2016 class, nine years removed from walking up to the podium.
Matthews is the headliner of a deep group
Toronto made the correct decision with the first overall pick and Matthews is the clear headliner of the class. Matthews leads all players with 401 goals and 727 points, and he’s made the greatest individual impact thus far. There are several great players in this cohort, including Matthew Tkachuk, while Charlie McAvoy and Adam Fox are truly elite defencemen. Clayton Keller and Tage Thompson are bona fide star forwards, while Brandon Hagel’s elite two-way impact and improved scoring touch is helping him ascend through the class rankings. Make no mistake about it though, Matthews’ individual output far exceeds anyone else in the class. There is one challenger to his 1A status, however.
Matthew Tkachuk is the lone real challenger to Matthews’ best in class status
It depends on what you value, but Matthew Tkachuk is the lone player in the class that can raise a claim for the No. 1 status. Tkachuk has won back-to-back Stanley Cups, while the Florida Panthers are well-positioned to three-peat next year. The 27-year-old has played the most games out of player in the class, with 642 contests under his belt, while Matthews ranks second with 629 games. Tkachuk has been a finalist for the Hart Trophy, he is arguably one of the most clutch players in the NHL as he raises his game during the postseason, If you’re evaluating for talent alone, then Matthews is the clear winner, but Tkachuk’s superior postseason resume at least invites an argument.
How Matthews stacks up
Matthews ranks first in goals and points, while ranking second in games played and assists. He’s the most gifted individual player in the class and he’s far superior to Patrik Laine, who many scouts positioned as a true challenger for the top pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. There is a real degree of separation between Matthews, Tkachuk and the rest of the group at this point of their careers.
Conclusion
It’s a compelling exercise and Tkachuk’s superior postseason resume is compelling but Matthews is a franchise-defining player for the Maple Leafs, and he’s the unquestioned face of the organization after Mitch Marner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. Tkachuk can show off his two rings and counting, and Matthews will need at least one Stanley Cup to vault him into the all-time discussions. Matthews is the best player in the class, while firmly in the prime of his career.
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Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong is hopeful that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matias Maccelli can find his game again because he feels the forward is a good person.
The two teams connected on a trade on June 30th that sent the forward to Toronto and a conditional third-round pick going the other way. The conditions on the pick are that it improves to a second if Maccelli reaches 51 points and the Leafs reach the playoffs in the 2025-26 season.
While Armstrong may want to see Maccelli rebound to get that future second-round pick, he is also rooting for Maccelli the person to succeed because he feels the 24-year-old is a good man. He appeared on Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Monday to discuss how the trade came together.
“I’ve always viewed being at GM with your players as a partnership. I’ve always had pretty good relationships with the players,” he said. “ When there’s not a fit for us in our club, we’re gonna do what’s best for our club. But at the same time, if we can help the player out and move him to a good place for him, too, and that’s what happened in this particular deal. It’s a good deal for Utah, it’s a great deal for the Leafs, and it’s gonna be good for the player. He is gonna go in and he’s gonna play around some high-end skilled players and it’s gonna benefit the Leafs and it’s gonna benefit him.”
Armstrong said that part of why Maccelli fell out of favour with the Mammoth was due to a combination of factors. Utah’s young crop of players which includes Logan Cooley, Dylan Gunther, and Barrett Hayton, were eating up more ice time while Maccelli was never able to find his footing after a slow start to the season. The growing internal competition is a sign that the Mammoth are on the rise and looking to take the next step, hence why they had to sacrifice a promising young player in Maccelli to clear room for others. But that doesn’t mean Armstrong isn’t going to miss what the forward brought to the fold.
“ He’s a high-end playmaker. That’s what he is. He’s an opportunist, he creates a lot of odd-man rushes you’re gonna love,” he said. “ He’s got some sweet play makings, and he is getting a lot of no-look stuff going on. When he is on, he can light it up. He’s certainly a dynamic player at times. I think he’ll have to find his synergy with the players around him, but I think he’ll do that. I think he’ll be a good fit for Toronto.”
GM Brad Treliving have been busy making some moves throughout the offseason beyond the Maccelli trade, including the sign-and-trade of Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights and Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks for Henry Thrun. There is still some business to attend to, with the big one being the acquisition of a top-six forward.
At the time of filing, that trade has yet to materialize, and it’s unclear if it will by the time training camp rolls around in about two months from now. While it seems that nothing of note is going on in the hockey world, Armstrong said that GMs like himself and Treliving still have a lot to do over the summer.
“ It is pretty busy. It’s not like people would think that you’re at the cottage in the Muskoka somewhere with your feet up on the dock and when your dog’s sitting beside you,” he said. “The phone’s ringing, you’re hiring people. Staffs nowadays, they’re huge in the National Hockey League, so you’re rehiring. You’re constantly having strategy to make sure you get the best staff known to mankind around you. And people are leaving and coming. The world of NHL analytics are getting fine-tuned, everything’s getting better. You better be vested in the summer to get better as an organization; the NHL doesn’t sleep, it’s 24/7.”
You can watch the full interview with Armstrong down below:
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NHL dot com has released their top 10 forwards under-25 and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies has cracked the list, landing at number 8.
Knies, 22, just signed a six-year extension to stay with the Maple Leafs after setting career highs in goals (29) and assists (29) for 58 points in 78 games last season. He was second on the team in hits by forwards and third overall, with 182 in 78 games. He was also third on the team in even strength goal. He had another successful playoff run, as well, with five goals and eight points in 13 games against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers.
Rounding out the top three were Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle, New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, and Minnesota Wild forward Matthew Boldy, who finished first, second, and third on the list, respectively. Knies placed ahead of Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis, who finished ninth, and Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov, who finished tenth.
With the offseason departure of Mitch Marner for the Vegas Golden Knights, Knies is going to have a massive opportunity to further cement himself as part of the core. His style of play lines up with the type of play the Maple Leafs are looking to implement into their game and day-to-day culture, and considering he’s almost sniffing the 60-point mark only two years into his career, the Leafs could have a real unicorn type of player on their hands here. The type of player reminiscent of those such as Tom Wilson, Matthew Tkachuk, essentially any power forward that can produce offence at an elite level.
Knies is on the hook with the Maple Leafs for $7.75 million annually until after the 2030-31 season.
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It’s a fun time to be a Toronto sports fan at the moment. More specifically, a Toronto Blue Jays fan.
If you’re a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, there’s a good chance that you direct your attention to the Blue Jays when the season ends, and while the Jays have hit some bumps in the road just like their NHL counterpart, they’re giving their fans a treat in the summer of 2025. They currently own the best record in the AL and are chasing down the division title for the first time since 2015, hoping to capture some of the magic from the playoff run the team had that year.
Summer vacation or not, the Maple Leafs will always find a way to work themselves into news headlines, and this time, it comes in the form of an unexpected cross promotion.
Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev, who was in attendance for the Blue Jays’ thrilling comeback win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night, joined Lindsay Dunn and Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman for a chat. He told her that people have stopped him in public thinking he was Gausman.
“People are so excited and then they see me and they’re not as excited as if it was Gaus.” Tanev joked.
While Gausman’s never been confused for Tanev in Toronto, he says it’s not the first time he’s heard that he resembles the Maple Leafs’ defenceman.
“When we revealed the City Connects, that was the first time someone had told me that. My first thought was that it’s gotta be the hair.” Gausman added.
While the Maple Leafs and Blue Jays have both had their struggles in recent years, it’s hard to deny that there are few better vibes than the one surrounding Toronto when their sports teams are thriving. A Blue Jays playoff run timed perfectly with the return of the NHL season and Leafs hockey is music to the ears of Toronto sports fans. Gausman and the Blue Jays will look to make that a reality over the final month of the season as the Maple Leafs ramp up training camp activities in the meantime.
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Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.
It seems obvious that both Scott Laughton and Brad Treliving are looking forward to hitting a reset on Laughton’s time as a Toronto Maple Leaf. After dealing a first round pick and an interesting prospect (Nikita Grebenkin) for a half priced Laughton under the assumption that Laughton was the solution to the Leafs’ third line centre woes, Laughton instead slid down to the fourth line for much of his time as a Maple Leaf and put up just four points in 20 regular season games, followed by two points in 13 playoff games. This is Laughton producing at about half his career offensive output rate.
Laughton was brought in to accomplish two things, the first being that he could move the bottom six towards a more physical style of play and replace centres like David Kampf or Pontus Holmberg as the forechecking alternative to the shot suppression approach that dominated the Sheldon Keefe years. Whether that is the right approach or not can be debated but as far as delivering on the physical play asked of a Leafs’ bottom six forward, Laughton met that goal.
The second goal was the provide some offence and allow the Leafs to finally say goodbye to using Max Domi as a centre except when injuries call for him to step in. And while Domi didn’t see much time at centre after Laughton arrived, Laughton was in no way an offensive catalyst and that should have been somewhat expected based on the fact that Laughton’s goals come primarily within a few feet of the goal line and creating plays hasn’t been a strong suit for Laughton either having a career best for assists in 2023-24 with 26.
The Goal: Laughton is a 40-point third line centre
This goal is a relatively simple one because all that it is asking is that Laughton deliver on what his two previous seasons what his past three seasons with the Flyers looked like and if he can hover around the 40-point mark the Leafs will have some strong secondary scoring to help offset the departure of Marner.
The goal is both more and less attainable because of the presence of Nicolas Roy.
Roy should very much be the Leafs third line centre and some optimists out there might even make a case for Roy being able to push for second line responsibilities if Tavares moving to the wing becomes a reality.
From a pure depth chart perspective, Laughton is the Leafs’ fourth line centre but there is a very real possibility that fourth line will look very much like a third line and with the exception of Knies, Matthews, and Nylander, there is a very good chance that most Leafs forwards will see balanced icetime in 5v5 situations anyway. Laughton might not be on the third line as written but expecting him to land in the top nine of Leafs forwards for average time on ice at 5v5 is realistic.
From the offence perspective, Laughton could find himself playing on both sides of special teams as well. With ten career shorthanded goals and the Leafs preferring to play aggressively on the penalty kill, there is a good opportunity for Laughton there, but more notably Laughton has the potential to fill the Matthew Knies type of forechecking/net presence role of the top powerplay unit on the secondary unit.
While the Leafs top unit has and will continue to be Toronto’s bread and butter on the powerplay, Laughton adds to a growing number of secondary options and might be the natural choice for the line’s centre spot.
The Expectation: Kill penalties and hit everything that moves
Laughton didn’t decide what the Leafs would give up for him and shouldn’t carry the burden of a mortgaged future for another failed playoff run. Laughton has been remarkably consistent as a 30-40 point bottom sixer (who can guest star in the top six on the wing) that is defensively reliable throughout his career and there is a good chance he’ll continue to play that way.
If Laughton helps keep the Leafs penalty kill on track, adds to the Leafs ability to roll four responsible lines, and makes Toronto a little more physically imposing in the process he’ll have done his job.
Laughton will be the Leafs’ most physical option up the middle this season and that skill set may establish endear him to his coach and GM.
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If it weren’t for Mitch Marner and the way his time in Toronto ended, Morgan Rielly would easily be the most polarizing player among the Maple Leafs’ fanbase.
Drafted fifth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2012 NHL Draft, Rielly entered the NHL as a 19-year-old and never looked back. Although he was advertised as an offensive defenceman when the Leafs selected him, his offensive potential was held back in his first few seasons as the team was in a rebuilding stage and the team wanted him to concentrate on developing his game. His breakout season came in the form of a 52-point year in 2017-18. The following year he rose to stardom with 20 goals and 72 points in 82 games, and since then, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions.
Ever since the COVID-altered 2020-21 season, Rielly has sort of been operating on a good-year, bad-year basis. Before I go over his annual point totals, it’s important to look at this in context – Rielly still very much relies on his offensive game for the crux of his strengths. His defensive awareness has improved over the years, but he still has the mental gaffes that prevent him from getting that two-way title.
In 2021-22, he had ten goals and 68 points in 82 games. The following year, he dipped down to 41 points. In 2023-24, his point total rose again, with 58 points in 72 games, and then he dropped back down to 41 last season. An interesting note about his season-by-season performance is that in each of his last two ‘struggle’ seasons, being last year and 2022-23, the Maple Leafs advanced to the second round and he found his offensive game in the playoffs. He had four goals and 12 points in 11 games in 2022-23 and four goals en route to seven points in 13 games in 2024-25.
At this point, fans have come to expect the inconsistency from Rielly, but that’s not where the polarization comes from. It comes from the contract he’s signed to in addition to the inconsistency. He inked a eight-year contract in October 2021 worth $7.5 million annually, which he’s worth if he’s recording 60+ points, but when his past few seasons have been of such a yin and yang nature, it makes it harder to stomach the number during the bad times. Plus-minus isn’t a good category to judge a player at face value with, but it can’t fully be ignored. His minus-8 was the worst on the team last season, and he still lacks the ability to carry a pairing on his own, which is why it’s been so hard to find him a consistent partner.
The other side of the polarization is the fact that, in an era of Maple Leafs hockey where people who want to play in Toronto are valued even if it comes at the expense of skill when compared to other players, Rielly has been the face of the guys who just get it. Although his contract seems inflated when he plays poorly, it came in at a number that was probably below what he would have gotten on the open market, especially since he went on to record 68 points after signing it. He’s always spoken highly about the honour it is to play for the Leafs, and he’s never expressed a desire to go anywhere else. When you look past his shortcomings, he’s at the top of the list of guys you’d want to see hoist a Stanley Cup.
While the Maple Leafs’ defensive corps has undergone minor renovations every year since he’s been here, this time the Leafs have a strong defensive corps and one that’s entering the 2025-26 season looking the exact same as it did the year before, at least post-deadline. One hopes the familiarity will work in Rielly’s favour this season, and he can continue his trend of up-down-up-down with a rebound year offensively.
The expectation: Lead defencemen in scoring and be a contributor on the power play
If nothing else, Rielly should be expected to lead the team’s defensive corps in scoring, and if he can get back to being a regular contributor on the power play, that would do wonders for both him and the rest of the team. The Maple Leafs’ power play has been frustratingly inconsistent in recent years, especially for a team that’s so stacked with offensive talent, but his lack of a booming slap shot from the point has worked against him. Still, he has the vision and the playmaking to provide more than what he has recently, and if he can find a way to get pucks to the net and and let the guys in front of the net take care of business, it will help his confidence in a big way.
The goal: Crack 60 points
Once you have a 60-point season as a defenceman, the expectation going forward is that you’re capable of repeating it. Rielly has shown he’s capable of this on three different occasions, with his 72 points in 2018-19, his 68 points in 2021-22, and his 58 points in 72 games in 2023-24, which he would have cracked 60 had he stayed healthy.
With the Maple Leafs swinging a deal for shutdown righty Brandon Carlo at the trade deadline last season, Rielly will have a full training camp to skate with a partner who can be trusted in his own zone and hopefully open up some opportunity for him to get back into the rush and thrive where he’s most comfortable. If this leads to another strong offensive season, fans will be much more forgiving of the defensive gaffes.
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If there’s anyone on the Toronto Maple Leafs who could use a bounce-back season in 2025-26, Calle Jarnkrok tops the list.
The veteran forward appeared in just 19 regular season games last year, scoring just one goal and adding six assists. Jarnkrok missed the majority of the regular season after undergoing groin and sports hernia surgery thanks to a training-camp injury. Unfortunately for Jarnkrok and the Leafs, once he returned to the lineup in the late stages of the season, he could never catch up and get back to his ‘normal’ self.
Jarnkrok would go on to appear in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and while he had some great defensive games alongside Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz on the Leafs make-shift newfound fourth line, Jarnkrok wasn’t able to consistently produce on both sides of the puck. He chipped in with just one assists in 12 postseason games. It was quite the fall from grace after he was slated to start the season on Craig Berube’s second line alongside Max Domi and William Nylander. Now, heading into next season, Jarnkrok is in a battle for a job among the Leafs’ bottom six.
The 33-year-old native of Gavle, Sweden is entering the final season of his contract, earning $2.1 million against the cap. Jarnkrok owns a 10-team no-trade clause throughout this season, however, because of the injury last season and not really ever getting his legs back to 100%, his trade value couldn’t be much less at the moment. Don’t expect to see general manager Brad Treliving move Jarnkrok during training camp, even though there’s a log jam up front for the Maple Leafs. Nick Robertson is a much likelier trade candidate at this point just given his age and potential untapped upside which other teams will gravitate towards.
The goal: Solidify himself a spot on right wing on the top line
With Mitch Marner departing, Jarnkrok has a golden opportunity to play alongside Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews. Jarnkrok isn’t a complete stranger to Matthews’ wing, as he’s seen moments throughout his Leafs’ tenure on the top line, and with his speed, work ethic, and fast release, has produced in the past.
Jarnkrok will have to fend off Max Domi, who is likely to get a serious look on the top line as well. Both players are versatile to play either wing or down the middle, which makes them valuable to Berube, but this will be one of the more entertaining internal competitions at training camp.
The expectation: Checking role alongside Lorentz and Laughton
While playing 20 minutes a night on the top line should be Jarnkrok’s goal, the more realistic expectation for the veteran forward is to become a regular on Berube’s checking line alongside Lorentz and Laughton. Jarnkrok should be worried about outworking the other team’s top lines, and shutting down their offence during their defensive matchups.
In an ideal world, Jarnkrok scores 15 goals and plays 15 minutes a night on the Leafs fourth line, thanks to being one of the first options to jump over the boards on the penalty kill. With Marner going, Jarnkrok is going to need to step up even more shorthanded, as he’ll be one of the leaders for the Maple Leafs’ PK.
With Jarnkrok’s ability to play centre in the past, keep an eye on how Nicolas Roy is doing throughout the early stages of the season, and the same can be said about Laughton, in his first full season in Toronto. If either of these centres get off to a slow start, Jarnkrok could slide to the middle and give Berube another right-handed pivot option.
The 2025-26 season is essentially a make-or-break year for Jarnkrok. Solidify himself a role on this team, and land another long-term contract to stick around in Toronto. Struggle again for the second season in a row, and Jarnkrok’s going to be in his mid 30’s, looking for a new team next summer, and likely settling for a one-year deal.
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It’s difficult to separate the hype from the reality when it comes to talking about Montreal Canadiens prospects. The same can likely be said about the Maple Leafs too for what it’s worth, but the difference seems to be while Leafs fans believe every player is a can’t miss prospect, Canadiens fans tend to believe that every incoming first rounder is destined for the Hall of Fame. Lane Hutson winning the Calder last season may bring some credibility to their excitement but 50-goal scorer Cole Caufield (who has cracked 30 once in his career) and a humdrum first overall selection in Juraj Slafkovsky that is constantly on the verge of becoming elite is a reminder that even decent performing players have unrealistic expectations put on them.
Enter Ivan Demidov.
He’s already had his first taste of the NHL last season picking up a goal and an assist in his first two NHL games, which will certainly add to the hype. Demidov picking up two assists in five playoff games and finishing with a minus five for the series probably does throw cold water on the elite expectations but should at least be a reminder that there will be a learning curve for Demidov like any other prospect.
With the Canadiens already back in the playoffs, what does a potential Calder candidate level Demidov bring into the fold, and with a strong Panthers team, a perennial contender in Tampa, and now a rising threat in Montreal, how do the Leafs measure up now that they are attempting something new with a less top-heavy lineup?
Demidov is interesting as he is similar in a lot of ways to another Canadiens player that entered the league with plenty of hype. Patrik Laine. Both are dynamic players offensively that don’t rely on top end speed but rather edgework that goes along with the hands that can keep up. Both can cook something up with limited space and then have the shot to follow through on. Both have NHL size (Demidov slightly shorter). Both are aware enough to trust in defensive zone situations, and capable of carrying the puck out of trouble. The difference is that Demidov is more of a playmaker and is more capable as a puck mover, and in time the wider range of offensive options from him will make him a greater threat. In the short term, looking at Demidov as a .75 point per game player like Laine or most recent Calder winners seems like a fair bet. Adding Demidov into a lineup that has players like Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, Zachary Bolduc, and even Noah Dobson on the upward part of their career trajectory makes the Canadiens a threat for continual improvement.
There is also the possibility that Demidov lives up to the expectations of Montreal fans and Ivan breaks into the NHL scene with the same impact as fellow countryman and favourite comparison, Kirill Kaprizov. His 51 point in 55 game debut might be an ideal outcome but at the very least is aspirational for the young Russian. The Canadiens having an additional point per game player to join Nick Suzuki at the top of their points leaderboard or at least challenge Cole Caufield for the second spot, while getting strong secondary performances from Slafkovsky, Bolduc, and Laine, then throwing in a capable supporting cast of Evans, Gallagher, Anderson, Dach, and Newhook starts making the Canadiens forward group seem like a threat if they can stay healthy.
The offensive support from the blueline via Dobson and Hutson is a plus as well, and if Montreal continues to get reliable goaltending, they could reasonably move beyond a wild card spot this season.
For the Leafs sake and for the sake of the Atlantic Division bubble teams, the best case scenario is that Demidov will require an adjustment period to the NHL and given that games played in April aren’t always the best indicator of future success, there is hope that the Canadiens are still a year away from a fully operational Ivan Demidov.
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