Toronto Sun 20 hours ago
Thornton might see reduced role with Leafs
For the stormy seas of playoffs, the Maple Leafs have added a fourth captain’s ‘C’ to the bridge. Nick Foligno joins John Tavares, Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton as those who had that letter on previous NHL teams, though in Thornton’s post-deadline world, he might have a reduced role. Heading into Monday’s game in Montreal, the 41-year-old Thornton had gone 12 games without a point and appears to be...
Toronto Star 21 hours ago
Maple Leafs deliver a dud against the Canadiens after trade deadline
Second-period goals by Auston Matthews and John Tavares weren’t enough, and the Leafs lost in regulation for the first time in 11 games. Goalie Jack Campbell also lost, his first setback after an NHL-record 11 consecutive wins to start the season.
Toronto Star Apr 11, 2021
Dave Feschuk: The Maple Leafs are better with Nick Foligno — whose quotable shot at Toronto’s defence no longer applies
If it goes well, Foligno will be the Zach Hyman-esque grinder they have been seeking to complement, say, John Tavares and William Nylander. Or maybe he’s a third-line checking staple. The details will be worked out after Foligno serves his seven-day quarantine and dons the same No. 71 his dad wore for the Leafs, Dave Feschuk writes.
Pension Plan Puppets Apr 8, 2021
Is Alex Galchenyuk good enough to be the upgrade John Tavares needs?
Photo by Derek Leung/ Has the top-six hole already been filled, or is it still the best place to improve? As the trade deadline approaches, teams that want to acquire players are waiting until prices drop. While Kyle Dubas now has to wonder about his goaltending situation, he still says he’s looking at forwards. Word is getting out that the Leafs may consider Alex Galchenyuk their top-six forward acquisition after all, which could be negotiating tactics. Since arriving on the Leafs and moving to the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, Galchenyuk has...
Pension Plan Puppets Apr 4, 2021
Alex Galchenyuk scores first goal as Leafs beat Flames
Apr 4, 2021; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center Alex Galchenyuk (12) celebrates his goal against Calgary Flames during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. | Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports The Tavares line made the difference. Alex Galchenyuk scored his first NHL goal with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Morgan Rielly, John Tavares, and Auston Matthews all scored in the win, with Michael Hutchinson stopping 31 of 33 for his fourth win of the season (4-2-1). William Nylander created goals that got the Leafs tied and...
Editor In Leaf Apr 2, 2021
Toronto Maple Leafs: You Wouldn’t Want to Play This Team Right Now
The Toronto Maple Leafs – whatever else you want to say about them – are a stacked offensive team. John Tavares, the Toronto Maple Leafs captain, is only two years removed from a 47 goal campaign, and is flirting with being a point-per-game player this season, despite career lows in shooting percentage and ice time. […] Toronto Maple Leafs: You Wouldn’t Want to Play This Team Right Now - Editor In Leaf - Editor In Leaf - A Toronto Maple Leafs Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Editor In Leaf Mar 30, 2021
Toronto Maple Leafs: John Tavares Problems Are on Sheldon Keefe
The Toronto Maple Leafs have won three games in a row and seem to be back on track after a light siesta. A recent hot topic of Toronto Maple Leafs conversation has been about John Tavares and how his play has not been up to par, considering his contract and superstar status. The main criticism […] Toronto Maple Leafs: John Tavares Problems Are on Sheldon Keefe - Editor In Leaf - Editor In Leaf - A Toronto Maple Leafs Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Toronto Star Mar 28, 2021
‘We’ve got to be better.’ John Tavares and William Nylander know the Maple Leafs need more from them
“There are games when we’ve been dominant, and there are games when we haven’t had a lot happening,” said Nylander. “It’s up to me and John to take care of that.”
Pension Plan Puppets Mar 28, 2021
Back to Excited Episode 136: Making the grade
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports We grade every Leafs player and the coaching staff Welcome back to another episode of Back to Excited. Today we grade every Leafs player for you. Timestamps are: Auston Matthews - 2:41 Mitch Marner - 8:36 Wayne Simmonds - 14:20 John Tavares - 23:40 William Nylander - 31:04 Alex Galchenyuk - 33:51 Alex Kerfoot - 42:20 Joe Thornton - 53:58 Jason Spezza - 58:43 Pierre Engvall - 1:00:56 Ilya Mikheyev - 1:10:14 Zach Hyman - 1:16:40 Morgan Rielly - 1:22:34 TJ Brodie - 1:26:45 Jake Muzzin - 1:29:49 Justin Holl - 1:32:41 Travis Dermott -...
Toronto Sun Mar 27, 2021
Captain Tavares turns it on
John Tavares nearly tore the mesh with his third-period goal, unleashing a lot of frustration. While his coach Sheldon Keefe has assured him and an impatient public that his role in team defence has alleviated a drop in his points, Tavares made his career and his much-discussed mega-contract pumping out goals and assists, not preventing them. Keying Saturday’s 4-3 comeback overtime win over Edmonton with...
The Hockey Writers Mar 27, 2021
Maple Leafs: It’s Time to Worry About John Tavares
Sitting atop the North Division after 33 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had a relatively strong first half of the season. There have been some bumps along the way, ... Read moreMaple Leafs: It’s Time to Worry About John Tavares
Toronto Sun Mar 24, 2021
KOSHAN: Maple Leafs would love consistency in officiating but recognize challenges
Calling the game consistently. That’s what Maple Leafs captain John Tavares would love to see from the officials in each National Hockey League game. At the same time, Tavares knows the difficulties that can come with that kind of expectation. Would Tavares prefer the same calls be made in a pre-season game and Game 7 of the Stanley Cup?...
Toronto Sun Mar 21, 2021
SIMMONS: Leafs captain Tavares not living up to his salary
Just where does John Tavares rank among NHL centremen today? He’s nowhere near Connor McDavid, but then who is? He’s not elite the way Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon or Leon Draisaitl happen to be elite or the way Sidney Crosby has always been. He’s not a longshot MVP candidate this season, the kind of guy who will get some Hart Trophy votes, the way Anze Kopitar, Sasha Barkov and Mark Scheifele are...
Toronto Sun Mar 17, 2021
TRAIK-EOTOMY: Can the Maple Leafs afford to bring back Zach Hyman — and should they?
It was a week ago when TSN’s hockey panel tried to answer the question of who was the Toronto Maple Leafs’ third-most valuable forward after Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. The options were John Tavares, William Nylander and … Zach Hyman? At least one panellist chose the latter. That’s how valuable the heart-and-soul grinder has been to the team this year, something GM Kyle Dubas reiterated in his...
Toronto Sun Mar 16, 2021
Until Leafs win big, Dubas says 'any criticisms are warranted'
By now Kyle Dubas is used to noisy public fallout of losing even a few regular season games. But this year’s angst comes from continued lack of playoff success with four of the highest paid NHLers in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander, worries in net and the elusive search for depth. The Leafs are now in first place, perhaps in sight of their first division title since 1963, but Dubas knows that won’t mean much unless they steel themselves...
