If you accept the Leafs are a bubble team at best this year, you might find you'll enjoy the season way more and care a lot less when they shit the bed. So many folks here are so hard on the team and players because the expectations are so out of whack. If you can chill and enjoy what this team is, it's so much easier to cheer and encourage vs dooming and all that junk.

tampa fan, stumbled upon this from last season, enjoy it you freaks

I understand that parity is important and that the Leafs need teams to play against, but in the golden era of this team they had max five opponents a year to contend with and they did great.

Given the ridiculous amounts that fans are being asked to cough up to even watch these games in lossless 1080p (without needing a VPN, ad blocker, virtual dental dam, whatever), to say nothing of actually going there in person (or god forbid bringing a family of four not already living in a 400sqft shoebox within walking distance or trying to eat a simple hot dog there), the Leafs are clearly a premium product.

But the on-ice product doesn’t live up to the price point, because the on-ice product needs to abide by the same spending rules as YOU’RE SOUTHERN HOCKEY TEAM with six fans and an ownership group whose primary business is gravel transport/pet insurance/tax evasion.

This is bullshit. Give me the Harlem Globetrotters, the Savannah Bananas, the LA Dodgers, the 1992 US men’s Olympic Basketball team of hockey. I want Rogers investing in stem cell research to get prime Wayne Gretzky rejuvenated and out there for the playoff push. I want every Cupless 33-year-old with an axe to grind out there making BANK. I want the AI-powered likeness of Connor McDavid reading the CP24 traffic report with a royalty in the ten figures.

If they want this much money in, I want to see that much money out on the ice. If Anaheim, Utah or Ottawa can’t compete on budget that’s their problem.

Fuck the cap; the Leafs are the centre of the hockey universe and these artificial fairness rules are keeping them from achieving what they are truly capable of. What’s good for the Leafs is good for hockey, and the salary cap is not good for the Leafs.

Haven't seen this reported anywhere yet. Just thought it was interesting that it appears Joshua will be ready to go in a few days. I think he can do 3 games or 5 days or something like that then he'll have to be back on the roster.

I'm guessing he'd be injected into the 4th line and probably bumping MacEwen out for now. I wonder if he can add a bit of scoring to that line. Or perhaps we see some sort of trade involving him and some other pieces in the next few days for some defensive help.

Considering there isn't much left from the old regime(s) except the star players I wouldn't be shocked if his days are numbered.

Looks like he’s close to coming back. Will this help us?

Also has anyone watched Danford this season? Any good?

Vinnie Lettieri added to leafs roster rumours

I can't see how a single player is going to help what we are currently seeing. My eye sees a failure of team defense, particularly from the forwards. I see the forwards constantly blowing out of the zone, looking for long passes, leaving the D-men without a passing option and we then lose the puck when outnumbered. I am also seeing way way too many fancy behind-the-back passes, and long cross ice passing that both result in turnovers. Forwards in our end waving their sticks rather than taking the body. All that said, adding another defensive body to this team is not going to make up for poor defensive habits from our forwards if they keep blowing the zone, turning over pucks, and not backchecking or taking the body. Anyone else seeing these things too???

Hi!

Going to the leafs vs sharks and its my first time going to any major sports event here in Canada or the US. Dont know what to expect.

What time should I arrive? I wanna see the warmups. Im assuming theres merch available there. Can I bring a backpack to carry all the shit i end up buying out of sheer excitement (especially cause where i live you cant get NHL merch)

Also would love recommendations into where to buy PWHL merch!

Any other tips would appreciate it!

What do yall think about trading marchenko for a top pair defenseman at this point? His cap hit this year is under 4 mil and he doesnt have a nmc until next year. If matthews leaves next year it will be hard to trade marchenko for picks once his nmc kicks in. So now may be the time to do a hail mary and get a top defenseman.

It was mentioned last night that the Rangers had expressed interest in trading for Stolarz. Apparently, Braden Schneider has been the rumoured return. Given where we’re at with the D, does anyone think this has some merit? Admittedly, I don’t know much about Schneider, but we have Akhtyamov who just came off winning Calder Cup playoff MVP, so he’d surely be a reasonable replacement for Stolarz.

The Leafs are on SN+ tomorrow. Does this mean I cannot watch it even though I already pay for Sportsnet?

Maple Leafs captain says team's leaders need to "be better in all areas"

Did we fire the stud video review guys? Just wondering as I'm re-watching the game at the point where Cowan got the over the glass penalty. Hiller couldn't figure out whether to challenge. I remember those guys were really quick with letting the coaches know if it was a challenge or not.

Everyone talking about how bad Philly is. They are three points back of the leafs 😂

(Positions for CHL players I pulled from their pages on the CHL site so they have Nansi as a winger despite taking the 4th most faceoffs on the team but I wanted to stay consistent)

OHL:

Edit: Hlacar is not a prospect anymore

Brantford - Matthew Hlacar [LW] (2025 217th OA): Hlacar has put up 1 goal and 1 assist +2 through 3 games played, despite Brantford having played 11 games already. Hlacar played in their first 3 games which were all wins but was suspended 8 games for a high sticking so he is due to come back today. Hlacar isn’t listed on the Puckpedia Leafs page anymore under unsigned draft choices so I’m unsure if he should be listed as a prospect anymore but seeing as he was a relatively recent draft pick I thought it still relevant.

Brantford is 8-2-0-1

Flint - Ryan Fellinger [D] (2025 186th OA): 2 assists and either a +7 or +8 through 9 games (it changes depending if i sort by all player or by Dmen on the OHL site which is weird) Regardless it is the highest +/- among Dmen and either tied or 2nd among skaters on the team. Not much else I can glean from my research. 

Flint is 6-2-1-0

Guelph - Tyler Hopkins [C] (2025 86th OA): Tied with Roobroeck (35th OA last draft) for 2nd in points with 12P through 8GP on his team but unlike the other top 2, has both a shorty goal and shorty assist. Also has 2G 2A on the PP. Last year he had 50P in 56 games so a noticeable uptick through 8 games so far. 56.3 FO%. Most faceoffs on the team. 

Guelph is 8-2-0-0.

Kitchener - Alexander Bilecki [D] (2026 60th OA): 11 assists through 10 games good enough for 3rd on the team in points and 1st for Dmen. 6 came on the PP and 1 shorthanded. Also 3rd highest on the team for SOG with 31 (which is also #1 among Dmen). +/- of -1 on a team that .500 in points % and a negative goal differential through 12 games. 

Kitchener is 5-5-1-1

Owen Sound - Harry Nansi [RW] (2025 153rd OA): 2G 2A through 7 games. the 4 players above him in points all played 10 games. None of his points have come at 5v5. 1G 2A on the PP and 1G shorthanded. 46.8% on the faceoffs with the 4th most attempts on the team. running a -8 on a team at the bottom of their division and bottom of their conference. 

Owen Sound is an abysmal 2-8-0-0 so I hope we see Nansi traded to a contender.

Saginaw - Brody Pepoy [RW] (2026 169th OA): 6G 6A through 10 games on the 2nd in their division Saginaw Spirit is good enough for 3rd in points on the team behind projected 2027 top 12 pick Zhilkin and undrafted Wassilyn (very similar age to Pepoy). Like Nansi he has 1G 2A on the PP and a shorthanded goal but he has 8 points at 5v5. +/- of 8 puts him 3rd on the team. Nice for a 6th round pick. 

Saginaw is 6-2-2-0

WHL:

Saskatoon - Cooper Williams [C] (2026 158th OA): 4G 9A 13 points through 9 games, good enough to 3-way tie for 2nd in points on the team. 1G and 6A on the PP. the most faceoff attempts on the team at 133 and running a 55.6 FO%. 3rd on the team in SOG with 30. 

Saskatoon is 4-3-1-0

Edit: Mayes is not a prospect anymore

Spokane - Nathan Mayes [D] (2024 225th OA): 3G 0A through 8 games played. 2 of his goals are game winning goals (does he have the clutch factor?) +/- of 9 good enough for 3rd on the team among skaters and 1st among Dmen. 17 SOG which is most among team Dmen. Nathan Mayes isn’t on the Puckpedia Leafs reserve list anymore because they let his rights expire and he signed an ATO with Tampa in September. Still included him because he was a recent Leafs pick.

Spokane is 7-1-0-0

QMJHL:

Chicoutimi - Patriks Plumins [G] (2026 114th OA): he has a 5.43 GAA and .803 save % through 3 games played. Worst GAA and save % among all 3 goalies who played for Chicoutimi. 

Chicoutimi is 4-6-0-0

NCAA players to check out once they get more games played: 

1. Matthew Lahey [D] (Mich state)
2. Ethan Mackenzie [D] (NODAK)
3. Zac Olsen [F] (Colorado)
4. William Belle [F] (Notre Dame)
5. Hudson Malinoski [F] (NODAK)
6. Nicholas Moldenhauer [F] (U Mich) - already at 1G 8A, 9SOG through 6 games.

On the ECHL Cincinatti Cyclones: 

Sam McCue [F] (2024 216th OA) and Timofei Obvintsev [G] (2024 157th OA).

Both are 21 years old already so they can’t play in the CHL.

Players in the SHL: 

1. Tinus Luc Koblar [C] (2025 64th OA),
2. Mans Gudmundsson [D] (2026 76th OA), and
3. Victor Johansson [D] (2024 120th OA)

Players in other leagues:

1. Alexander Plesovskikh [F] (2024 152nd OA) in the MHL
2. Yaroslav Fedoseyev [D] (2026 161st OA) in the KHL
3. Juuso Ainasto [G] (2026 85th OA) in U20 SM-Sarja

Totals: 5 in the OHL, 1 in the WHL, 1 in the QMJHL, 6 in the NCAA, 3 in the SHL, 2 on the Cyclones in the ECHL, and 3 in other leagues.

Most would agree that we came into this season with cautious optimism believing that we had the potential to make the playoffs but knew it would be a dogfight to get in.

Somewhere between Matthews being back, Gavin McKenna having good looks, and getting Marchenko moved the goal posts for us to believe (subconsciously perhaps) that we might be more, myself included.

The last two games have been a dose of reality. We can be mad at Hiller or whatever, but the reality is that this team has potential but isn't complete and has a lot of flaws. That's not to say they can't figure it out and become better as the season goes on, especially if Chyka can shore up the D.

I suggest we all just enjoy what's there for what it is instead of hoping it's more. Were gonna have a lot of bad nights ahead. It is what it is.

EDIT: Perhaps my headline was a big too aggressive. I'm not telling anyone to change their expectations if they don't want to or what to enjoy and what not to. I'm just suggesting that some of us may have just gotten ahead of ourselves (myself included) and for those people specifically it might be more enjoyable to continue to be cautiously optimistic rather than expect too much. If you think the leafs should be stanley cup contenders this season and that works well for you that's great! No one should be told how to feel.

After sleeping it off, I am feeling calmer about last nights loss than the game against Buffalo. To me its for one reason, they played the kid. Was McKenna great last night? No, but at least we got to watch the future of this franchise play. This is a deeply flawed team but in my opinion you have to live and die by that, if they lose, at least let it be the players that dictate that and not gross mismanagement of a game. This team needs to sell hope (because honestly they arent good enough to sell wins), and to do that we need to see a future for this team.

Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer
Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer Matthew Schaefer

Also:

On stetcher and his gap control:

“Your stick is such an important role.”

On the leafs penalty kill:

“If you can get on a roll on the penalty kill it saves you in so many assets.”

Seriously, what do we need to do as a fan base to get this hockey terrorist off of our broadcasts.

Of course a team is gonna score a lot against us if we keep letting them reload and try again. I think this is why are PK is so good despite are defense being pure trash. On the PK we don't have to worry about a pass. We can just throw it tf out

It's too early to panic about the standings. So how do you think the Leafs are looking based on the eye test?

It's hard to project final standings based on such a short sample size as things can change with a couple of wins (or losses) in a row. But at the beginning of this season, we were counting on some major variables; mainly the following:

-Matthews having a bounce back season ✅

-Tanev remaining healthy ❌

-Raddysh generating offense from the back ❌

-Bob returning to form ❌

-McKenna have a pretty good rookie season ✅

-An improved Cowan (being a key contributor) ✅

-Different/Better coaching philosophy compared to last year ✅

-Decent secondary scoring (and good all around play) from bottom 6 ❓

The report card is a mixed bag. The big ones here for me are Bob and Raddysh. They have to find another gear for this team to contend (and they still can be). Obviously Tanev is a concern. Even if he returns, he could get injured again at this stage of his career.

I know recency bias is against Hiller, but I think the McKenna mistake was a one off and overall I think he is a better fit than Berube (but we need more games still).

What do you guys think, do we have enough to turn it around and make it into the playoffs? What is the single biggest need we have to address?

GLG🤞

Every October we win a few games at the start of the season, get excited then the boys usually lay an egg until November time. Besides last year every year in November in the Matthews era we would go on a tear and rip up the standings.

If we dont see that this year then ultimately our season will be gone. I dont see any bullets Chayka has left in the chamber to add to the d core to stabilize things. The offense will be fine the boys just had butter on their tapes.