With no goals at five-on-five in a year when he’s the NHL’s highest paid player, Mitch Marner deflects pressure while continuing to earn prime ice time from coach Mike Babcock.
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Thursday, October 31, 2019
Slumping Marner lays it on the line — the points will come
With no goals at five-on-five in a year when he’s the NHL’s highest paid player, Mitch Marner deflects pressure while continuing to earn prime ice time from coach Mike Babcock.
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Wednesday, October 30, 2019
John Tavares ‘getting closer’ after taking part in first full Maple Leafs practice since breaking finger
The Leafs have been treading water since losing their captain two weeks ago, going 2-2-2 without him in the lineup.
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Former Maple Leafs GM and longtime NHL executive Jim Gregory dies at 83
Hockey Hall of Famer Jim Gregory, who served 10 years as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs before spending decades as an NHL executive, has died at 83.
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Babcock responds to Ovi's comment: 'He knows because he lived it'
from NHL | theScore
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Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Bruce Arthur: Alex Ovechkin gives a message to Maple Leafs on breaking through, and an example of breaking out
Washington star suggests Toronto will have to play differently — not “for yourself” — before scoring overtime winner.
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Capitals Ovechkin, Carlson too much for Leafs in overtime win
Ovechkin caps four-point night with overtime winner, Carlson wraps up 23-point month.
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The century might be ahead, but the obstacles are formidable for defencemen like Morgan Rielly
It’s been almost 30 years since a blueliner had 100 points in a season but Washington’s Carlson, with 21 points in his first 13 games, has revived the talk.
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Ovechkin: Leafs 'have to play differently' if they want to win Stanley Cup
from NHL | theScore
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Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock rules out early return for Zach Hyman
Babcock added that he does not expect either Tavares or Hyman to be ready for Saturday’s game against the Flyers.
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Monday, October 28, 2019
Bruce Arthur: Straight shooter Frederik Andersen lays out the challenge ahead for struggling Maple Leafs
The top netminder has called out the Leafs’ shortcuts before, but he isn’t quite there yet: “The true next step is getting used to starting on time.” So much of hockey is effort paired with justified confidence, and this team has the talent to get there, Bruce Arthur writes.
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It’s go time for Travis Dermott when Leafs host Capitals
The young defenceman, back from shoulder surgery, will expected to handle a full workload right away, and add a physical element they’ve been lacking while allowing the second-most goals in the NHL.
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Tuesday NHL preview: Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs
Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson will lead the hottest offence in the East at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night.
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Sunday, October 27, 2019
Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott are worth the price of readmission to Maple Leafs
Hyman and Dermott are close to returning from injuries and could give the Leafs the boost they need defensively — but someone has to go.
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Saturday, October 26, 2019
Rosie DiManno: The Leafs’ blue-line crew deserves an early-season D
Tyson Barrie stands out, for the wrong reasons, after the Leafs’ latest letdown in the second game of a back-to-back in Montreal, Rosie DiManno writes.
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The Leafs are still winless in the second half of back-to-backs after late meltdown in Montreal
Canadiens unleash three-goal third period, keeping Leafs backup goalie Michael Hutchinson winless.
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Report: Sharks' Dillon won't face discipline for hit on Matthews
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Friday, October 25, 2019
Rosie DiManno: Patrick Marleau clears the air on daddy daycare in return to Toronto
Before Saturday night’s loss to the Leafs, the Sharks winger recalled talking to Auston Matthews over the summer about that disorderly conduct charge, and giving Mitch Marner someone to lean on during his contract stalemate — one that Marleau’s departure helped bring to an end, Rosie DiManno writes.
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Auston Matthews shaken but not stirred, comes back from hit to close out Leafs’ win over Sharks
Toronto scores three late goals to beat
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Saturday NHL game preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens
Leafs backup Hutchinson to face a team looking for offence.
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Auston Matthews sought Patrick Marleau’s advice after off-season legal troubles
Former Leafs winger, back in town with San Jose, says “everything is a learning experience.”
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Bettman: Current playoff format works well 'unless you're a Leafs fan'
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Maple Leafs are working on getting their house, and their defensive play, in order
“Sometimes you have to yell at your family,” Matthews says in discussing accountability.
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Dave Feschuk: It’s still October, veteran Jake Muzzin reminds Leafs Nation, it’s a little early to panic
Sure, the Leafs have had their struggles in the early going, but it’s not as bad as some might think. “I feel like everyone’s coming at us like it’s the end of the world here,” defenceman says.
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NHL game preview: San Jose Sharks at Toronto Maple Leafs
Sharks captain Couture is working on the culture.
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Matthews explains calling out Leafs: 'Sometimes you gotta yell at your family'
from NHL | theScore
via TheScore.com
via TheScore.com
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
This isn’t the report card most Maple Leafs wanted to bring home to their parents
Eleven games into the season, there’s plenty of room for improvement.
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Bruce Arthur: Maple Leafs’ losses are in the details, like their best players not playing their best
Toronto’s stars haven’t been living up to their salaries during team’s slow start.
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21 takes, thoughts, trends from the first 21 days of NHL action
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Matthews calls out Leafs after loss to Bruins: 'All of us need to be better'
from NHL | theScore
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Bruins’ stars Marchand, Pastrnak help sink Leafs, but others contribute in the final period
Backup Hutchinson solid in fourth start, making 35 saves for Toronto.
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Dmytro Timashov’s behind helps Leafs move forward
Timashov is the latest late bloomer to arrive via the Marlies pipeline with NHL-ready skills after patient development.
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Pastrnak: Nothing wrong with picking rival Matthews for Hart Trophy
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Monday, October 21, 2019
Tortorella addresses doubters: 'We're supposed to suck this year'
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Leafs lose to Jackets on overtime penalty shot after Marner’s glove gaffe
Gustav Nyquist buried a penalty shot in OT at Scotiabank Arena, awarded after Mitch Marner covered the puck with his glove in Frederik Andersen’s crease.
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Tuesday NHL preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins
Boston’s David Pastrnak enters Tuesday’s tilt with seven goals in his last three games.
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Maple Leafs cast a wide net in search of an edge in back-to-back games
Backup goalie Michael Hutchinson draws two starts against division rivals this week. Coach Mike Babcock says the math adds up.
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Damien Cox: Zach Hyman’s return will test the Maple Leafs’ no-grit resolve
The Leafs forward, nearing a return from a knee injury, is a divisive character — the only one left on the roster with any sandpaper. Most NHL teams like to have players with a variety of styles, but the Leafs aren’t most teams, Damien Cox writes.
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Babcock explains what gives Moore, Timashov edge: 'They got big asses'
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Rosie DiManno: A rare episode of Celebrity Coaches will be streaming from the Leafs-Blue Jackets game
They have different styles — the Tortorella temper vs. the Babcock glare — but they’re among a diminishing breed of recognizable bench bosses.
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The Mitch Marner-Auston Matthews union will continue against the Blue Jackets
The Leafs’ two young stars would like the opportunity to play on the same line more often.
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NHL game preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs
Blue Jackets’ top line needs to jump start the team’s offence.
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Rosie DiManno: Matthews plus Marner equals the secret weapon the Leafs needed against the dreaded Bruins
The Leafs played hard in their first game minus injured captain John Tavares, and they let Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner skate together five-on-five. Maybe coach Mike Babcock is willing to adjust after all, Rosie DiManno writes.
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Frederik Andersen ‘looks like he’s back’ in Leafs’ overtime win over Bruins
Frederik Andersen makes 43 saves, holding the fort until Morgan Rielly’s second goal of the night in OT. Coach Mike Babcock’s line-juggling surprises helped.
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Saturday, October 19, 2019
Bruce Arthur: Leafs’ overtime win over Bruins doesn’t settle anything — but it sure was fun
The Bruins have what Toronto wants, and Saturday night was a different sort dress rehearsal for how to get it, Bruce Arthur writes.
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Friday, October 18, 2019
Maple Leafs will have to count on depth to succeed without John Tavares
Captain’s broken finger forces Babcock to juggle his forward units.
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Thursday, October 17, 2019
Bruce Arthur: Weeks without John Tavares will reveal clues to what these Leafs are really made of
Now the organization gets to see who rises to the challenge when things are a little harder, while the captain’s broken finger mends, Bruce Arthur writes.
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The Leafs’ defence isn’t in stable condition with Bruins coming to town
Coach Mike Babcock continues to rotate Justin Holl, Martin Marincin and Kevin Gravel in two defence spots with Travis Dermott about two weeks away from returning after off-season shoulder surgery. “We’re not as stable yet as we’re going to be,” Babcock said of the defence.
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Leafs captain John Tavares will miss at least two weeks with a broken finger
Tavares was hurt late in Wednesday’s loss to the Capitals in Washington.
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Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Kapanen pots first goal but Capitals’ second-period scoring binge upends Leafs
Battle of the backup goaltenders sees Ilya Samsonov outduel Michael Hutchinson as Toronto drops second half of their back-to-back.
Read the Full Story @ TheStar.com: Toronto Star | SPORTS | LEAFS
Auston Matthews has a deadly shot. And now he’s perfecting the one-timer
Star forward spent the summer working on timing as part of the Leafs’ revamped power play, but admits it’s ‘a lot harder’ to pull off than you’d think.
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Caps to start Samsonov over Holtby, coach insists there's no controversy
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
The Leafs’ Mitch Marner and John Tavares show signs of breaking out in win over Wild
Marner is tied for the team lead in points, but his first 5-on-5 point came Tuesday.
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Morgan Rielly’s big period carries Maple Leafs past Wild
Leafs defenceman assists on all four second-period goals.
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The Leafs are happy with Frederik Gauthier’s body of work
The fourth-liner has improved his skating, and that has allowed him to take advantage of his size.
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Report: Wild, Devils, Stars won't make imminent coaching changes
from NHL | theScore
via TheScore.com
via TheScore.com
NHL weekly betting preview: Leafs travel to D.C., Bruins host Bolts
from NHL | theScore
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via TheScore.com
Damien Cox: Rasmus Sandin demotion is a sign the Maple Leafs have learned from the past
This is an organization that once rushed defencemen to the NHL, with disappointing results. This time around, the Leafs are trying to make sure they get it right.
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Monday, October 14, 2019
NHL game day: Minnesota Wild at Toronto Maple Leafs
Minnesota finally won its first game Monday after four straight losses.
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Leafs loan Rasmus Sandin to AHL Marlies, recall Kevin Gravel
The 19-year-old cracked the season-opening roster and played in six games for the Leafs, but returning him to the AHL Marlies allows him to play every game and develop more instead of settling into a role where he could be a healthy scratch for most games.
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Sunday, October 13, 2019
Leafs are dealing with the usual suspects as they come out of first slump
Their defensive-zone performance and their work on the power play are things that can be fixed.
Read the Full Story @ TheStar.com: Toronto Star | SPORTS | LEAFS
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Rosie DiManno: Johnsson flourishes and Kapanen fumbles in the Leafs’ tale of two wingers
While Johnsson has meshed wonderfully with Matthews and Nylander, Kapanen has struggled in adjusting to Marner and Tavares.
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Lower lines lift the Maple Leafs past the Red Wings
Third- and fourth-line forwards account for four goals in victory over Detroit.
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Friday, October 11, 2019
Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen seeks a cure for seven-goal hangover
Just as important as the oft-debated issue of Andersen’s total games played is his in-game workload, which the Leafs are tracking more closely while also adding a third goalie at practice.
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