Latest news with #BrandonCarlo
National Post
02-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
Maple Leafs need to keep Easton Cowan and give him a legitimate shot
If Brad Treliving feels the urge to include Easton Cowan in a trade this summer, the Maple Leafs general manager should resist it. Article content Article content Strongly. The Leafs have to have some sort of hope for the future in regard to their prospects at forward, don't they? Article content The cold reality is that Cowan, fresh off being named the most valuable player in the 2025 Memorial Cup after the London Knights beat the Medicine Hat Tigers in the final in Rimouski, Que., on Sunday night, stands alone in Toronto's prospect pool. Article content The date of March 7 was pivotal for the Leafs as it related to its group of youngsters who could one day play in the National Hockey League. Article content At the trade deadline, Treliving included centre Fraser Minten in a swap with the Boston Bruins to get defenceman Brandon Carlo and, when he acquired forward Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers, winger Nikita Grebenkin was part of the package that went to Philly. Article content Article content With Minten and Grebenkin gone, there's quite a drop from Cowan to the next forwards who the Leafs might look to one day to make an impact. Article content But as for the group that includes Jacob Quillan, Miroslav Holinka, Nick Moldenhauer, Joe Miller and Roni Hirvonen, it might be a stretch to assume that any of them will one day become full-time Leafs. It's too early to say what Luke Haymes and Ryan Kirwan, both signed out of college this past year, could eventually provide. Article content Cowan easily is the best of the bunch. What kind of NHL player the 20-year-old eventually develops into is to be determined, yet how can there not be a solid foundation of optimism for someone who has been dominant in the past two Ontario Hockey League seasons? Article content Article content At his end-of-season media availability last week, Treliving made the comment that 'champions have the ability to be calm and at their very best when it matters the most.' Article content Article content It was in reference to the Florida Panthers and Treliving acknowledged that the Leafs have to find improvement in that regard (no kidding). Article content The gap between major junior hockey to the NHL undoubtedly is significant. Still, the fact that Cowan, with the Knights, fits Treliving's champion thoughts to a T has to be a source of encouragement for the organization as a whole. Article content This year, Cowan led the OHL in playoff scoring, leading London to a five-game win against the Oshawa Generals in the final, and led the Memorial Cup in scoring on the way to being named tournament MVP.
National Post
15-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Coach Craig Berube to angry Maple Leafs fans: 'Believe, like our team believes'
Article content Booing. Article content And when the fans were done showing their displeasure during Game 5 on Wednesday night, they streamed toward the exit doors at Scotiabank Arena long before the final horn sounded. Article content If the passion unites all in Leafs Nation — and that includes the players — the club has little choice but to accept fans' reactions to their horrid play in a 6-1 loss against the Florida Panthers. Article content Defenceman Morgan Rielly, the longest-serving current Leafs player, understands. Article content 'It's tough, but they have the right to do what they want to do and, for us, we need to play better,' Rielly said on Thursday. 'We expect to have a team that is going to go out there and win and compete, and when that doesn't happen, everyone's upset.' Article content What would coach Craig Berube say to a fan base that is overflowing with negativity following the Game 5 debacle? Article content Article content 'Believe, like our team believes,' Berube said. 'I think that's all you can do. I get it, I do. They're fans. They pay good money to come see the game. Article content 'They want to see the results. It's just part of the game. I'm not focused on the fans. I'm focused on our team.' Article content Defenceman Brandon Carlo, the only other Leafs player made available on Thursday at the Ford Performance Centre before the team flew to Florida for Game 6, has had only a couple months of experience in Toronto after he was acquired from the Boston Bruins in March. It has been long enough for Carlo to get a grip on what drives the club's massive group of supporters. Article content 'It's a passionate fan base,' Carlo said. 'That's one of the greatest things of playing here and being a Maple Leaf, is having fans that are behind you like that. There are going to be ups and downs. Article content
Edmonton Journal
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Little things mean a lot to Maple Leafs in building a series lead over Panthers
Article content The Maple Leafs certainly have discovered that in the course of their first eight playoff games. Upon further review of taking a 2-0 lead Wednesday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, salient solo moments came to light, in particular sacrifices by the defence. Brandon Carlo expanding his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame in crease scrums to help Joseph Woll, when he wasn't boxing out unwanted company. Jake McCabe gloving a loose puck off the goal-line. Chris Tanev absorbing a hard hit from Carter Verhaeghe that kept him on the bench for a spell before rejoining the play. Oliver Ekman-Larsson's one-handed swipe to clear a puck from Toronto's slot that ended up starting Max Domi's goal. Tanev's 23 shot blocks, Simon Benoit's 22 and Morgan Rielly's 20 lead the defence.
National Post
08-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Little things mean a lot to Maple Leafs in building a series lead over Panthers
Big wins are built from a lot of little plays. Article content Article content The Maple Leafs certainly have discovered that in the course of their first eight playoff games. Article content Upon further review of taking a 2-0 lead Wednesday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, salient solo moments came to light, in particular sacrifices by the defence. Article content Brandon Carlo expanding his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame in crease scrums to help Joseph Woll, when he wasn't boxing out unwanted company. Jake McCabe gloving a loose puck off the goal-line. Chris Tanev absorbing a hard hit from Carter Verhaeghe that kept him on the bench for a spell before rejoining the play. Oliver Ekman-Larsson's one-handed swipe to clear a puck from Toronto's slot that ended up starting Max Domi's goal. Tanev's 23 shot blocks, Simon Benoit's 22 and Morgan Rielly's 20 lead the defence. Article content Article content 'That's playoff hockey,' said winger Steven Lorentz, who won the Cup last year with Florida. 'The stuff that doesn't always show up on the scoresheet might save you the game or lead to a chance at the other end. Article content 'That's the beauty of it. They're not always picked up, not everybody gets the glory, but the guys in this room recognize things like that and that's all that matters.' Article content Leafs coach Craig Berube has seen this movie before as well with the 2019 champion St. Louis Blues. Article content
Reuters
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Maple Leafs G Anthony Stolarz (head) not ruled out for Game 2
May 6 - The Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to determine Anthony Stolarz's status for Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers after the No. 1 goaltender was knocked out of Game 1 with an apparent head injury. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, coach Craig Berube said that the team did not yet know if Stolarz had a concussion, and he declined to rule him out for Wednesday's game. TSN reported that Stolarz was helped out of the arena on a stretcher after Toronto's 5-4 win in on Monday and taken to a local hospital. Stolarz has since been released from the hospital and was in the team facility Tuesday. "I think he's doing well. I'll allow coach to give any updates on that," Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo said. "But, overall, I liked the way that he looked this morning when I got to see him for a smile at breakfast, so that's always a good thing." Stolarz stopped eight of nine shots before exiting midway through the second period, a few minutes after Panthers center Sam Bennett hit him in the back of the head with his elbow as he was skating by. No penalty was called on the play. Television cameras caught Stolarz vomiting into a bucket near the Maple Leafs' bench before the team pulled him from the game. Joseph Woll, in his first NHL game since April 17, made 17 saves but allowed three goals in relief. The Maple Leafs will turn to Woll in Game 2 if Stolarz can't go. Bennett and Stolarz were teammates last season -- Stolarz was the No. 2 goaltender on a Florida squad that won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history -- and Bennett said Thursday that he reached out to the goaltender privately. "Stolie's a good friend of mine. I reached out to him. He responded," Bennett said. "Obviously, you never want to see an injury like that. From my point of view, I'm taking a puck to the net. I didn't even know we made contact until after. I'm on the power play. I'm trying to score." Berube, though, called the elbow to the head "clear as day" and called on the league's Department of Player Safety to investigate the play. --Field Level Media
