Latest news with #JohnTavares
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SIMMONS: Beyond the Panthers and Oilers, who's better than the Toronto Maple Leafs?
A question to ask now that the noise has quieted, the president has lost his job and free agency of Mitch Marner and John Tavares remains but a month away: Which teams right now that are better than the Toronto Maple Leafs? You can start with the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers and then move to the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. But after that, who? The Carolina Hurricanes? No. The Washington Capitals? No. The Tampa Bay Lightning? No. The New Jersey Devils? No. The Ottawa Senators? No. The Montreal Canadiens? No. You move to the Western Conference and you can't feel good about how the Dallas Stars played against the Oilers. You can't feel good about the President's Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets or the ease with which Vegas lost to Edmonton in the second round of the playoffs. St. Louis proved to be a tough out and they were. But the Kings of Los Angeles imploded as their best two players head into their 18th and 20th seasons. With Marner and Tavares or without the duo — and assuming the replacements put in place by general manager Brad Treliving will be reasonable and not necessarily equal — where exactly are the Leafs heading into the draft, free agency, and what will certainly be a busy off-season? What hurt wasn't that the Leafs lost in seven games to the defending champioin Panthers. Tampa and Carolina lasted just five games apiece against Florida. There's no certainty Edmonton will take them to seven games again — although I'm picking the Oilers to win. What hurt was how the Leafs lost. How they lost themselves in Games 5 and 7 at home. How they didn't compete in any meaningful way. How they seemed incapable of matching the intensity of the Panthers. Even as Carolina went down in five games, they fought right to the end. They weren't trampled on. They weren't embarrassed. But still, they lost in 5. Two games fewer than the Maple Leafs managed to last. Perspective doesn't come easily when a season ends so drastically. Perspective comes from stepping away, gauging the accomplishments, gauging the history of the franchise and trying to take stock of who the Leafs are and where they might be heading. It is now a very long 58 years since the Leafs won a Stanley Cup — back when the NHL only had six teams and it took only eight playoff wins to celebrate. But ask yourself this, if you are anything resembling a Leafs historian — or even a long-time fan — has there been one Leafs team since 1967 that should have won a Cup? Was there a Leafs team good enough? The answer is no. Roger Neilson coached some impressive Toronto teams in the 1970s, led by Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald up front, with Tiger Williams fighting everyone, with Borje Salming and Ian Turnbull on defence and Mike Palmateer in goal. The most points they had in a season was 92 in 1978. They made it to the third round of the playoffs that year, being handled rather easily by the Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. The Leafs finished sixth out of 18 teams in the league. They weren't legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Pat Burns coached some impressive Toronto teams in the 1990s, led by Doug Gilmour, Dave Andreychuk and Wendel Clark up front, with a defence that included Dave Ellett, Sylvain Lefebvre and Jamie Macoun, and with Felix Potvin in goal. Twice in a row the Leafs advanced to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The first time they went seven games and lost to Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings and, all these years later — 32 in fact — that loss still stings. The team, though, was thin when compared to the current Leafs. The club finished eighth overall in 1993, lost in the semifinals the following year in a rather upsetting one-sided series against Vancouver. Those were the highlight years for Burns. Close as they may have been, they were never the best team in hockey. In Pat Quinn's first year coaching the Leafs, the club made it to the Eastern Conference final and Toronto had the third-best record in the NHL. The team was led by Mats Sundin in 1999 with a rather ordinary group of forwards coming after him such as Steve Thomas, Sergei Berezin and Mike Johnson. The defence had character and characters such as Dmitri Yushkevich, Danny Markov, Sylvain Cote and Tomas Kaberle. Curtis Joseph was difference maker in goal. That team lost to a Buffalo Sabres team missing Dominik Hasek. That never should have happened. But it happened once again in Quinn's time coaching the Leafs. In 2002, the Leafs were deeper up front with Sundin, Alex Mogilny, Gary Roberts, Tie Domi, Darcy Tucker and Shayne Corson. It wasn't exactly a Stanley Cup-winning defence that included Jyrkki Lumme, Cory Cross and Karel Pilar — even with the Leafs having Kaberle and Bryan McCabe. Even with Joseph in goal, the Leafs couldn't overcome Paul Maurice's Carolina team in the Conference final. The two best Neilson teams, the two best Burns teams, the two best Quinn teams were all sound NHL competitors — just not teams ready or able to grab the Stanley Cup. The most points the Leafs have ever had in a season was 115 and that came with Sheldon Keefe coaching and Auston Matthews scoring 60 goals and winning the Hart Trophy. That was in 2022. That Leafs team lost Games 6 and 7 of the first round to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Keefe followed up the 115-point season with 111 in 2023. That year, the Leafs won first round against Tampa but lost rather quickly to Florida in five games. Now, here are the Leafs of Brad Treliving and Craig Berube. They have Matthews, William Nylander and Matthew Knies up front and who knows after that. They have the deepest blueline of the past half century, starting with Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe as a sound shut-down pairing. They have depth in goal with Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, who may not individually compare to Joseph, Ed Belfour, Potvin or Palmateer, but they are sound as a pair, probably the best Toronto duo since Bernie Parent and Jacques Plante shared time in goal. A look at Brad Treliving's work two years into his tenure as Maple Leafs GM MAPLE LEAFS SNAP SHOTS: Brad Treliving, Craig Berube share new powers They have a coach Berube rather similar in style to Burns and similar in respect to Quinn. They have a 50-goal scorer, considering Matthews' average season, and a 40-goal scorer in Nylander — who in the East, other than Tampa, has anything to compare with that? No matter how the playoff series ended with Florida, this Leafs team had more elements than any of the previous squads of the past 58 years. Just how management turns the roster over with Marner likely leaving and Tavares growing one year older will be fascinating to observe. But they're not starting where Burns started or Quinn started, having to turn nothing into something. The booing happened at the end of Game 7 in Toronto. The firing of Brendan Shanahan happened not long after. The screaming from the bench and at the bench happened. The Maple Leafs unravelled on the ice, off the ice, at the worst of possible playoff moments and when opportunity was at its greatest. But when you look at the teams before them — coached by Neilson, Burns, Quinn and Keefe — this team still seems to have more. Right now, early June in today's NHL, we ask the question: Who is better than the Maple Leafs? The two teams who are playing for the Stanley Cup are better. After that, who else? ssimmons@
National Post
2 days ago
- Business
- National Post
SIMMONS: Beyond the Panthers and Oilers, who's better than the Toronto Maple Leafs?
A question to ask now that the noise has quieted, the president has lost his job and free agency of Mitch Marner and John Tavares remains but a month away: Which teams right now that are better than the Toronto Maple Leafs? Article content Article content You can start with the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers and then move to the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. Article content But after that, who? The Carolina Hurricanes? No. The Washington Capitals? No. The Tampa Bay Lightning? No. The New Jersey Devils? No. The Ottawa Senators? No. The Montreal Canadiens? No. Article content Article content You move to the Western Conference and you can't feel good about how the Dallas Stars played against the Oilers. You can't feel good about the President's Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets or the ease with which Vegas lost to Edmonton in the second round of the playoffs. Article content St. Louis proved to be a tough out and they were. But the Kings of Los Angeles imploded as their best two players head into their 18th and 20th seasons. Article content Article content With Marner and Tavares or without the duo — and assuming the replacements put in place by general manager Brad Treliving will be reasonable and not necessarily equal — where exactly are the Leafs heading into the draft, free agency, and what will certainly be a busy off-season? Article content What hurt wasn't that the Leafs lost in seven games to the defending champioin Panthers. Tampa and Carolina lasted just five games apiece against Florida. There's no certainty Edmonton will take them to seven games again — although I'm picking the Oilers to win. Article content What hurt was how the Leafs lost. How they lost themselves in Games 5 and 7 at home. How they didn't compete in any meaningful way. How they seemed incapable of matching the intensity of the Panthers. Article content Article content Even as Carolina went down in five games, they fought right to the end. They weren't trampled on. They weren't embarrassed. But still, they lost in 5. Two games fewer than the Maple Leafs managed to last. Article content Article content Perspective doesn't come easily when a season ends so drastically. Perspective comes from stepping away, gauging the accomplishments, gauging the history of the franchise and trying to take stock of who the Leafs are and where they might be heading. Article content Roger Neilson coached some impressive Toronto teams in the 1970s, led by Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald up front, with Tiger Williams fighting everyone, with Borje Salming and Ian Turnbull on defence and Mike Palmateer in goal. The most points they had in a season was 92 in 1978.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Maple Leafs GM Makes 'Emotional' Admission About Discussion With Mitch Marner
Maple Leafs GM Makes 'Emotional' Admission About Discussion With Mitch Marner originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again heading into a summer of difficult decisions, and general manager Brad Treliving took center stage on Thursday to share a few more nuggets about what's next. Advertisement Following a second-round exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers, Toronto's front office faces the prospect of reshaping a Core Four that has failed to deliver deep playoff runs across nearly a decade. While Treliving made his commitment to bring young forward Matthew Knies back clear, and praised the impact of coach Craig Berube, his comments about his two top-tier pending free agents—Mitch Marner and John Tavares—suggest changes might be coming. As things stand, without contract-extension agreements in place, Marner and Tavares are heading into unrestricted free agency on July 1. Treliving declined to confirm whether the Leafs intend to offer a new deal to Marner, who led the team with 102 points in 2024–25. Advertisement 'I think Mitch is a tremendous player. I think he's a star,' Treliving said. 'We're in that process right now.' Treliving explained that discussions with Marner are still in an early phase because of the "emotional" nature of the situation, with Toronto suffering another playoff collapse. 'Mitch and I had a discussion. It's emotional right now,' Treliving said. 'You've got to get composed, you've got to think clearly and then start going through that process.' Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner (16)John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Treliving, however, acknowledged that the decision will not be one-sided, hinting at a need for both sides to make some concessions to reach an agreement. Advertisement 'Mitch has a say in this as well,' Treliving said. 'This isn't the world according to Brad.' At his own end-of-season availability, Marner avoided making any commitment about his potential return to Toronto. 'Always loved my time here. I loved being here,' Marner said. 'I haven't processed anything yet. It's still so fresh.' Related: Maple Leafs' Brad Treliving Reveals His Matthew Knies Desire Without Hesitation Related: NHL Trade Idea Sends Penguins' Erik Karlsson to Maple Leafs in One-for-One Deal This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Insider Shares 'Plausible' Mitch Marner Move for Maple Leafs Before Free Agency
Insider Shares 'Plausible' Mitch Marner Move for Maple Leafs Before Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to prioritize re-signing captain John Tavares over Mitch Marner this offseason. Advertisement NHL insider David Pagnotta is reporting a growing likelihood that Marner will head to free agency on July 1, but the analyst presented an interesting and not-so-discussed scenario. In a May 30 article for The Fourth Period, Pagnotta outlined Toronto's situation with both veteran forwards and offered insight into the club's internal planning. "An extension for Tavares is much more likely than one with Marner at this point in time," Pagnotta wrote. "All indications are Marner is heading to free agency. "He hasn't closed the door on a return to Toronto, but he wants to evaluate his options." Tavares, who signed a seven-year, $77 million contract in 2018, has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay with the team. Advertisement Although the Leafs are expected to offer Tavares a lower-money contract, talks are expected to progress soon Meanwhile, Pagnotta said Marner's list of preferred destinations has narrowed to a few teams, mostly in the Western Conference, with the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights among those mentioned. "Do I believe they don't have an idea where they stand with Mitch Marner and John Tavares? Absolutely not," Pagnotta wrote. "But I get where [Treliving] is coming from." Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) looks on playing with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Kirouac-Imagn Images The most interesting scenario shared by Pagnotta, however, has to do with the possibility of Toronto completing some sort of sign-and-trade deal, which is considered unlikely, or a scenario in which the Maple Leafs could opt to trade Marner's negotiating rights for a draft pick before July 1. Advertisement "Could the Leafs trade his rights for a draft pick to give a team a headstart in contract negotiations?" Pagnotta wondered. "That seems more plausible." Related: Elliotte Friedman Reveals Why Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Trade to Vegas Never Happened Related: Struggling Western Conference Team Named 'Team to Watch' for Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving on the Mitch Marner contract ‘process,' team's DNA
TORONTO — In an end-of-season news conference Thursday, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving acknowledged that the team failed to reach its goals and that 'there's some DNA that has to change.' Treliving said the team is still determining its path as it relates to Mitch Marner — potentially the most highly touted unrestricted free agent the NHL has seen in years. Treliving declined to comment on whether the team would offer a contract to Marner or John Tavares, who is also eligible to become a UFA on July 1. Advertisement 'I think Mitch is a tremendous player. I think he's a star. We're in that process right now,' Treliving said of talks with the Leafs' superstar winger and leading scorer in 2024-25. 'Mitch and I had a discussion. It's emotional right now,' he said, later clarifying that exit meetings after a playoff loss are emotional for all involved and that his comments were not specific to Marner. 'You've got to get composed, you've got to think clearly and then start going through that process,' he said. 'I'm going to be in touch with Mitch's representative and determine what's best,' Treliving said. 'Mitch has a say in this as well.' Speaking about his future at locker cleanout day earlier this month, Marner spoke about the Leafs, and his nine years playing at home in Toronto, in the past tense. 'I've always loved my time here. I've loved being here,' he said. At no point did he express his desire to stay. Speaking more broadly about the roster on Thursday, Treliving said he believed that change would be necessary. 'When you keep getting to the same result, there's some DNA that has to change,' he said. Treliving's comments on Marner were highly anticipated. Head coach Craig Berube and 10 Leafs players conducted their year-end media availabilities almost immediately in the wake of their second-round exit. MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley then spoke five days after the Leafs' final game to address former Leafs president Brendan Shanahan's departure from the organization. Treliving was in Calgary to attend high daughter's graduation. Marner declined to discuss an extension with the Leafs this past season. That led to an attempt by Treliving's front office to facilitate a trade at the March 7 deadline that would have sent Marner to Carolina in exchange for Mikko Rantanen. Marner declined to waive his no-movement clause and the trade was scuttled. Advertisement Treliving stepped in front of the microphones in an abrupt media availability on March 9. 'We want Mitch here for a long time,' Treliving said at the time. 'I'm here to just play hockey,' Marner said in March when asked about extension talks. 'It's a business out there. I know what's going on. I'm just here to play hockey. I'm here to enjoy everything and go through the ups and downs with these guys, and just take it day by day and try to help us win games.' Marner led the Leafs with a career-high 102 points during the regular season. He joined Auston Matthews, Doug Gilmour, and Darryl Sittler as only the fourth player in franchise history to register 100 points in a season. Marner went on to post 13 points in 13 playoff games this past spring, but scored only two goals and failed to produce in the latter part of the second round against Florida. He had only one point, an assist, in the final four games, three of them losses for the Leafs. Marner's Leafs tenure, if this is indeed the end, will be defined in part by the postseason disappointments, both for the team and for Marner personally. The Leafs have won only two rounds during his time in Toronto and Marner produced 63 points in 70 playoff games. Marner was consistently terrific in the regular season. He was named the top right winger in the NHL at the end of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons and was a Selke Trophy finalist in 2022-23. He is among the most talented players in Leafs history, with the fifth-most points (741) and the fourth-most assists (520).
