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Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Insider Addresses Possible Breakup of Maple Leafs' Core Four
NHL Insider Addresses Possible Breakup of Maple Leafs' Core Four originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into another offseason marked by disappointment, the spotlight remains fixed on their long-standing Core Four and what might happen next. Advertisement Following a second-round collapse against the Florida Panthers, speculation has grown about whether general manager Brad Treliving will break up the group that has consistently fallen short in the postseason, even more after he claimed the "DNA has to change" during his final media availability. Despite those remarks and steady calls for major change, analysts Bryan Hayes and Darren Dreger are not convinced that trades involving Auston Matthews or William Nylander are on the table. Speaking on TSN's "OverDrive" on Monday, Hayes pushed back against the idea that Toronto could shop any of the big names outside of Mitch Marner in an offseason trade. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) speaks with Mitch Marner (16), William Nylander (88), and Matthew Knies (23) at Scotiabank Hamilton-Imagn Images "They're not trading Matthews or Nylander," Hayes said. "I just can't see it, man. Advertisement "Matthews, they're not moving off. Nylander is a year into an eight-year (contract with a) full no-move (clause). Willy's not going anywhere. I just don't think Willy would waive." Hayes pointed to the Maple Leafs' past behavior—with all of Marner, Nylander, and Matthews having signed at least one contract extension in Toronto—as further evidence that the club won't pressure their top stars to move. "They've never shown at any point a scenario where they felt like they would make things uncomfortable or they would try to do that," Hayes said. Dreger, speaking on "Leafs Morning Take" on May 23, precisely pointed toward that trend while echoing Hayes' sentiment. Advertisement The insider, however, dismissed the idea of Matthews being part of any bold shift unless he requests a trade. "Come on, this guy is an absolute stud; he's a superstar," Dreger said. "For it to happen with Matthews at any point in the foreseeable future, that would be on him." Related: NHL Insider Adds Fuel to Connor McDavid-Maple Leafs Speculation Related: Only One Thing Could Make Maple Leafs Trade Auston Matthews, Insider Believes This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL Rumor: Sam Bennett may reject Maple Leafs despite strong playoff run
The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading into what could be a big offseason, with many eyes on the team's next moves. As rumors swirl, some fans are wondering if Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett could be on Toronto's radar. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 28-year-old center has impressed during the playoffs and is expected to be one of the top free agents available this summer. However, some experts believe a move to Toronto is not likely. Sam Bennett having a postseason but Leafs link weak Sam Bennett has had a strong showing this year. He scored 51 points in 76 regular-season games and now has 14 points in just 15 playoff games. His performance has only boosted his value ahead of free agency, which begins on July 1. He is currently playing for the Panthers but will have many teams interested in signing him once the season ends. However, TSN insider Darren Dreger shared on 'Leafs Morning Take' that he doesn't think Sam Bennett will choose Toronto. Dreger said, 'I'm not convinced Sam Bennett wants to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs.' He added that Sam Bennett may prefer other destinations, not because of the pressure in Toronto, but because he will have many strong offers to consider. Also Read: Leafs face salary cap pressure and tough decisions Sam Bennett is expected to get a raise from his current $4.425 million salary and will likely ask for a long-term deal. That may be a problem for Toronto. The Leafs are projected to have about $25.7 million in cap space, but they also need to sign key restricted free agents and possibly make trades or re-sign current players. Sportsnet has ranked Sam Bennett as the second-best free agent this summer, just behind Leafs star Mitch Marner. That makes Sam Bennett a hot name, but not an easy fit for Toronto's salary structure. It's also worth noting that Sam Bennett is originally from Ontario, which adds to fan hopes that he might come home. But based on early reports, the Maple Leafs may not be the team that wins this race. As free agency gets closer, the Leafs will explore many options, but adding Sam Bennett might not be one of them no matter how well he's playing right now.
