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Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Toronto Maple Leafs complete $10.5M Mitch Marner replacement project ahead of 2025–26 NHL season
NHL-Toronto Maple Leafs (Credit: Getty Images) T he Toronto Maple Leafs may have finally turned the page on the Mitch Marner era. The team entered this offseason knowing it was unlikely their $10.9 million forward would return. Now, they've executed what appears to be their solution: a four-man effort to replicate Marner's all-around value. While no single player can replace the dynamic impact of Marner, one of the top two-way wingers in the National Hockey League, the Maple Leafs have chosen a different path. As famously quoted in Moneyball, it's about replacing a star 'in the aggregate.' Toronto's front office brought in four new NHL talents, Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, Joshua Roy, and Michael Pezzetta, whose combined cap hit stands at $10.5 million for the upcoming 2025–26 season. The strategy is simple: redistribute Marner's workload across a mix of skill, physicality, and depth. A blend of grit and finesse arrives in Toronto M by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo accelli is arguably the most skilled of the incoming group. The Finnish winger brings offensive upside and high hockey IQ, skills that align well with the team's top-six structure. Dakota Joshua, fresh off a strong season with the Vancouver Canucks, adds size, checking ability, and defensive responsibility. Marner's departure marks a new chapter Marner's likely exit this summer didn't catch anyone off guard. The Toronto Maple Leafs knew early in the offseason that re-signing the former London Knights star would be a long shot. The 27-year-old's price tag. And the team's evolving cap structure made it a difficult fit. The pressure doesn't ease with the change Even without Marner, the expectations in Toronto remain sky-high; the Maple Leafs still boast core stars like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly. Now, with a deeper and potentially more balanced lineup, Toronto hopes to finally overcome its postseason demons. Replacing Marner isn't about finding another elite winger, it's about building a more resilient and complete team. Whether the $10.5 million project pays off won't be known until April, but one thing's clear: the Toronto Maple Leafs are betting on depth over star power this time. Also Read: Edmonton Oilers linked to $27m veteran Jonathan Marchessault, pressure mounts as Oilers eye scoring boost for NHL 2025-26 season Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Ottawa Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
What the Puck: Expect the Canadiens to take a step forward next season
In the sweltering dog days of July, our thoughts naturally turn to … next season's Montreal Canadiens lineup! For us hockey obsessives, it's part of the beauty of living in Quebec — hockey talk never stops, even during a summer heat wave. I remember years ago swimming in a lake in the Townships and spending a half-hour in the water in the noonday sun chatting Habs with my buddy Karsten. Article content Article content The chatter is more animated than usual this summer, given that the Canadiens management team of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes have added some key pieces and let go a few supporting-role players. The big additions are defenceman Noah Dobson and winger Zachary Bolduc. Both are upgrades any which way you look at it. Article content Article content The signing of Montrealer Joe Veleno Wednesday is a much more minor add. The centre from Kirkland inked a one-year $900,000 contract with the Habs and presumably he's at best a fourth-line centre or maybe even someone who can help the Rocket in Laval. He's a left-shot centre and that's something the Canadiens strongly needed. But thus far in the National Hockey League, he's underwhelmed. Article content The departures include David Savard, Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, Emil Heineman and Michael Pezzetta. Savard was very good on the penalty kill and did yeoman service blocking shots. But he retired for a reason — he was seriously banged up after all those years sacrificing his body on the ice and by last season he was literally lumbering around. With Dobson being added to the blue line, the D is better, no questions asked. Article content Article content Dvo and Army are big losses because, with Jake Evans, they were the team's key PK dudes. So others will have to step up in that department. Heineman was a forward with some toughness and skill, but Bolduc last season showed he can also play that gritty style and he clearly has way more offensive upside than Heineman. Article content Here's the key question right now about nos Canadiens: Do you think they will take a step forward next season, a step back or stay at about the same level? Article content I would say the team will take a modest step forward and will probably be back in the playoffs. But there are no guarantees. To move forward, Juraj Slafkovsky has to play a consistent full season, something he's yet to do. Patrick Laine has to continue to pop in those power-play goals on a regular basis. Article content Lane Hutson can't have a sophomore slump. Dobson has to show that he's more like the guy who put up 70 points two seasons ago than he is the fellow who only garnered 39 points last season. Bolduc, honestly, I have no worries about. He's going to be great.
Montreal Gazette
5 days ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
What the Puck: Expect the Canadiens to take a step forward next season
Hockey Inside Out By In the sweltering dog days of July, our thoughts naturally turn to ... next season's Montreal Canadiens lineup! For us hockey obsessives, it's part of the beauty of living in Quebec — hockey talk never stops, even during a summer heat wave. I remember years ago swimming in a lake in the Townships and spending a half-hour in the water in the noonday sun chatting Habs with my buddy Karsten. The chatter is more animated than usual this summer, given that the Canadiens management team of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes have added some key pieces and let go a few supporting-role players. The big additions are defenceman Noah Dobson and winger Zachary Bolduc. Both are upgrades any which way you look at it. The signing of Montrealer Joe Veleno Wednesday is a much more minor add. The centre from Kirkland inked a one-year $900,000 contract with the Habs and presumably he's at best a fourth-line centre or maybe even someone who can help the Rocket in Laval. He's a left-shot centre and that's something the Canadiens strongly needed. But thus far in the National Hockey League, he's underwhelmed. The departures include David Savard, Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, Emil Heineman and Michael Pezzetta. Savard was very good on the penalty kill and did yeoman service blocking shots. But he retired for a reason — he was seriously banged up after all those years sacrificing his body on the ice and by last season he was literally lumbering around. With Dobson being added to the blue line, the D is better, no questions asked. Dvo and Army are big losses because, with Jake Evans, they were the team's key PK dudes. So others will have to step up in that department. Heineman was a forward with some toughness and skill, but Bolduc last season showed he can also play that gritty style and he clearly has way more offensive upside than Heineman. Here's the key question right now about nos Canadiens: Do you think they will take a step forward next season, a step back or stay at about the same level? I would say the team will take a modest step forward and will probably be back in the playoffs. But there are no guarantees. To move forward, Juraj Slafkovsky has to play a consistent full season, something he's yet to do. Patrick Laine has to continue to pop in those power-play goals on a regular basis. Lane Hutson can't have a sophomore slump. Dobson has to show that he's more like the guy who put up 70 points two seasons ago than he is the fellow who only garnered 39 points last season. Bolduc, honestly, I have no worries about. He's going to be great. The other cool thing is that with the addition of Veleno gives Montreal six Québécois players, the most local players the team has had since 2008-2009. I have to applaud this as a chap who published a book last year, Le CH et son peuple, that made the case that the bleu-blanc-rouge had their greatest success when the roster was at its most Québécois. The six Quebecers are Veleno, Bolduc, Alexandre Carrier, Mike Matheson, Samuel Montembeault and Samuel Blais. It's interesting to underline that the team now has two bilingual anglo West Islanders in Veleno and Matheson. So much for the stereotype of the unilingual anglo! I posed the question about whether the Habs were moving forward or backward to the hockey-mad folks on my social networks and here are a few responses. Neath Turcot: It's going to be the most interesting year in a long time. I do think they will make the playoffs. Is Montembeault going to step up and be the man? They now have second round potential, but maybe not enough experience to get beyond that. But they will be one of the most fun teams in the league to watch. Sébastien Joannette: 'Trust the process.' This time ... I actually believe. With Dobson finally giving us a real top-pair defenceman and Demidov arriving straight from his teenage KHL domination tour, things are starting to feel dangerously competent. Add a maturing core, a coach the players would probably follow into a volcano, and yeah — I'm all in. This season: big step forward. Two years from now? Parade planning. Don't act surprised. David Lametti: Improved on D: Dobson a major improvement, possibly Reinbacher. Improved top 6: Demidov gets a full season, Slaf only getting better; Bolduc; Dach healthy. Laine an enigma, but at least is healthy and hopefully a half-step quicker. Losing Armia and Dvorak is tough on the PK, but Evans still anchors it with Anderson. Bottom six of Evans, Anderson, Gallagher, Veleno, Newhook and room for Kapanen, Florian X, Beck. Goaltending is underrated and Fowler is waiting. Eminence grise: Probably won't make the playoffs, unless you think Joe Veleno just put them over the hump, lol. Adam Noodelman: I think a step forward in points but probably still a wild card in the playoffs because the top 3 teams in the Atlantic Division are still quite formidable in the regular season. Wild card 1 should be attainable though. Anna Winters: Same level. Doug Miller: We are going to be far better and an absolute joy to watch! Teams will not take the Habs lightly and will play their starting goalies all the time.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL trade buzz: Multiple teams monitoring Carter Hart amid sexual assault trial verdict
Multiple teams monitoring Carter Hart amid sexual assault trial verdict (Credit: Getty Images) Carter Hart hasn't played a game in months, but his name is back in the National Hockey League spotlight for very different reasons. As the legal proceedings tied to the 2018 World Junior Championship case near a conclusion, Hart's future in the NHL is suddenly being revisited by several teams. — NHLRumourReport (@NHLRumourReport) More clubs watching the courtroom than the crease While free agency has come and gone for most, Hart's situation remains unique. Several NHL clubs are reportedly paying close attention to his trial, waiting to see how the proceedings unfold. If the verdict clears him, there's growing belief that interest will spike, quietly but quickly. Not every team is ready to take that leap, but a few are reportedly preparing for the possibility. Oilers step away, but others stay in the loop The Edmonton Oilers were among the first rumored to be considering Hart, as they looked for ways to bolster their goaltending situation. However, that interest has now cooled off. Still, around the league, conversations haven't stopped. Teams like the Detroit Red Wings and others are rumored to be keeping tabs on them. Along with a wait-and-watch approach until the trial concludes. Uncertainty lingers as the decision nears For now, Hart remains unsigned and off the ice. and with his future deeply tied to the outcome of the case, as the conversation around him has shifted from performance to possibility. Will this make teams feel comfortable giving him a second chance if he's cleared? The verdict may answer that question soon. But the decision from NHL clubs could take even longer. As the National Hockey League looks ahead to the upcoming season. Carter Hart's situation serves as a reminder of the complexities that can arise from the intersection of talent, accountability, and public image. His case has created uncertainty, but also presents opportunities for teams willing to weigh both the risks and rewards. Also Read: NHL trade rumors: Flames' Rasmus Andersson linked to potential trade for Stars' $31 million winger in wild proposal Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Full Detroit Red Wings 2025-26 NHL Season Schedule Released
It won't be long before the Detroit Red Wings hit the ice for what will be their centennial season in the National Hockey League, a full 100 years.
