It’s been 10 years since the draft lottery has been relevant in Toronto, and the organization was certainly in a much different place then than it is now. After a well-orchestrated tank in 2015-16 with Lou Lamoriello in the GM’s chair and Mike Babcock behind the bench, there was a groundswell of positivity that the […]
The post Maple Leafs’ Draft Lottery Odds: The fate of the first-round pick hangs in the balance appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
It’s no longer smoke that the Edmonton Oilers seemingly have a desire to move on from Darnell Nurse. As the 2024 playoffs wound down, his name began to appear on trade target boards as a potential option to be moved, and a year later, the Oilers asked Nurse to waive his no-trade clause — something…
Auston Matthews does have two years to run on his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. But we all know in professional sports these days, if a star player isn't happy, they find their way out of town, one way or another. With everyone around Toronto trying to make sense of the team's new front office hirings, Matthews is no different. And according to insider Chris Johnston, writing in The Athletic , the team's captain "isn't sure" yet if he'll be back in Blue & White next season. ...
Does it give you comfort to know that the Jays have the exact record they had last year at this time? No, me neither. If it is going to be like last year, now is the time to turn it around. In May last year they were 16-12. Eric Lauer wasn’t throwing as hard as […]
The Dallas Mavericks shocked the basketball world on Monday morning by hiring veteran executive Masai Ujiri as their new President of Basketball Operations and Alternate Governor. Ujiri enjoyed largely successful stints as the top decision maker with the Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors throughout the 2010s, winning both an Executive of the Year award and […]
“It starts right away by us taking advantage of a power play. We set the tone with everyone, not just a few [players]. We’ve done a good job of staying out of the box, staying disciplined, and defending. All of our transition is coming from our good D-zone coverage, and we have to continue that […]
The post Toronto Marlies one win away from division finals after dominant Game 3 victory over Laval appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
written in collaboration with Alec Brownscombe The Toronto Maple Leafs officially introduced John Chayka and Mats Sundin as GM and Senior Executive Advisor of Hockey Operations, respectively, on Monday. A lot was said, and a lot was still left to the imagination. The introductory press conference featuring Keith Pelley, Sundin, and Chayka didn’t initially alleviate […]
The post The good, the bad, and the still-unanswered from John Chayka and Mats Sundin’s press day appeared first on Maple L...
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t assemble the highest-paid roster in the league just to get out of the first round. “We haven’t done anything,” Donovan Mitchell said after his team closed out the Toronto Raptors in seven games. “It’s just the first round.” The Cavs will have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team […]
Meanwhile Leafs media looked like Max Domi running around trying to get someone to fight him at yesterday's presser.
Maple Leafs GM John Chayka joined Elliotte Friedman to discuss the tampering accusations on day one of the job, his reception and reputation around the league, the challenge facing him in Toronto, his belief in Auston Matthews and William Nylander, and the areas in need of change on the roster. On the first day of […]
The post John Chayka on the challenges of managing in Toronto: “I don’t think the league is going to do us any favours writ large… We’re going to focus on what we can control” ...
After a monster season that saw him record 22 goals and 70 points in 73 games, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh is set to land him a big payday this offseason. Due to this, let's look at three teams that could look to sign Raddysh if the Bolts do not re-sign him. Toronto Maple Leafs The Maple Leafs need another right-shot defenseman, so it would not be surprising if they looked to add Raddysh in free agency. He has already been connected to the Leafs in the past and wo...
On their first day as the new leaders in hockey operations for the Maple Leafs, John Chayka and Mats Sundin joined Real Kyper & Bourne to discuss their process of assessing the organization, charting a path forward, the culture they’re seeking to build, and whether Auston Matthews and William Nylander are “untouchables.” How did the […]
The post John Chayka on whether the Leafs are still building around Matthews & Nylander going forward: “That’s a fair assessment… We are talking about world-...
Blue Jays 1 Rays 5 That was a very frustrating game. The Jays had ten hits, but just one extra base hit, a double by Yohendrick Piñango. It is hard to have 10 hits and only get one run. You really have to work at it. And, the Rays scored three in the first. Eric […]
Hot off yet another home series sweep, the Rays welcomed the Blue Jays to Tropicana Field for the opener of a three-game series. Nick Martinez starts the series opener, bringing a 1.70 ERA into the game after six starts on the season. Start number seven began with a one-pitch flyout, and ended without a runner […]
So the Jays don’t appear to be using an opener today, it is Eric Lauer right from the first pitch. Let’s have a good start Eric. And there is no Heineman or Springer. Springer is supposed to be available off the bench and he’s supposed to be starting tomorrow. We’ll see I guess. That ball […]
After his introductory press conference as the 19th GM in Maple Leafs history, John Chayka discussed the media pressure in Toronto, his reputation around the league, the challenge of retooling the roster, and his relationship with Mats Sundin. What does it mean to you to be the GM of this team? Chayka: It is special. […]
The post John Chayka on the questions about his reputation around the NHL: “I have a lot of really great relationships around the league… I was able to do a lot of transacti...
After his introductory press conference as the Maple Leafs’ new Senior Executive Advisor of Hockey Operations, Mats Sundin discussed his decision to transition into a managerial role, the backlash surrounding John Chayka’s hiring, his familiarity with European hockey/prospects, and the opportunity to work with William Nylander and Auston Matthews. What made this the right time […]
The post Mats Sundin on the backlash surrounding John Chayka as the Leafs’ new GM: “I’ve watched John for a long...
There is a new general manager in town for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the hiring has sparked controversy around the league. Following the firing of Brad Treliving on March 30, the Leafs were on a search for the next GM, and they landed on John Chayka. The MapleLeafs have hired John Chayka as their…
The Toronto Maple Leafs have now entered the John Chayka/Mats Sundin era. What a time to be alive in Leafs Nation. The management duo was introduced at a press conference in Toronto on Monday, and it's obvious there's been a lot of pushback from opposing teams around the league over hiring Chayka back into a GM position, and for Sundin, it's certainly a huge risk to his legacy as a Leaf. Heading into the offseason, there's going to be significant change coming to the Maple Leafs roster, which ...
There is a whole mess of injury news this afternoon: Today’s lineup is similar to yesterday’s, minus Sosa and Heineman, and Varsho is DH today. He was having some better at bats yesterday. Hopefully that will continue. Today’s Lineups BLUE JAYS RAYS Yohendrick Pinango – LF Chandler Simpson – LF Kazuma Okamoto – 3B Junior […]
Rick Leach turns 69 today. In 1979, the Tigers picked him 13th overall. Leach reached the majors in the 1981 strike season, hitting .193/.320/.289 in 83 at-bats, mainly pinch-hitting with some first and right field. He played three seasons for Detroit without much success at the plate before his release. After leaving Detroit, the Blue […]
Wow. After weeks of "due diligence" to come up with their new general manager, MLSE President Keith Pelley probably didn't expect a question like this at the big news conference to introduce John Chayka (and Mats Sundin). Reporter Steve Simmons stood up at the media event and told Pelley, with Chayka seated beside him, that 19 of 20 prominent NHL people Simmons talked to called the hiring "a sham" and referred to Chayka as a "con artist", a "liar" and "salesman." Toronto is hockey cinema...
Leave it to the Toronto Maple Leafs to be nothing short of a source of entertainment. In a move that took the hockey world by surprise, the Leafs announced Sunday they hired John Chayka as general manager, and Mats Sundin as senior executive advisor. The Sundin news was tolerable, given his 13-years as a player…
The newest General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, John Chayka, discussed his childhood connection to the franchise, the interview process, his controversial exit from Arizona, and his plans for the first few weeks on the job. Opening Statements Chayka: This is not just a job. Being the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs […]
The post John Chayka on the importance of selling Auston Matthews on a winning vision in Toronto: “I just came from an organization where we spent our entire...
MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley discussed the hiring of Mats Sundin and John Chayka into senior management positions with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Opening Statements Pelley: We are here today, but we are coming off a heartbreaking loss last night for the Raptors in Cleveland. I can tell you that the Raptors were the […]
The post Keith Pelley on the rumours surrounding Tie Domi’s involvement in Chayka’s hiring as Leafs GM: “There have been countless erroneous reports and inaccurate inform...