The Columbus Blue Jackets have struggled to start the 2026-27 season, winning just three of eight games and sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference in the early going. And while Kirill Marchenko has thrived with the Maple Leafs, recording 11 points in 11 games in Toronto, Matthew Knies has managed just four points in […]
The post NHL rumors: Pierre LeBrun names Blue Jackets forward as trade candidate appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Ja'Kobe Walter was the star of the Raptors' second unit in their season opener, locking up, scoring, and being in the right place at the right time.
On Wednesday evening, the Chicago Bulls kicked off their 2026-27 NBA season with an ugly 135-92 loss on the road to the Toronto Raptors. This game marked the head coaching debut of Tiago Splitter in Chicago, and he certainly didn’t look to have had his team prepared for this one. Splitter took over for the […]
The post Bulls HC Tiago Splitter’s new team lost by 43 points and his old team won by 41 points. Is that bad? appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Kawhi Leonard’s shot went cold in the Raptors' season opener, but his steady dominance still stood out in Toronto’s rout of the Chicago Bulls.
Kawhi Leonard doesn't seem concerned about when he will be able to ramp up to full participation after seeing limited playing time in his Wednesday night return to the Toronto Raptors.
Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe says he feels fine after leaving the Oct. 22 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with an upper‑body injury caused by a high‑stick from Kent Johnson, who received a four‑minute double‑minor. The Leafs were up 5‑1 when McCabe exited, and he missed the rest of the contest but expects to return for Thursday’s matchup with the New York Rangers. McCabe notes Johnson’s stick was an accident, thanks the team medical staff, and praises rookie defenseman Marshall Rifai for stepping up amid other Leafs injuries.
The Calgary Flames are eyeing a trade for veteran right‑shot defenseman Zach Whitecloud, with the Toronto Maple Leafs emerging as the most likely partner. According to The Fourth Period, Calgary wants an A‑level prospect, a high draft pick, or a mix of both. Possible Leafs assets include 2024 first‑rounder Ben Danford, a promising bottom‑pair defenseman, and left‑shot prospects Alexander Bilecki and Ethan MacKenzie. The Leafs’ first‑round picks are tied up in prior deals, limiting options to later‑round selections or centre prospects like Tinus‑Luc Koblar. The article breaks down each candidate and the challenges of the Leafs’ pick situation.
The New York Rangers visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 22 at 7:00 PM in Scotiabank Arena (TSN4, MSG). Toronto comes off a 6-2 win over Columbus, sitting 5‑4‑2 (0.545 pts %). New York, fresh from a 5-2 home victory over Anaheim, holds a stronger 7‑3‑1 record (0.682 pts %). The Rangers rely on elite save percentages—Shesterkin’s early performance and Garand’s recent form—plus a top‑10 penalty kill, while their five‑on‑five and power play remain average. Leafs lineups feature Auston Matthews and a returning Jake McCabe despite a shiner. Expect a tight, defensively‑focused contest.
The Maple Leafs are set to start veteran goalie Sergei Bobrovsky against the New York Rangers after his 3‑1 win over the Sharks and a .902 save percentage in seven starts. Captain Auston Matthews praises his play, while forward Marshall Rifai’s status remains uncertain after leaving the morning skate early, with Nick Blankenburg poised to fill the spot. Defenseman Jake McCabe returns despite a high‑stick injury, and sophomore winger Easton Cowan continues his breakout with 10 points in 11 games, keeping his first‑line role alongside Matthews.
Caleb Wilson was expected to stand out against Toronto, but another Bulls rookie stole the spotlight with six offensive rebounds in just 14 minutes.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for a top-four defenseman, something that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for a top-four defenseman, something that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
Toronto Raptors rookie big man Allen Graves validated the team's NBA Draft strategy by shining in his debut against the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls endured a 135-92 drubbing by the Kawhi Leonard‑led Toronto Raptors on Oct. 22, 2026, with guard Josh Giddey posting one of the worst games of his career. Giddey revealed he suffered a left‑wrist injury in the first preseason game, had an MRI, and will have to play through it, yet the injury never appeared on the official report. He finished with 2 points on 1‑for‑10 shooting, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and five turnovers in 24 minutes. The undisclosed injury may explain his offensive collapse as the Bulls aim to rebound against the Milwaukee Bucks next.
Bluebird Banter asks fans to name a Toronto Blue Jays player who failed to meet expectations, spotlighting former top prospect Travis Snider. The post highlights Snider’s early promise—hitting .301/.338/.466 in 24 games at 20 in 2008 and a solid .767 OPS at 22—but criticizes the Jays’ inconsistent playing time and reliance on veterans. After limited use, he was traded to Pittsburgh in 2011, where he posted modest numbers before stints with the Orioles. Readers are invited to share their own under‑delivered Blue Jays picks.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are starting to find their footing after a three-game losing streak. Two straight wins, including Tuesday’s 6–2 victory over Columbus, have given the team some momentum…
The Raptors make NBA history as Kawhi Leonard returns to Toronto.
The Raptors stomped the Bulls, but Jakob Poeltl still failed to look like the dominant interior presence Toronto needs him to be.
Former NHL coach Dean Evason praises Toronto’s early‑season resurgence, noting the Leafs sit 5‑4‑2 after back‑to‑back wins over San Jose and Columbus and now boast the league’s top penalty kill (97.4%) and a 27.5% power play. He highlights recent additions—Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime, Vinni Lettieri, Jack Roslovic—and lauds Kirill Marchenko, who posts 11 points in 11 games and adds a new threat on the power play. Evason says Marchenko’s biggest flaw is waiting for the puck, but when “at his best he gets after it.” Confident the Leafs can clinch a playoff spot in the competitive Atlantic, Evason sees a different, winning feeling in Toronto.
The Toronto Maple Leafs finally rose to the occasion on Oct. 22, 2026, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in a game that carried extra weight after the recent blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Knies to Columbus and brought Kirill Marchenko to Toronto. Marchenko’s first return to his old arena sparked strong emotions from both clubs, and the Leafs honored the moment with a convincing win, showing they can back a new teammate in high‑stakes matchups. The victory, highlighted by coach Craig Berube’s decision to start Anthony Stolarz, signals a shift in Toronto’s approach to emotionally charged regular‑season games.
The Cubs acquired former Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman hoping his 2025 postseason brilliance would translate to Chicago, but his nine starts this season prove disappointing. Gausman's 4.83 ERA and 1.232 WHIP are worse than his Toronto numbers (4.38 ERA, 1.288 WHIP), and he surrendered 11 homers in just 50.1 innings—a stark rise from 15 in 127.1 innings last year. He faltered in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, yielding three runs in 3.1 innings. Now a 36‑year‑old unrestricted free agent, Gausman may return to Toronto, while the Cubs likely move on.
Here is how the Raptors destroyed the Bulls by 43 points on Opening Night, with Kawhi Leonard’s return and a dominant team win.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent goaltending prospect Artur Akhtyamov back to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies after he briefly backed up veteran Sergei Bobrovsky in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 22. The recall was purely to give Bobrovsky rest during a back‑to‑back stretch, marking the first time the 30‑year‑old has sat out in his nearly 20‑year NHL career. Akhtyamov, a 2020 fourth‑round pick, posted a 2.22 GAA and .923 SV% in the Marlies’ Calder Cup run, and Bobrovsky praised mentoring the 24‑year‑old. The Leafs now host the New York Rangers before heading west to play the Edmonton Oilers.
Chicago fell to the Toronto Raptors 135-92 to begin the 2026-27 NBA season.
Samson Folk & Trevon Heath recap the Raptors big season opener as well as discussing the games this weekend.
The post Kawhi Leonard debuts as Raptors crush Bulls + game planning for the Wizards first appeared on Raptors Republic .