Skip to main content

Maple Leafs Hotstove

Providing Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies news, opinion and analysis since 2008, MLHS is one of the largest, most authoritative independent hockey sites online.

Total reads

3,375

This week

5

Rank

#60 of 412

Published

699 posts

Most read posts

Featured on Sportsblogs

Run this blog? Add the badge to your site to show readers you're featured — it links back to this page.

Featured on Sportsblogs

Latest Entries

Sergei Bobrovsky on choosing the Maple Leafs: “It is a blessing to join this team… Toronto is the capital of hockey, in my mind”

After signing a three-year, $7 million AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky discussed his decision to choose Toronto in free agency. What made you want to sign with the Leafs? Why do you think this will be a good fit for you in Toronto?  Bobrovsky: Well, first of all, I am excited […] The post Sergei Bobrovsky on choosing the Maple Leafs: “It is a blessing to join this team… Toronto is the capital of hockey, in my mind” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

New Leaf Teddy Blueger on his past success with Dakota Joshua in Vancouver: “I love playing with him, and I’m hoping to get that chance again”

After signing a two-year, $2.5 million AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, forward Teddy Blueger discussed his decision to choose Toronto in free agency. What makes the Leafs a good fit for you? Blueger: You kind of go off of where you feel like you are wanted and where you feel like you can have […] The post New Leaf Teddy Blueger on his past success with Dakota Joshua in Vancouver: “I love playing with him, and I’m hoping to get that chance again” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Assessing the Maple Leafs’ big offseason, move by move — MLHS Podcast Ep. 122

In the latest MLHS Podcast, Nick Ashbourne and Anthony Petrielli discuss the Maple Leafs’ busy offseason, from the draft to the UFA period, and break down each addition and subtraction.  Episode Topics The Darren Raddysh sign-and-trade: eight years, $8.5 million AAV (1:30) The Sergei Bobrovsky signing: three years, $7 million AAV (16:40) The Nick Paul […] The post Assessing the Maple Leafs’ big offseason, move by move — MLHS Podcast Ep. 122 appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Maple Leafs AGM Ryan Hardy on the possibility of a McKenna-Matthews line: “I think he would thrive with Auston… Auston would take it as a badge of honour to bring a young guy under his wing”

Maple Leafs Assistant GM Ryan Hardy discussed the Maple Leafs’ active offseason, integrating Gavin McKenna into the lineup, the addition of Sergei Bobrovsky, Nick Paul’s role, and much more on TSN Overdrive.  Can you take us through why this isn’t too much change? Why was it necessary to turn the roster as much as you […] The post Maple Leafs AGM Ryan Hardy on the possibility of a McKenna-Matthews line: “I think he would thrive with Auston… Auston would take it as a badge of honour to bring ...

New Leaf Brandon Duhaime on his willingness to drop the gloves: “It is a part of my game… When you play a hard-checking game, stuff like that kind of finds you”

After signing a two-year, $2.6 million AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, forward Brandon Duhaime discussed his decision to choose Toronto in free agency. What made Toronto the right fit for you? Duhaime: From looking at the history of this team and how good they’ve been over the years, I just thought it’d be a […] The post New Leaf Brandon Duhaime on his willingness to drop the gloves: “It is a part of my game… When you play a hard-checking game, stuff like that kind of finds you” appeared ...

Colton Sissons on joining the Leafs after falling short in the Cup Final: “Still kind of reeling from it, to be honest… All I care about is trying to win one, and no place better to do that than Toronto”

After signing a two-year, $4.25 million AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, forward Colton Sissons discussed his decision to choose Toronto in free agency. What made Toronto the right fit for you? Sissons: We just started chatting, and I knew there was a lot of interest there. There was a role to fill down the […] The post Colton Sissons on joining the Leafs after falling short in the Cup Final: “Still kind of reeling from it, to be honest… All I care about is trying to win one, and no place ...

New Leaf Nick Paul on the Leafs jerseys he wore as a kid in Mississauga: “I had a bunch — Sundin, CuJo, Domi, Tucker… I loved it… This is pretty surreal”

After he was acquired by the Maple Leafs, forward Nick Paul discussed his homecoming to Toronto. Did you have a feeling that a trade might be a possibility this offseason? When you found out you were getting traded and traded to Toronto, what did you think? Paul: I didn’t really think anything of it this […] The post New Leaf Nick Paul on the Leafs jerseys he wore as a kid in Mississauga: “I had a bunch — Sundin, CuJo, Domi, Tucker… I loved it… This is pretty surreal” appeared first on Maple...

Jack Roslovic on joining his friend Auston Matthews in Toronto: “Stoked… It is going to be awesome”

After signing a two-year, $4 million AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, forward Jack Roslovic discussed his decision to choose Toronto in free agency. What made Toronto the right fit for you? Roslovic: The fit for me was a little bit of familiarity, the ability to play a strong, fast game, and really the complements […] The post Jack Roslovic on joining his friend Auston Matthews in Toronto: “Stoked… It is going to be awesome” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

“A lot of the work felt focused on making Auston Matthews better in roundabout ways” – Anthony Petrielli on John Chayka’s July 1 moves

MLHS’s Anthony Petrielli joined The FAN Morning Show to discuss John Chayka’s busy July 1 and Morgan Rielly’s current situation. On John Chayka’s July 1 work: Honestly, most of the things he did sort of revolved around Auston Matthews. Whether that is good or bad, we’ll find out, but let’s look at the moves. Matthews, […] The post “A lot of the work felt focused on making Auston Matthews better in roundabout ways” – Anthony Petrielli on John Chayka’s July 1 moves appeared first on Maple Leaf...

John Chayka on what he accomplished with the Leafs’ five signings and two trades on July 1: “The flexibility to create a lineup that we feel is now deeper, faster, bigger, heavier”

After a flurry of moves on July 1, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka discussed his confidence in Sergei Bobrovsky late in his career, the Nick Paul trade, the Jack Roslovic signing, and his depth additions at forward. In your words, why did you want to get Sergei Bobrovsky under contract for three years, and what […] The post John Chayka on what he accomplished with the Leafs’ five signings and two trades on July 1: “The flexibility to create a lineup that we feel is now deeper, faster, bigger, hea...

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs attempt to address 3C hole, acquire Nick Paul in exchange for Dennis Hildeby & two draft picks

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to remake their roster, acquiring Nick Paul in exchange for Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick. There were a few glaring issues on the Leafs’ roster, and this move hypothetically addresses both of them at once. The first is that the Leafs had a logjam […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs attempt to address 3C hole, acquire Nick Paul in exchange for Dennis Hildeby & two draft picks appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add another quality defensive forward — plus some jam — in Brandon Duhaime signing

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Brandon Duhaime have come to terms on a three-year, $2.6 million AAV contract. Duhaime is another player we profiled in our free agent series: Duhaime can play right wing, and that speed makes him a good fit beside slower wingers like Lorentz or Joshua on a checking line. Ideally, you […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add another quality defensive forward — plus some jam — in Brandon Duhaime signing appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Sergei Bobrovsky is a Maple Leaf — three years, $7 million AAV

Former Maple Leaf playoff villain Sergei Bobrovsky is changing sides and signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After days of intense speculation, the likeliest outcome came true on Canada Day when the famed goalie signed in Toronto. The terms: three years, $7 million AAV. Who is Sergei Bobrovsky? This header feels a little redundant for […] The post Instant Analysis: Sergei Bobrovsky is a Maple Leaf — three years, $7 million AAV appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add more C depth with addition of Teddy Blueger on two-year contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Teddy Blueger have come to terms on a two-year deal worth $2.5 million per season. Blueger is a player we noted in our free agent series: “Blueger is a no-frills fourth-line center capable of handling a traditional fourth-line role. He can take defensive-zone faceoffs, contribute on the penalty kill, and […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add more C depth with addition of Teddy Blueger on two-year contract appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add right-shot checking center in Colton Sissons on two-year contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs have opened free agency by coming to terms with Colton Sissons on a two-year, $4.25 million AAV contract. The Leafs had a need for a right-shot, defensively capable player who could play center in their bottom six. We discussed similar options like Noel Acciari and Kevin Stenlund ahead of free agency. […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add right-shot checking center in Colton Sissons on two-year contract appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add speed, right-shot scoring punch in Jack Roslovic on two-year deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Jack Roslovic have come to terms on a two-year deal worth $4 million per season. This connection has been rumoured for over a year, as Roslovic played with Auston Matthews for the USNTDP program, where they were linemates and finished one-two on the team in scoring. That roster also included […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs add speed, right-shot scoring punch in Jack Roslovic on two-year deal appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson part ways at long last

The Maple Leafs have executed a minor trade prior to the opening of unrestricted free agency, clearing out another roster spot and a couple of million dollars in future cap space they would’ve otherwise spent by keeping their qualified, arbitration-eligible RFA around. Nick Robertson is reuniting with the GM who drafted him in the second […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson part ways at long last appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

The Zach Werenski sweepstakes have taken an intriguing turn — and the Maple Leafs could now be in a position to make their play

The Zach Werenski drama took an interesting turn late on Tuesday night: Werenski rejected a trade to the Dallas Stars, and the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly two of the top teams on Werenski’s list. The rumours of Dallas’ keen interest and willingness to offer Thomas Harley in a package made […] The post The Zach Werenski sweepstakes have taken an intriguing turn — and the Maple Leafs could now be in a position to make their play appeared first on Maple Leafs Hots...

Breaking down what makes Alexander Bilecki strong value for the Maple Leafs at pick #60

Late in the second round, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected defenseman Alexander Bilecki of the Memorial Cup champion Kitchener Rangers. This was an excellent value pick. According to Elite Prospects, Bilecki’s consolidated ranking was 54th. At McKeen’s, where your author is the director of scouting, we had Bilecki ranked 35th. Needless to say, I’m a […] The post Breaking down what makes Alexander Bilecki strong value for the Maple Leafs at pick #60 appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Toronto Maple Leafs Free Agency Targets: Finding the Best Fits at Forward

The Maple Leafs enter this offseason in a similar position to where they were a year ago. They have plenty of cap space to work with, but there is still a clear need to add impact players if they’re going to start looking like a legitimate contender. The biggest difference is that Toronto has already […] The post Toronto Maple Leafs Free Agency Targets: Finding the Best Fits at Forward appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs sign Troy Stecher to two-year, $1.35 million AAV deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Troy Stecher to a two-year extension worth $1.35 million per season. Claimed off waivers last November, Stecher quickly became a fan favourite as a heart-on-his-sleeve player who is also well spoken and incredibly easy to cheer for. At the time he was claimed, he was a complete breath of […] The post Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs sign Troy Stecher to two-year, $1.35 million AAV deal appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

The Maple Leafs’ current direction: a middle ground between competing now and long-term building? — Draft Weekend Notebook

Ever since MLSE President Keith Pelley dismissed Brad Treliving as GM of the Maple Leafs, he and the rest of the Leafs’ leadership have been abundantly clear: They fully intend to compete next season, with no plan to sell off their core of prime-aged and veteran players. It has been obvious for months: the Leafs […] The post The Maple Leafs’ current direction: a middle ground between competing now and long-term building? — Draft Weekend Notebook appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

John Chayka on his plans for the Maple Leafs’ UFA period: “We will be aggressive, but we’ll also make sure we’re not doing anything to hurt the future”

After selecting 10 players in the 2026 NHL Draft, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka discussed the team’s priorities in this draft class, selecting goalies back-to-back, his anticipated plans for free agency, the Brandon Carlo and Samuel Ersson trades, and the report that assistant coach Mike Van Ryn will not return behind the bench. You ended […] The post John Chayka on his plans for the Maple Leafs’ UFA period: “We will be aggressive, but we’ll also make sure we’re not doing anything to hurt the f...

NHL

Maple Leafs AGM Judd Brackett on Gavin McKenna’s potential: “The sky is the limit… He is a winner”

Assistant General Manager of Player Evaluation, Judd Brackett, discusses the Male Leafs’ 10-prospect haul from the 2026 NHL Draft. How exciting is it to walk away with 10 new prospects in the organization? Brackett: This is always an exciting day for a scouting staff and a team as a whole. It is a chance to […] The post Maple Leafs AGM Judd Brackett on Gavin McKenna’s potential: “The sky is the limit… He is a winner” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

Brody Pepoy selected 169th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs – Analysis & Scouting Report

With their final pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs selected 6’2, 182-pound winger Brody Pepoy of the Saginaw Spirit. After making the jump from AAA hockey in Pittsburgh (the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program), Pepoy recorded 16 goals and 29 points in 67 games in his first OHL season. Those numbers don’t leap […] The post Brody Pepoy selected 169th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs – Analysis & Scouting Report appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .

NHL