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.
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John Gruden on the Chicago head coach’s comment that his players might have a read on Artur Akhtyamov after Game 4: “Artie doesn’t understand English anyway, so it doesn’t matter… He has no idea what he is saying”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves in Game 4 of the Calder Cup Finals. On where the game flipped after entering the third period with a 3-1 lead: It turned in the first five minutes of the third period. We were on our heels. That […] The post John Gruden on the Chicago head coach’s comment that his players might have a read on Artur Akhtyamov after Game 4: “Artie doesn’t understand English anyway, so it doesn’t matter… He has ...
Digesting John Chayka’s first trade and the hiring of Jim Hiller as Leafs head coach – MLHS Podcast Ep. 121
In the latest MLHS Podcast, Nick Ashbourne and Anthony Petrielli discuss the Leafs’ trade with Philadelphia, the hiring of Jim Hiller as head coach, the first-overall debate (or if it’s a debate at all), and their takeaways from the Marlies’ playoff run. Episode Topics The well-kept-secret hiring of Jim Hiller as the Maple Leafs’ next […] The post Digesting John Chayka’s first trade and the hiring of Jim Hiller as Leafs head coach – MLHS Podcast Ep. 121 appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Easton Cowan’s game-winner, Artur Akhtyamov’s shutout has Toronto Marlies one win away from glory
“We know what playoff hockey is all about. We’ve done a really good job of putting ourselves in this position. We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. We know how we need to play moving forward, like we did in the second and third period.” – John Gruden Five straight playoff victories have catapulted […] The post Easton Cowan’s game-winner, Artur Akhtyamov’s shutout has Toronto Marlies one win away from glory appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Jim Hiller on the Maple Leafs’ style of play under his leadership as head coach: “We’ll have a style of play that the players will be excited to play”
After his introduction as the 41st head coach in Maple Leafs franchise history, Jim Hiller discussed rejoining the organization, his past experience in the market, coaching the Leafs’ star players, the opportunity to draft first overall later this month, and the style of play he’s looking to implement. Opening Statement from Jim Hiller Hiller: First […] The post Jim Hiller on the Maple Leafs’ style of play under his leadership as head coach: “We’ll have a style of play that the players will...
John Chayka on the hiring of Jim Hiller as Leafs head coach: “It starts with alignment… We want no space between the coaches and the front office… We think Jim gives us the best chance to do that”
GM John Chayka discusses his process for arriving at the decision to announce Jim Hiller as the 41st head coach in Maple Leafs history. Opening Statement on the Hiring of Jim Hiller as Head Coach Chayka: First, I’d like to welcome Jim, his wife, and their family back to Toronto. This is a city that […] The post John Chayka on the hiring of Jim Hiller as Leafs head coach: “It starts with alignment… We want no space between the coaches and the front office… We think Jim gives us the best chanc...
Instant Analysis: John Chayka makes surprise hire in Jim Hiller as Maple Leafs’ next head coach
After a lengthy coaching search, the Maple Leafs landed on Jim Hiller as their 41st head coach in franchise history. “Jim is an experienced coach with a strong understanding of what it takes to win in today’s NHL. He has worked with successful teams throughout his career, connects well with players and brings a clear […] The post Instant Analysis: John Chayka makes surprise hire in Jim Hiller as Maple Leafs’ next head coach appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on the city of Toronto supporting the Marlies in the Calder Cup Final: “The energy in that building was the most I’ve ever seen… It is definitely helping big time”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 1-0 win over the Chicago Wolves in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Final. On taking a 3-0 series lead: We know what playoff hockey is all about. We’ve done a really good job of putting ourselves in this position. And we know what is at […] The post John Gruden on the city of Toronto supporting the Marlies in the Calder Cup Final: “The energy in that building was the most I’ve ever seen… It is definitely helping big time” appeared first on...
Flyers GM Danny Briere on new Leaf Emil Andrae: “He’s smaller in stature, but he competes… He doesn’t care if you’re 6’8 on the other side; he’ll go right through you”
After completing a trade with the Maple Leafs for Simon Benoit and Joseph Woll, Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere discussed his motivations for the deal on TSN Overdrive. Were you working on this deal with the Leafs for a while, or did you put it together after the Cup was handed out? Briere: It was […] The post Flyers GM Danny Briere on new Leaf Emil Andrae: “He’s smaller in stature, but he competes… He doesn’t care if you’re 6’8 on the other side; he’ll go right through you” appeared fir...
John Chayka on the Joseph Woll trade to Philadelphia: “It sets us up very well for future moves… This allows us to be in a better spot as we think about the entire offseason plan”
After trading Joe Woll and Simon Benoit to the Flyers in exchange for Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson, and a third-round pick, GM John Chayka discussed his motivations for the move, the timeline for a head-coaching decision, and signing promising prospect Tinus-Luc Koblar to a three-year entry-level contract. What do you like about the trade, and […] The post John Chayka on the Joseph Woll trade to Philadelphia: “It sets us up very well for future moves… This allows us to be in a better spot as w...
Instant Analysis: John Chayka begins to change Leafs’ blue-line mix, swaps goalies, opens more cap space in five-piece trade with Philly
John Chayka has executed his first trade as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, sending goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for goaltender Samuel Ersson, left-shot defenseman Emil Andrae, and a third-round pick in 2026. Well, the Leafs’ goalie domino has dropped. Following a season in which Dennis […] The post Instant Analysis: John Chayka begins to change Leafs’ blue-line mix, swaps goalies, opens more cap space in five-piece trade with Phill...
Logan Shaw and Bo Groulx lead the way, Toronto Marlies return home with 2-0 series lead
“He is our leader. He is our pulse. He is the heartbeat of this team. He leads on and off the ice. I can’t say enough good things about him as a leader. He has been outstanding throughout these playoffs, and he continues to not only score big goals in big moments but also kill […] The post Logan Shaw and Bo Groulx lead the way, Toronto Marlies return home with 2-0 series lead appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on Marlies captain Logan Shaw scoring the OT winner in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Final: “He is our pulse. He is the heartbeat of this team.”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 5-4 overtime win over the Chicago Wolves in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Final. On the team overcoming a slow start: Obviously, on the first two shifts, they came out ready to go. It is not like we weren’t ready; it’s just a team with […] The post John Gruden on Marlies captain Logan Shaw scoring the OT winner in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Final: “He is our pulse. He is the heartbeat of this team.” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Weighing the Maple Leafs’ first-overall pick debate: Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and the wildcards
The NHL Combine is over, the Stanley Cup Final is reaching its conclusion, and the 2026-27 calendar is set to begin with the NHL Draft and free agency. It has been 10 years since the Maple Leafs last missed the playoffs, the same year they drafted Auston Matthews first overall. While the Leafs had been […] The post Weighing the Maple Leafs’ first-overall pick debate: Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and the wildcards appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Vinni Lettieri comes up clutch again, Ben Danford scores first pro goal as Toronto Marlies take Game 1 in Chicago
“We made a few mistakes which ended up biting us. We’ll clean a few things up, but it’s all about wins right now. I thought we did a lot of good things, had some opportunistic scoring, and obviously our goaltender was pretty big when he needed to be. I expect us to be even better […] The post Vinni Lettieri comes up clutch again, Ben Danford scores first pro goal as Toronto Marlies take Game 1 in Chicago appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on Ben Danford bouncing back from a mistake to score a big goal in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Final: “If you’re going to play hockey at this level and the next level, you need a short memory… He definitely had it… Pretty impressive”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 4-2 win over the Chicago Wolves in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Final. On the “feeling out” process in Game 1: There were times when we did a really good job of it, and then there were times when we made a few mistakes that […] The post John Gruden on Ben Danford bouncing back from a mistake to score a big goal in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Final: “If you’re going to play hockey at this level and the next level, you need a short memory…...
Toronto Marlies vs. Chicago Wolves: Calder Cup Final Preview & Schedule
The Toronto Marlies have qualified for the Calder Cup Final for the third time in franchise history. Despite some Jekyll-and-Hyde performances in the postseason, the Marlies have come out on top in three winner-takes-all encounters. The Marlies have also won seven of 10 road games, including three consecutive wins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to eliminate a very […] The post Toronto Marlies vs. Chicago Wolves: Calder Cup Final Preview & Schedule appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
A college hockey expert’s breakdown of Gavin McKenna, the first-overall debate, and his fit with the Maple Leafs
The 2026 NHL Draft is two weeks away, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been blessed with the opportunity to select a franchise player with the first overall pick. According to most scouts, the best available player is winger Gavin McKenna, a native of Whitehorse who most recently played at Penn State University in the […] The post A college hockey expert’s breakdown of Gavin McKenna, the first-overall debate, and his fit with the Maple Leafs appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Marlies GM Ryan Hardy on Easton Cowan’s continued development in the AHL playoffs: “He is going to have a massive impact on this organization over the next 10-15 years”
Ahead of the start of the Calder Cup Final on Friday, Toronto Marlies GM Ryan Hardy discussed the team’s playoff success, John Gruden’s coaching work, Artur Akhtyamov’s superb postseason play, Easton Cowan and Ben Danford’s development, and working with the Leafs’ new management group. How fun has this run been for you? Hardy: Oh, it’s […] The post Marlies GM Ryan Hardy on Easton Cowan’s continued development in the AHL playoffs: “He is going to have a massive impact on this organization ove...
A shortlist of head-coaching candidates for the Maple Leafs as the hiring process continues
With the Maple Leafs’ head coach search well underway, we are starting to hear certain names emerge or recede with more clarity, one way or another. As the search continues, I wanted to explore coaches I would be interested in for various reasons. While it’s stating the obvious, we should note that all we can […] The post A shortlist of head-coaching candidates for the Maple Leafs as the hiring process continues appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
What have we learned from the Toronto Marlies’ Eastern Conference championship playoff run?
The Toronto Marlies just keep finding ways to win, and now they’re off to the Calder Cup Finals. Two overtime wins, an entertaining 5-1 victory, and a win in which they were outshot 36-16 helped them take their best-of-seven series against the WBS Penguins and capture the conference title. This was, for my money, the […] The post What have we learned from the Toronto Marlies’ Eastern Conference championship playoff run? appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Artur Akhtyamov’s superb performance, Alex Nylander’s OT winner punches Toronto Marlies’ ticket to the Calder Cup Final
“It hasn’t been easy. It’s not supposed to be easy at this time of the year.” “ A lot of the credit goes to the other guys; we have a really good mix of great, older guys who have been around, have great leadership qualities, and who led us. And then we have a bunch […] The post Artur Akhtyamov’s superb performance, Alex Nylander’s OT winner punches Toronto Marlies’ ticket to the Calder Cup Final appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on the Toronto Marlies winning the Eastern Conference championship: “No one was expecting anyone to put on a show… They just played as a team… All they care about is winning”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s Eastern Conference title after a 4-2 series win over the WBS Penguins. On winning the East as the fourth seed in the North Division: It hasn’t been easy. It’s not supposed to be easy at this time of the year. A lot of the credit goes […] The post John Gruden on the Toronto Marlies winning the Eastern Conference championship: “No one was expecting anyone to put on a show… They just played as a team… All they care about is winning” a...
Redemption for Easton Cowan, and a first-star performance from Landon Sim: Toronto Marlies one win away from the Calder Cup Final
“He has been a breath of fresh air for us. He brings a lot of jam and energy. He is making plays. He is doing his job and is doing a really good job in his role. He brings a lot of jam to the group, and it couldn’t be more fitting for a guy […] The post Redemption for Easton Cowan, and a first-star performance from Landon Sim: Toronto Marlies one win away from the Calder Cup Final appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on Easton Cowan bouncing back with a goal and an assist in a Game 5 Marlies victory: “That is what big-time players do”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 5-1 win over the WBS Penguins in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final. The Marlies now lead the series 3-2. On Landon Sim’s goal to tie the game at 1-1: He has been a breath of fresh air for us. He brings a lot of […] The post John Gruden on Easton Cowan bouncing back with a goal and an assist in a Game 5 Marlies victory: “That is what big-time players do” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Chayka on his patient process for hiring the Leafs’ next head coach: “It has been a while since the organization has done a full search”
At the 2026 NHL Draft Combine, John Chayka spoke to Ryan Leslie about his takeaways from the combine, his meetings with Ivar Stenberg and Gavin McKenna, his discussions with Auston Matthews, the coaching search, and his first month on the job. What can you share about the discussions and meetings with your staff and also […] The post John Chayka on his patient process for hiring the Leafs’ next head coach: “It has been a while since the organization has done a full search” appeared first on ...
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