The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again staring at a defensive hole, and this time the answer may not be a quick patch. With Chris Tanev now week-to-week, Toronto is looking at a longer wait before it gets him back on the ice, and that could keep the front office patient rather than reactive.
Darren Dreger said, “They went through additional testing and it was determined this week that in fact Tanev does need more time. I would caution Leafs fans not to panic here or worry too much. Week to week means that’s the time required to get Chris Tanev healthy and back on the ice.”
That recovery timeline matters because the Maple Leafs don’t sound eager to chase a small fix. Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Toronto may prefer to ride out the immediate stretch before deciding whether to strike.
The message from Friedman was clear: this isn’t a team looking to make noise for the sake of it. “Someone told me John Chayka doesn’t go up to the plate to hit singles,” Friedman said.
Toronto has been connected to Ian Cole and Zach Whitecloud, but those names don’t exactly scream major splash. Simon Edvinsson is another defenseman who could fit what the Maple Leafs need, though Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has already said he has no interest in moving him. For now, Toronto looks content to wait and see whether the right bigger deal shows up.
Out in Los Angeles, the Kings have reportedly at least looked into a much bigger swing. Frank Seravalli reported that general manager Ken Holland has checked on the cost of acquiring Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and the Kings have been told Hellebuyck would accept a move there.
That kind of pursuit comes with real baggage, though. Los Angeles has gotten off to a rough start, and that has naturally raised the question of how much future value the club should be willing to spend on a push for the present.
Goaltending has been shaky with Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg struggling, and the injuries to Kevin Fiala and Mats Zuccarello only add to the pressure. Hellebuyck would give them a true difference-maker in net, but a deal like that would not come cheap and could require a future first-round pick.
The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, are being linked to a major run at Dylan Larkin. David Pagnotta said on Daily Faceoff that Montreal appears ready to put a serious offer in front of the Detroit Red Wings captain if the opportunity opens up. The catch is that Montreal is not currently on Larkin’s preferred destination list.
Still, the Canadiens got a taste of what that connection could look like when Larkin visited Montreal. Fans chanted his name, and he later called the Bell Centre one of hockey’s best environments. Even so, he didn’t indicate that the reaction had shifted his position.
Detroit’s Shawn Horcoff has described the situation as “status quo,” saying Larkin has had a tough month and is working back from an injury. Friedman has continued to call a trade unlikely, but not impossible.
The Red Wings are also dealing with another tense situation involving Simon Edvinsson. Horcoff has said he has “zero interest” in trading the young defenseman and wants to get a new contract done, but Friedman suggested the talks have reached a point where the frustration is building.
On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said Edvinsson is growing more frustrated with how long negotiations have dragged on. He added that the process has worn on enough that simply taking a break overnight no longer seems like enough to clear the air.
In Other News...
Kings Face A Huge Goalie Decision As Slow Start Changes Everything
The Kings slow start has already pushed their front office into a familiar but uncomfortable place: evaluating whether a big swing in goal is worth the cost. According to Sportsnets Frank Seravalli, general manager Ken Holland has explored the possibility of bringing in Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets, a reminder that Los Angeles may be thinking beyond short-term fixes as it tries to steady its season.
Hellebuycks availability gives the idea real weight, especially with the Kings still sorting out whether that kind of move fits their current strategy. Winnipeg is also monitoring the situation closely if the veteran goalie decides he wants to return, which leaves Los Angeles balancing urgency against the kind of price tag that can shape a franchises future. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Already Face One Big Question About Their New Additions
The Kings spent the offseason adding experience and depth, bringing in Corey Perry, Erik Gustafsson, Mats Zuccarello, Erik Haula and Scott Perunovich with the idea that the mix could help round out a roster with higher expectations. Early on, the group is already giving Los Angeles a reason to pay attention, because the newcomers were always going to be judged not just on pedigree but on how quickly they could fit into the lineup and stabilize different parts of the team.
Erik Haula has been the early standout, delivering immediate production and looking like the kind of useful middle-six addition the Kings hoped to find. The rest of the picture is less settled, though, with Zuccarello now on injured reserve and Perunovich beginning his season with Ontario after not cracking the opening roster, leaving Los Angeles with a familiar question about its new faces: who is actually going to be available when the games start to matter most? [Read more 🡒]
Kings Offense Issues Could Force A Bigger Lineup Shakeup
The Kings went through practice ahead of their meeting with Boston, and the session offered another look at a lineup still searching for answers offensively. Peter Laviolette acknowledged the scoring issues have become a real concern, and the team is weighing adjustments that could help jump-start a group that has not produced enough at key moments.
Mats Zuccarello was on the ice, a sign he is getting closer to a return from injury, but he was not quite a full participant yet. The larger question for Los Angeles remains how far the changes might go if the offense keeps sputtering, with center-ice options and the top line among the areas that could be affected. [Read more 🡒]