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...
Cole Caufield Gives Canadiens Fans Another Officiating Debate
Cole Caufield has already given Canadiens fans plenty to watch early this season, but his latest moment came after the whistle rather than in the attacking zone. During Montreals game against Washington, the winger spoke to a referee after being assessed a penalty, turning a routine stoppage into another flashpoint for a fan base that never needs much prompting when the officiating feels uneven.
The exchange fit a familiar frustration around the Canadiens, especially in tight games where calls can seem to swing with the score and the moment. Matt Drake noted that this kind of play is often not ruled consistently, and Caufield has still been productive with three goals and four points in six games, but the real conversation may linger longer than the penalty itself. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Third-Period Problem They Can't Ignore
The Canadiens had enough early offense to make it feel like they were in control, with Josh Anderson scoring twice and giving Montreal a quick cushion against Washington. But the 5-4 loss kept fitting an increasingly uncomfortable pattern for this group, one that has little to do with a lack of compete and everything to do with how games are slipping away late.
Montreal has been leaning on its openings more than its finishes, and the third period has already become a problem worth watching through the first seven games. The Capitals game added to the concern, with Jakub Dobes coming back into the crease after more than a week and the Canadiens again unable to protect a lead or close the door when the pace tightened. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Bigger Trade Question Hanging Over Them
With the trade market already tightening around the league, Montreal suddenly finds itself staring at a bigger question of its own. Around the NHL, there is no shortage of moving parts: Chris Tanev has been ruled out week-to-week for Toronto, Connor Hellebuyck remains in holdout status with Winnipeg as the Jets keep looking for a deal, and Detroit is reportedly seeking a sizable package for Dylan Larkin.
For the Canadiens, the significance is less about those names themselves than the way the market keeps shifting beneath them. Any club considering adding or subtracting before the deadline has to weigh price, timing and uncertainty, and Montreal now has to do the same with its own roster calculus as the chatter around available players and asking prices only gets louder. [Read more 🡒]