The Toronto Maple Leafs left their road trip with only three points after a 5-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth, and Jim Hiller didn’t try to dress it up. “We could’ve got 5 points.
So when you say, ‘Are we good with 3?’ No, not really.”
That result also came with another problem hanging over the group: the defense is getting squeezed, and Chris Tanev’s absence is at the center of it.
Tanev is on injured reserve with no timeline for a return, and that leaves Toronto in a tough spot. If he’s out for a while, it’s a major issue.
Even if this injury doesn’t turn into a lengthy one, there’s still growing concern that he may be too fragile to count on as a stable solution. The Leafs also aren’t in a position to chase a big-name replacement, which pushes the search toward cheaper, shorter-term options.
That’s where the names start to matter.
Ian Cole of the Chicago Blackhawks looks like the simplest match. He’s a veteran shutdown defender on an expiring contract, which means Toronto wouldn’t be committing itself beyond this season.
He also brings the kind of hard-nosed, shot-blocking style that overlaps with what Tanev gives them. The expectation, according to Siegel, is that the price should stay modest - an important detail for a team that doesn’t have a pile of major assets left to spend.
Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames is a different kind of swing. He shoots right and carries a $2.75 million cap hit through next season, so he’s not just a rental.
That makes him more attractive in one sense and more complicated in another. If Calgary keeps sliding, he could become a name to watch, though the cost would likely be higher than it would be for Cole.
NHL insider David Pagnotta said the Leafs have already had “exploratory” talks. “The previous regime had a lot of interest in Zach Whitecloud; I believe there’ve been at least exploratory inquiries; I believe they’re one of the teams that would look at him.”
Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers is the long-shot option. The Flyers’ start has left their direction unclear, and Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading that GM Daniel Briere is hearing his phone is getting all kinds of love from other GMs around the league.
Ristolainen is injured and on an expiring deal, which means he probably only becomes available if Philadelphia’s season goes south. And even then, the question remains whether he’s the right answer.
The bigger point for Toronto is simple: this can’t be treated as a one-off patch. The Leafs can’t assume Tanev will stay healthy, and they can’t sit around waiting for the problem to solve itself.
They need help now, but they also need to think beyond this season. Tanev is in year three of a six-year deal, and Toronto has to know he’s never going to finish that contract.
In Other News...
Leafs Chemistry Problem Is Putting Early Pressure On Jim Hiller
Early in the season, Jim Hiller is already trying to solve one of the oldest problems in hockey: how to turn a talented Maple Leafs roster into a group that actually feels connected. The moving parts have been easy to spot, with Matthew McKenna getting looks alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander, while Easton Cowan has also been part of the forward mix as Hiller keeps searching for the right blend.
The changes have come with an obvious tradeoff, because the Leafs are still in the stage where nearly every combination seems to be under review. Past coaches have long stressed how much consistent linemates matter, and this stretch is a reminder of why, especially for a team trying to build chemistry while the lineup keeps shifting around it. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Face A Tough Blue Line Call As Trade Buzz Builds
Simon Edvinssons return to North America to train has added another layer to the league-wide defense chatter, with the Detroit Red Wings still trying to get him signed before December 1. Around that, the market keeps humming: Montreal is pursuing Dylan Larkin as a second-line center, and the fan buzz there has only amplified the sense that conversations are moving even if nothing is finished yet.
For the Maple Leafs, the focus has quietly widened beyond the obvious names, with Calgary blueliner Zach Whitecloud drawing exploratory interest. It is still just that at this stage, a look rather than a move, and no formal trade has been made, but it fits the kind of search Toronto has been in as the Blue Line market starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Groulx Suddenly Looks Like A Leaf Fighting For His Spot
Bo Groulxs place in the Maple Leafs lineup is suddenly looking a lot less secure. Toronto head coach Jim Hiller chose to take Groulx out against the Utah Mammoth, a move that came with an unusual wrinkle: seven defensemen and 11 forwards dressed for the game, leaving the young forward on the outside looking in after a quiet start to the season.
Groulx has yet to record a point in five games this year, and his NHL resume still sits at 10 points in 83 games. For a team that is always weighing depth, fit and long-term flexibility, a decision like this can hint at bigger conversations ahead, including the possibility that Toronto is already exploring other options for how to shape the roster. [Read more 🡒]