Wednesday’s FTB brought the Leafs’ first back-to-back of the season, and it also came with a reminder that Toronto still views itself as a team with work to do. In Insider Trading, Chris Johnston said the Leafs see themselves as “patiently aggressive” and are still hunting for upgrades, possibly even early in the season. The need on defence came up, along with the unexpected requirement to move Emil Andrae, though the sense here is that they may be aiming a level above that.
On the ice, the night opened with a strong one from William Nylander, who got Toronto on the board with a shot that stood out immediately. Not long after, Jake McCabe appeared to be cut by a skate, though he returned for the second period and looked fine after playing only two shifts in the first.
The Canadiens answered from there. Josh Anderson tied it, Zachary Bolduc put Montreal in front, and later Alexandre Carrier added another to make it 3-1. Montreal also had a moment when Marchenko dropped Dobson, a sequence that fit into a game where Marchenko kept popping off the screen.
Toronto did get one back late when Easton Cowan and Nylander connected on a goal, but the Leafs still came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 final against Montréal.
The larger takeaway wasn’t the score so much as how the game looked. Marchenko was the standout, described as looking like he’d been shot out of a cannon and judged to be the second best winger on the team.
The depth was mostly solid, though Nick Paul drew a cool reaction. The Leafs still are not magically fixed defensively, but they had the puck more and controlled the game for most of it outside one stretch in the first period.
There were also some mixed individual showings. Gavin McKenna looked a bit nervous, and Darren Raddysh still hasn’t found his rhythm. Cowan, meanwhile, looked noticeably better once he moved up to the Tavares line.
All told, it felt like a different team from last season, even compared with the better nights Toronto had a year ago. It was fast, fun, and imperfect. And for now, things are looking up.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Prospect Suddenly Faces A Troubling Silence Overseas
Victor Johanssons situation in Sweden has become one of those quiet developments that can linger in the background until it suddenly matters more. The Toronto Maple Leafs defensive prospect was expected to be part of Brynas mix in the SHL, but he has not played this season and was not seen in preseason action, leaving a notable gap for a young player whose progress the organization is still tracking.
What makes the absence more unsettling is the lack of clarity around it. Reports from Sweden suggest Johansson is dealing with an unspecified issue, yet there has been no official update to explain the delay or outline a timeline, which leaves both Brynas and the Maple Leafs waiting for information on a prospect whose future now feels less certain than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Hiller Sent A Message Leafs Fans Have Been Waiting For
Jim Hillers first few turns behind the Maple Leafs bench have already offered a little glimpse of what this new era might look like. In the recent 2-1 win over the New York Islanders, the new head coach was willing to make lineup and in-game adjustments, and he has shown an early willingness to hold his best players to the same standard as everyone else. That matters in Toronto, where fans have spent years waiting to see a coach make quick, firm decisions when the game demands them.
Hiller has also shown a more patient side in how he handles his forward groups, keeping combinations together as the team works through a summer of roster turnover under general manager John Chayka. The balance is what stands out: accountability in the moment, but restraint when it comes to chemistry and development. For a Leafs team trying to find a cleaner identity, the next question is whether that approach will hold when the pressure ramps up and the power play faces another big test. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Trade Of Matthew Knies Raises An Ugly Question About Toronto
Matthew Knies move from the Maple Leafs to the Columbus Blue Jackets, in a deal involving Kirill Marchenko, has left a familiar kind of aftertaste around Toronto. The trade itself was surprising enough, but it also reopened the conversation about how the organization handles young players who are trying to establish themselves and figure out where they fit in the bigger picture.
Knies agent, Matt Frederico, made clear he was frustrated with the way things were handled, arguing that the player needed clarity about whether Toronto actually saw him as part of its plans. The contract extension Knies signed did not include trade protection, which gave the Maple Leafs the flexibility to make the move and left an ugly question hanging over the franchises approach to one of its younger pieces. [Read more 🡒]