The Maple Leafs’ power-play setup at Friday’s practice was always going to get people talking, and it did exactly that. Before John Tavares even stepped onto the ice in a non-contact jersey, some fans had already decided Gavin McKenna should be the one taking his place on the top unit.
Jim Hiller didn’t go along with that idea. Tavares was back where he’s usually been, and after nine years in the organization - with 99% of that time spent on PP1 - he kept the spot. If the veteran slips, McKenna figures to be right there waiting, but Hiller clearly thinks Tavares has earned the right to lose it himself.
McKenna, for his part, didn’t make a fuss. According to the Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan, via X, he said: "I’m 18 years old.
There’s a lot of guys in this team who’ve been in this league for a long time and know how to play that power play. When you see a guy like John come on and take your spot, you’re not too butthurt about it.
That kind of answer fits the way McKenna has handled things all season. He’s already shown a knack for cooling off little controversies before they can turn into something bigger. When he went pointless through his first few games, he cracked a few jokes about it the morning before scoring his first goal and getting his first assist.
There’s also a real hockey argument for keeping him there. Five of his 11 points this season have come on the power play, and the top unit looks different when he’s on the ice making plays. Tavares could quiet the chatter with a doorstep rebound Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, but if the unit goes stale, the discussion around McKenna is going to come right back.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Face A Fascinating 2027 Free Agency Dilemma
A bigger cap picture is already changing how the Maple Leafs have to think about their future, and the 2027 free-agent market is shaping up as one of the more intriguing ones in recent memory. With the NHL projected to push the salary cap to $127 million for the 2027-28 season, Toronto could have a real chance to chase premium talent rather than simply work around the edges, which makes the long-range planning around the roster even more interesting.
Among the names being floated, the appeal is obvious: star power, top-end skill and the kind of player who can alter a lineups ceiling. The challenge for the Leafs is just as obvious, though, because every target comes with a different age curve, contract expectation and fit question, and the most tempting options may not line up neatly with what Toronto can realistically afford or what it needs most. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Fans Are Still Debating One Brutal Podkolzin Call
Amid all the deadline chatter around the league, one idea that has caught the attention of Leafs fans is a hefty hypothetical swing at Dallas defenseman Thomas Harley. The concept is simple enough on paper: Toronto would be trying to add a young, high-end blue-liner to a roster that always seems to be hunting for more certainty on the back end, especially when the market starts to heat up and every contender starts looking for the same kind of help.
The catch, of course, is that there is no sign Harley is actually on the block or that Dallas is seriously entertaining moving him. So for now it lives in the same space as a lot of midseason speculation, the kind that gets people talking because the fit makes sense, not because a deal is close. And with other names around the league drawing attention for contract status and trade value, the Leafs are left watching the rumor mill spin without any real indication that this particular door is opening. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Catch A Timely Break In A Matchup That Has Burned Them
The Maple Leafs are getting a small but meaningful break in a matchup that has not always treated them kindly. Montreal will be without Josh Anderson for the upcoming game, with Owen Beck stepping into the lineup in his place, and that matters for a Toronto team that has had to deal with Andersons speed and edge in this rivalry.
Anderson has been one of the more troublesome Canadiens for Toronto since arriving in Montreal, and his absence changes the look of a game that already carries plenty of attention because of the goaltending. Jacob Fowler is set to start for the Maple Leafs, while Sergei Bobrovsky is part of the other side of the matchup, giving this one a different feel before the puck even drops. [Read more 🡒]