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Maple Leafs’ Tyler Hopkins among invitees to Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase

Arun Srinivasan — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:45:44 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Tyler Hopkins is among the invitees named to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Showcase roster.

Canada's World Junior Summer Showcase roster is out. #WJSS #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/iCU0pmhzSb

— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) July 24, 2026

Hopkins is one of 18 forwards invited to the summer showcase, an event that previews the competition ahead of this winter’s World Junior selection camp. The 19-year-old was selected 86th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2025 NHL Draft. Hopkins recorded 25 goals and 50 points in 56 games, split between the Kingston Frontenacs and Guelph Storm last season. He is a considered a rising prospect within the Maple Leafs organization, and was signed to an amateur tryout by the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in April.

It will be compelling to see if Hopkins can carve out a role ahead of this year’s World Juniors tournament, profiling as a strong two-way presence capable of elevating his offence. Hopkins was a prolific scorer at the youth level, before graduating to the OHL, and told reporters last summer that he models his game after Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli. Hopkins most recently attended the Maple Leafs’ development camp, where he was one of the best players during the week, and one of the most impactful forwards during the scrimmage.

Hopkins has gained plenty of experience at the international level. He played for Canada White at the 2023 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, winning the gold medal. Hopkins also won gold with Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. It could certainly bode well for his chances, in trying to secure a roster spot on this winter’s World Juniors team.

It’s an exciting time for the Maple Leafs’ revamped prospect pool. Gavin McKenna was selected first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, while the Maple Leafs drew universal praise for the totality of their 2026 draft haul. Hopkins is a rising prospect to keep eyes on, especially if he continues to elevate his game on the international stage.

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Jim Tatti predicts the Leafs make the playoffs, Ottawa misses: Leafs Morning Take

Nick Alberga — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:30:39 GMT

Patrick Kane isn’t signing with the Maple Leafs. Truth be told, there was never much to suggest Toronto was seriously in the mix. Instead, the future Hall of Famer is headed back to Chicago.

That’s where we kicked things off on the latest summer edition of Leafs Morning Take. Kane, 37, signed a two-year deal worth $8 million per season. That’s a hefty price tag, and honestly, we couldn’t believe he got that much. At the end of the day, the move likely takes him out of Stanley Cup contention, but with three championships already on his résumé, that’s probably not his top priority anymore.

Meantime, Rosie, who’s made it abundantly clear he’s not exactly a LeBron James fan, sounded off on the 41-year-old taking his sweet time deciding where he’d play next. Ironically, it was almost like we manifested the news. Shortly after wrapping up that conversation, it was reported on X that LeBron was headed to Philadelphia on a two-year deal worth $8 million per season. That’s right, less than Patrick Kane.

Nearly 13 months after his drawn-out departure from Toronto, the back-and-forth involving Mitch Marner and his camp isn’t going away.

On a recent edition of The PuckPedia Hockey Show, Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, had some pointed comments about the Maple Leafs organization while reflecting on his client’s time in Toronto.

Unsurprisingly, that’s where we started on the latest edition of Leafs Morning Take. We couldn’t ignore this one, could we?

The level of pettiness is off the charts. Incredibly, the Marner camp is still bitter about the lack of performance bonuses in his entry-level contract. All in al, it was fascinating to hear from Ferris, who rarely speaks publicly. Just when it feels like everyone is finally ready to move on, something else pops up. If nothing else, this whole saga has become the gold standard for how NOT to handle public relations. Marner, who’s coming off an incredible Stanley Cup Playoffs, is slated to play his second game in Toronto on December 12th when Vegas visits Scotiabank Arena.

After that, TSN 1050’s Jim Tatti dropped by to discuss Darren Ferris’ latest comments about the Maple Leafs, why he understands some of the Marner camp’s frustration, and what he made of Ferris revisiting the situation. He also weighed in on Auston Matthews’ pivotal season, John Chayka’s offseason overhaul, and why he believes Toronto is a playoff team in 2026-27. To wrap things up, Tatti played an impromptu edition of YES GUY, NO GUY, sharing his takes on Gavin McKenna, Sergei Bobrovsky, Morgan Rielly, and more.

Catch the next summer episode of Leafs Morning Take on Tuesday at 11 AM e.t.

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3 bargain free agents Maple Leafs should still have on their radar

Jeremy Tingly — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:30:24 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has put his fingerprints all over his roster heading into next season. Chayka hasn’t wasted any time since taking over for Brad Treliving, completing significant trades, adding via free agency, and ensuring the 2026-27 roster is full of new talent.

While Chayka’s certainly made some serious change to this point, there’s still time for a few more moves before training camps begin in September. The Maple Leafs are currently over the salary cap, but with Max Domi likely not available to start next season, they can easily become compliant. Add in the potential for another trade, or two, and Chayka will have resources to add one or two more players to round out his training camp roster.

Chayka’s done a great job retooling on the fly and showcasing to Auston Matthews and William Nylander that he’s serious about these next two years at least, it’s win-now mode, and once these next two seasons are complete, the Leafs’ front office will reassess, and see what direction they’ll be heading.

For now, the Maple Leafs roster is widely set, but there’s no doubt Chayka is keeping tabs on the free-agent market, and rightfully so. Here’s three bargain free-agent options that Toronto’s front office should have on their radar:

David Perron

Perron isn’t ready to retire, and the 38-year-old winger continues to consider his playing options for next season. Last year, Perron split the year between the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings, and chipped in with 13 goals and 15 assists, for 28 points in 65 games.

Perron is likely heading for a one-year contract at league minimum, or a professional tryout agreement to lock himself into training camp somewhere, and there’s potential it could be in Toronto. Perron’s spent the past four seasons in the Atlantic Division, so he’s certainly familiar with the Maple Leafs, and where they’re at as a team. There’s spots up for grabs among the bottom-six, especially on the wing, so Perron could put himself in the running to not only play bottom six minutes, but also see some time on the Leafs’ second power-play unit.

With the way the roster is constructed at the moment, the Leafs need another right-handed forward, who can play on the second power-play, and give the Leafs a new look from their stale bottom two lines last season. Perron would be a nice upgrade over Calle Jarnkrok, and should someone like Jack Roslovic get hurt, he’s experienced, and understands his role within a lineup, that in short spurts, Perron could be a nice filler.

Perron is a pesky winger, he plays hard each and every shift, he’s a Stanley Cup winner, and he’s in his final year or two in the league, so he’s likely looking for a chance to hoist another Stanley Cup. Yes, he’ll have a better chance on certain other teams instead of Toronto, but at least he’d be sure that management is going for it, and trying to go all in to win a Cup these next two seasons. Don’t discredit Perron’s relationship with Maple Leafs assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson as well, it could come to play into his decision.

Luke Kunin

Remember when Luke Kunin was one of the hottest names on the trade market, and the Leafs were linked?

Kunin ended up getting dealt back in 2024 from the San Jose Sharks to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and while it didn’t work out long term there, Kunin appeared in 62 games for the Florida Panthers last season, chipping in with 10 points. He hardly played, 9:40 per game to be exact, and it was tough for Kunin to carve himself out a role without a true opportunity to showcase his toolbox.

Kunin can be a pesky shut-down forward option for the Maple Leafs. The 28-year-old veteran needs to be stronger in the faceoff dot to move up in the lineup, but as a fourth-line versatile forward, who can play down the middle or on either wing, and is not afraid to sacrifice his body, he’d be an interesting add to the Maple Leafs’ training camp roster.

Kunin’s hit double digits in goals five times, despite always playing a bottom-six role, and he’s also landed a whopping 223 hits in a season before, and can be counted on as a depth PK option. Yes, the Leafs have added a slew of depth forwards so far this summer, as it was obvious Chayka wanted a different look from his third, and fourth lines, but that doesn’t mean he’s finished from adding to the internal competition heading into his first season as GM.

Colin Miller

It was pretty obvious last season that Phillipe Myers can’t produce on a consistent basis, so Chayka would be wise to add another right-handed defenceman to the mix.

Miller couldn’t carve himself a role on the Winnipeg Jets last season, only dressing in 18 games. He hurt his knee and had to have surgery in January, which certainly put a damper on his year, especially when the Jets moved out multiple defencemen, and their ice-time could have been something Miller swallowed up. Instead, the 33-year-old had surgery, finished with some of his worst numbers in his career, and now doesn’t have a contract heading into next season.

Miller has the capabilities to be a bottom-pair righty, who can help on a team’s second power play. Miller could come into Toronto on a PTO, and battle it out with Troy Stecher and Myers for minutes, and may have to settle for a two-way contract, if he wants to spend the entire season in Toronto. Miller’s not afraid to shoot the puck, he’s above average physically, and while he’s a long way from his 41-point season as a Vegas Golden Knight in 2018, considering the bleak options throughout the Leafs’ organization, Miller could help propel the internal competition for the six/seven spots on Toronto’s blue line. Right now, it’s just basically Myers, Stecher, and Ben Danford in the mix.

For now, the Maple Leafs are close to a finished product, but considering how much Chayka likes to deal, it wouldn’t be surprising to see another trade or two finalized before training camp begins. With some savvy veterans still available on the open market, the Maple Leafs should consider all their options, and these three players mentioned are some of the best of the rest, who are still available to this point of the offseason.

Jack Campbell refers to his time with Maple Leafs as ‘the greatest time of my life’

Michael Mazzei — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:30:42 GMT

Former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell had nothing but nice things to say about his three-year tenure donning the Blue and White.

The 2022 All-Star recently announced his retirement from hockey after a 15-year career split between the Leafs, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers. In a video posted to Instagram on Sunday, Campbell revealed that he would be entering a new chapter of his life as a performance coach with Novus Global.

During an appearance on First Up on Wednesday, Campbell was asked about his time in Toronto, and it was hard for him not to smile about his days wearing the Maple Leaf.

“Toronto, I can’t stop smiling. Even though I would’ve wanted to be there forever, it’s just the greatest time of my life,” he said. “I met my wife there, the friendships I have there are incredible. Some of the hardest things I’ve gone through off the ice were in Toronto, but looking back it just adds to the power of what Toronto means to me because I was able to identify things there and begin to work on it.”

His Leafs tenure had some ups and downs, but his authentic and lovable personality made him a fan favourite. His best season was the 2021 COVID-shortened campaign, when he finished the year with a record of 17-3-2 along with a 2.15 GAA and a .921 SV%. He also set a franchise record for consecutive wins by a goaltender with an 11-game win streak, breaking the previous record of ten held by Jacques Plante, John Ross Roach, and Felix Potvin.

Campbell’s struggles with confidence, self-belief, and mental health as a whole were made public at points during his career. Yet despite those challenges, it did not stop him from wanting to play in a Canadian market and give it his all every single night.

“My answer may sound interesting, but it’s the truth – I was obsessed with playing in a Canadian market. Playing in Toronto was the coolest thing in the world. Waking up on game day and opening up the blinds, it just felt like Hockey Night in Canada every single game,” he said. “Then Edmonton, another massive market, an amazing team, but the hard part about it isn’t exactly what people think. Yes, it’s a lot of eyes on you and media and positives, negatives, things like that, but for me it was always what’s going on in between my ears. The media or the comments on social media would never be as bad as when I talked to myself. So, in that regard, playing in a Canadian market was never actually that big of an issue.”

When Campbell first arrived in Toronto partway through the 2019-20 season, he first served as a backup goaltender to Frederik Andersen before shifting to a tandem goalie. The aforementioned 2021 COVID-shortened season compiled arguably the strongest goalie tandem of the Auston Matthews era despite Andersen’s struggles that year.

The two formed a strong bond on and off the ice, a friendship that has remained intact over five years after they were last teammates.

“Freddie Andersen, what a tremendous human being. That’s just a guy I would run through a brick wall for any day,” Campbell said. “The way he carried himself was inspirational. It’s the standard I think of when you’re going through a tough time. Freddie Andersen comes to mind and how I would want to carry myself. I’m so happy he won the Stanley Cup and got married. We actually just chatted last week, and he’s doing great.”

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Bruce Boudreau endorses new Maple Leafs signing Brandon Duhaime

Michael Coyle — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:30:55 GMT

While much of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 regular season could be classified as a failure, the offseason that has followed has given fans, players, and management alike reason to believe that a bounce-back is in order.

The Maple Leafs will return to game action in 68 days at Scotiabank Arena when they host the Montreal Canadiens in an Original Six matchup.

On Wednesday, former National Hockey League head coach Bruce Boudreau joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill to discuss what he looked at when the NHL schedule first gets released, what he thinks Brandon Duhaime will bring to the lineup next season, and if he believes this Maple Leafs team has what it takes to return to playoff hockey.

“The first thing I would pay attention to when I got the schedule, when I was coaching, is how we played in the first month,” Boudreau said. “The one thing I didn’t want to do in that first month was play against non-playoff teams from the year before. At that point, they think they are still in it, where sometimes the best teams go, it’s a long season, let’s not worry about it, and it takes them a while to get going.”

On July 1, among many other signings, the Maple Leafs added Duhaime on a three-year contract worth $7.8 million. The 29-year-old forward joins the Maple Leafs after recording nine points across 82 games with the Washington Capitals last season, and is set to bring an energy element to the Maple Leafs’ lineup that appeared to be lacking throughout the course of last season.

“They [the Maple Leafs] are getting a physical and tough player who will stick up for his teammates,” Boudreau said. “I had him in Minnesota as a rookie, and sometimes he’ll struggle with assignments and that hurts him. But there are games where he’ll be really good and others where you go, what the hell is he doing? His consistency is a big thing, but I think he’s a good fourth line player, and he’s going to play hard every night.”

To go along with Duhaime, the Maple Leafs also brought in Darren Raddysh, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Emil Andrae, and Sergei Bobrovsky, all while selecting Gavin McKenna with the first overall selection during the 2026 NHL Draft.

The major overhaul of the club’s roster from a season ago, coupled with the type of additions the club made, is what has many hopeful that the 2025-26 season was just an aberration. While many feel this way, Boudreau isn’t sure this team has what it takes to get back into the hunt for the Stanley Cup.

“I really don’t think they will make the playoffs. I just don’t think their defence is good enough yet,” Boudreau said. “It’s old, and with 84 games it’s going to be tough sledding on those guys. [Craig] Berube wanted to have a good defensive team, [Jim] Hiller in Los Angeles had a good defensive team, but these guys got to get the puck to the forwards if they want to score, and I don’t think they can.”

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Around the NHL: Senators GM anticipated Tkachuk wanting out, Robertson reflects on new deal with Stars

Arun Srinivasan — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:00:28 GMT

Welcome to a summer edition of Around the NHL. The news cycle may have crawled to a standstill, but there are a few interesting developments to keep you updated, as league executives are largely recharging at the cottage.

Senators GM Steve Staios anticipated Brady Tkachuk wanting out

Brady Tkachuk demanded a trade to the Florida Panthers, and the Ottawa Senators acquiesced. It’s the summer saga that keeps on giving, as Tkachuk happily joined his brother, Matthew, in Florida, while Ottawa continues to cope with the loss of its captain. And from our vantage point, it’s compounded by the fact that Daniel Alfredsson joined the Maple Leafs as associate coach. It’s apparently an outcome that could’ve been expedited. Senators general manager Steve Staios revealed that he had an inclination Tkachuk wanted out for over a year, during a recent podcast appearance on Locked On Senators.

“I think over the last… probably over a year, that I saw signs that potentially Brady wouldn’t be here long term,” Staios said. “Obviously, we want to take the time and do everything I can as the manager to protect and sort of deflect. There’s some things that were out of our control that we were trying to deal with.”

Ottawa eventually traded Tkachuk to Florida in exchange for the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. It quickly moved the pick to the San Jose Sharks for forward William Eklund, a solid top-six winger that fits the core’s timeline.

“We’ve developed an identity and built a competitive team that we continue to work on adding to,” Staios said. “So I saw signs of it. I think ultimately when I did have that open and honest discussion with Brady and got some feedback, we realized at that point in time that I was going to engage in a process to make a trade.

“I think in light of the timing, I think the player had two years left on his contract. I think we’ve seen in the past when players like this are left a little bit longer on two things happen. One is it could become a distraction to the team and two is the return on value isn’t quite there. So we were prudent, we engaged in the process, went through that diligently and worked towards a solution.”

This appears to be a case of a general manager trying to build some goodwill through the press, after what’s been a disastrous offseason in Ottawa.

Robertson reflects on new deal with Stars

Jason Robertson signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars worth $12 million, putting an end to one of the offseason’s most compelling storylines. Robertson reportedly rejected a titanic offer from the Seattle Kraken that would’ve reportedly made him the NHL’s highest-paid player. Although the Stars are pressed for cap space, both parties found common ground on a one-year deal, that keeps the team positioned as a leading contender entering 2026-27.

Asked newly signed Jason Robertson about rejecting that huge contract from @SeattleKraken.

"Everything in the past, and what happened from then to now, doesn't matter anymore. We just want to focus on having a great summer and coming into camp ready to go and try to win a Cup."

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) July 22, 2026

“Everyone can see that they are in a little (salary cap) crunch,” Robertson said via Tracey Myers of NHL.com. “At the end of the day, they had my rights, right? I wasn’t free to go anywhere this year so, the chances of staying in Dallas this offseason were high obviously because of that. It just happened in this way and obviously we’ll have time to revisit it later this year.”

Robertson is one of the NHL’s best forwards, coming off a season where he posted 45 goals and 96 points in 82 games. With the one-year deal now signed, the pressure is on the Stars to go all-in to actualize their best chance of winning an elusive Cup.

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Mitch Marner’s agent Darren Ferris on Maple Leafs: ‘He was never protected by his organization’

Arun Srinivasan — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:25:17 GMT

It’s been a year since Mitch Marner demanded a sign-and-trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, and for many in the Toronto Maple Leafs ecosystem, he’s out of sight, out of mind. Marner returned against the Maple Leafs to a large chorus of boos, mixed in with some cheers, after leaving the organization under largely acrimonious terms. Both parties have moved on, but it appears that Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, is willing to relive the past.

Ferris appeared on The PuckPedia Hockey Show to discuss a number of topics, including offer sheets, Bowen Byram’s new deal with the Chicago Blackhawks and more, but his commentary on Marner should raise a few eyebrows in Toronto, and across the hockey world.

“He’s really enjoying it there,” Ferris said of Marner. “He’s got a clear mind. He’s able to focus on hockey. It’s unfortunate in Toronto, the way the things they went. When he first signed with the Leafs, on his entry-level (contract) they did not want him to have performance bonuses in there. Mitch decided he would help the team out, they asked him to. I had some pressures from guys who were working for the London Knights, and also working for the Leafs.

“Mitch told me, Darren, I want to sign this. Against my wishes, they did. They promised, nobody get him, and they didn’t fulfill that. He soon found out that a promise isn’t in the contract, isn’t a promise. Nobody talks about Mitch did the team a favour back then. There was a lot of misinformation out there that transpired. To this day, people say he didn’t show up to training camp. He did, he didn’t miss a day of training camp. It just kept spiralling into misinformation, that made him a villain here in this city. I think the majority of people who support him, but there are always those people who are fanatic about it.”

It’s certainly odd for Ferris to be fixated on Marner’s contract negotiations, seven years removed from it. Marner signed a six-year extension with the Maple Leafs in September 2019 and remained as one of the faces of the franchise. He would’ve certainly become one of the all-time great Leafs, if he had signed a new deal with the club after the 2024-25 campaign Marner effectively bet on himself entering the final year of his Maple Leafs’ tenure, and played the worst two games of his career on home ice during a second-round elimination at the hands of the Florida Panthers in 2025. It was revealed after the year ended that Marner had already targeted the Golden Knights for the better part of a year.

“As time went on, he became the focus of everything,” Ferris said. “Scrutinized for every game, him and his family criticized for every loss, receiving threats on social media, which was disturbing. You got to remember, Mitch was carjacked in Toronto. Every time the team came up short, he was the one singled out. Hockey is a team game, you can’t pinpoint one person. This is the person who had the most playoff points on the team and played through a fractured ankle in the Boston series. He really bled for that team. He was never protected by his organization, in my opinion.”

“He was never protected by his organization.”

Darren Ferris on Mitch Marner’s tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Starting all the way with no performance bonuses in his entry-level contract, to how he became the playoff scapegoat.

Full episode for your commute home below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YkQ5Fip1pU

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 22, 2026

We’re not going to spoil the entire interview from Ferris, who touches on a wide range of topics. And while it’s natural for an agent to defend their client in public, it appears that Ferris is trying to create new animus with the Maple Leafs organization, while treading on an old topic. You can never go home again and Marner is persona non grata in the City of Toronto, in large part due to the advice he received from his camp during two contract negotiations.

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Bruce Boudreau says Leafs’ aging defence could keep them out of the playoffs: Leafs Morning Take

Nick Alberga — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:30:21 GMT

For all intents and purposes, the Toronto Blue Jays are going through the same kind of miserable season the Maple Leafs endured in 2025-26.

With that in mind, we kicked off the latest summer edition of Leafs Morning Take by trying to offer a few words of encouragement to Blue Jays Nation. After coming within inches of a World Series last fall, the 2026 season has completely gone off the rails. There are plenty of parallels to last year’s Leafs campaign—even if Toronto wasn’t nearly as close to winning a Stanley Cup. Now, all signs point to the Blue Jays becoming sellers ahead of the August 3 MLB trade deadline.

After venting for a few minutes, we shifted our focus back to hockey and broke down the new contracts for Jason Robertson and Connor Bedard. The sticker shock is real. The NHL’s financial landscape has changed dramatically this summer. We also wondered just how much money the Leafs saved by signing Darren Raddysh when they did. If he had hit the open market, what would his price tag have looked like?

On the Leafs front, things have been pretty quiet. That said, we did touch on the organization rounding out the Marlies’ staff. Chris Bourque was named assistant GM, while Denver Manderson and Greg Moore were added as assistant coaches under Steve Sullivan. Also, we put to bed any ideas of a James van Riemsdyk reunion in Toronto. The Leafs posted a throwback clip of the 37-year-old free agent winger scoring a goal without any context or explanation, and naturally, people started wondering if it meant something. Well, we shut that down. After checking with the van Riemsdyk camp, there’s absolutely nothing going on. It was just an old highlight. That’s it. End of story.

Meantime, Bruce Boudreau took a break from his Atlantic City vacation to break down the Maple Leafs’ busy offseason and share his outlook for the 2026-27 season. He discussed John Chayka’s roster overhaul, how coaches will have to adapt to the NHL’s new 84-game schedule, Sergei Bobrovsky’s arrival, Auston Matthews’ importance to Toronto’s success, and why Patrick Kane could be an intriguing fit alongside Matthews. Boudreau also shared his biggest concern about the Leafs, explaining why he doesn’t believe they’ll make the playoffs, citing an aging blue line as the primary reason.

Catch the next summer episode of Leafs Morning Take on Friday at 11 AM e.t.

Toronto Marlies name Chris Bourque as assistant general manager, round out coaching staff

Arun Srinivasan — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:30:20 GMT

Chris Bourque has been appointed as assistant general manager of the Toronto Marlies, the team announced Wednesday. Bourque will also operate as head of college recruitment for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bourque will report to Maple Leafs AGM Ryan Hardy, who also serves as GM of the Marlies.

“Chris has established himself as an important part of our hockey operations staff, and this role reflects the immediate impact he’s had in identifying talent and supporting our player development efforts,” Hardy said in a release issued by the Marlies. “Combined with Mike’s leadership, experience and commitment to our players and staff, we have an outstanding leadership group in place to strengthen our player development model and position the Marlies for sustained success.”

The 40-year-old played 794 AHL games and was named as the league’s most valuable player for the 2015-16 season, as a forward for the Hershey Bears. He also played in 51 NHL games. Bourque has been with the Maple Leafs’ organization since 2022, and is considered an ascending star within the managerial suite.

Toronto also added Denver Manderson and Greg Moore as assistant coaches. Manderson will also operate as director of minor league development for the Maple Leafs. The 37-year-old last played for the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL during the 2016-17 season. Moore was named as an AHL All-Star in 2008, and played 10 NHL games.

“I’m excited to welcome Denver and Greg to our coaching staff,” Marlies head coach Steve Sullivan said. “They both bring valuable experience, strong hockey knowledge and a commitment to creating an environment where players can grow and succeed. They are excellent additions to our group, and we’re looking forward to the impact they will have on our players and our organization’s continued success.”

It’s been a dynamic offseason for the Marlies, who won the Calder Cup this summer. John Gruden was promoted to Jim Hiller’s staff with the Maple Leafs, while Sullivan took over as Marlies’ head coach. Mark Giordano, Nick Biamonte and Hannu Toivonen round out the rest of the Marlies’ coaching staff.

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Revisiting Sergei Bobrovsky’s Save of the Century vs. Lightning

Arun Srinivasan — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:00:18 GMT

There are surely more professional ways to state this, but it’s impossibly cool that Sergei Bobrovsky is the starting goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bobrovsky’s aura and star power were self-evident during his introductory press conference, and his resume doesn’t necessarily need to be repeated. We’re a few days removed from the FIFA World Cup Final, The Odyssey is set to make a few billion dollars (and well worth it, go see it in IMAX70mm if you can!) and the NHL calendar is finally reaching a standstill, so you can’t fault us for staring off into space, thinking about the high end of what’s possible with the future Hall of Fame goalie.

After a summer where the Maple Leafs were the most active team in the NHL, staging a few reunions in the process, you may be forced to repurpose your memories: we won’t ask our readership to revisit Nick Paul’s contributions a few summers ago against the Leafs, for example, but it is certainly cool to go back and watch Bobrovsky’s Save of the Century two years ago against the Tampa Bay Lightning. And again, this may not work for everyone, you have to divorce yourself from the end result of a Panthers’ championship, but a save like this allows one to dream of what could be possible next summer, if he returns to his career median.

Bobrovsky made the Save of the Century two years ago: certainly, you could argue for Braden Holtby’s jaw-dropping save against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, and we wouldn’t fight back. We’re just going with the spectacular title some of our competitors have offered. During Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 Panthers-Lightning series, Bobrovsky pulled off the nearly impossible.

Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli bursts through the neutral zone, accelerating onto a loose puck, and fires a shot towards the goal that gets deflected by Panthers defenceman Brandon Montour. The puck caroms off the boards, where Lightning captain Steven Stamkos redirects it towards a crashing Matt Dumba for what should be a tap-in, as Bobrovsky already sprawled onto the ice.

Bobrovsky then makes the save of the century, turning his back to Dumba, before propelling himself into the air for a diving save, blocking the puck with his arm. It’s a sensational save, and words are perhaps a poor substitute for the picture.

Sergei Bobrovsky is a Toronto Maple Leaf 👮

🎥: ESPN | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/n3xUQgGu0t

— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) July 5, 2026

“That was unbelievable,” Oliver Ekman-Larsson said post-game via NHL.com’s Bill Price. Ekman-Larsson is yet another Maple Leafs player Bobrovsky will be rejoining this fall. “Obviously we know that he can make those saves, but that was something else. That’s what we have on this team, we have big-time players when we need them the most.”

There are certainly skeptics, as Bobrovsky enters his age-38 season, coming off a year where he posted a .877 save percentage. As we’ve argued before, volatility comes with goaltending, and the risk is always worth it for a player of his calibre and postseason resume. This blog isn’t meant to suggest that Bobrovsky will replicate a feat like this for the Maple Leafs, but it’s surely cool to revisit what the new starting goaltender is capable of, when the pressure dials up.