Mitch Marner

Is Matthews “C”–ing The Light?

TORONTO (Mar. 15) — As much as I contend that he’ll never be a consistently big–game performer for the Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews is clearly hampered by… something. No one anticipated another 69–goal season. In the 109–year history of the… Read More

Really, This Is Shanahan’s Mess

TORONTO (Mar. 10) — There are a number of seminal dates in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Apr. 11, 2014 is fast–rising in prominence. It was the day Brendan Shanahan became president of the hockey club. The… Read More

Why It’s Over For Mitch and the Leafs

TORONTO (Mar. 8) — Yes, the salary cap is about to rise exponentially in the National Hockey League. But, no, the Maple Leafs did not offer the Carolina Hurricanes their immediate prospect and draft pool to obtain forward Mikko Rantanen… Read More

Expect Leafs, as Usual, to go Small

TORONTO (Mar. 3) — It’s an annual rite of passage for hockey in this city; largely forgotten by the ensuing year. First, the general manager–of–the–day calls media together so he can set the trade–deadline bar as shallow as possible. Check.… Read More

What’s Next For Auston and Mitch

TORONTO (Feb. 21) — This was happenstance you rarely see. Teammates in the National Hockey League; rivals in the most–hyped international shinny fracas since the “golden goal” that won the 2010 Winter Olympics. Auston Matthews trapped in no–man’s land, between… Read More

Imagining The Unimaginable

TORONTO (Feb. 13) — That was quite some tumult Mitch Marner induced at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night; its euphoric tentacles penetrating all corners of the nation. Not in ten National Hockey League seasons has Marvelous Mitch contributed such… Read More

It’s Getting Closer… Every Day

TORONTO (Feb. 8) — Darryl Sittler. Doug Gilmour. Auston Matthews. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been around since 1926; the franchise, previously known as the Arenas and St. Patricks, since 1917. Only three players in 108 years have struck for… Read More

Chalk Up No. 52 and Move On

TORONTO (Feb. 19) — There is only one strategy that Kyle Dubas can deploy in order to salvage the 2019–20 schedule for the Toronto Maple Leafs: start looking toward 2020–21. And, do it without heed to Monday’s National Hockey League… Read More

Should Leafs Nation Be Satisfied?

TORONTO (Jan. 24) — Though it may seem unlikely, let’s assume the Maple Leafs accrue enough points in their final 33 games to finish third in the Atlantic Division, thereby securing one of the three allocated playoff berths. It would… Read More

Will It Ever Be The Leafs’ Year?

TORONTO (Jan. 14) — For a brief moment last Wednesday, and despite all of the challenges encountered so far this season, I felt that maybe karma was on the side of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Trailing the Winnipeg Jets, 3–2,… Read More

What The Doctor Ordered

TORONTO (Jan. 8) — Though it ended with a stinker on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena, the Maple Leafs undoubtedly saved their season with the 15–4–1 eruption (Nov. 23–Jan. 4) under new coach Sheldon Keefe. It ranked among the best… Read More

Keefe Is A Remarkable Story

TORONTO (Jan. 3) — Yup, I was wrong. I doubt that I’ll completely reverse my opinion of mid–term coaching changes, but the Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a dandy maneuver on Nov. 20 when Sheldon Keefe replaced Mike Babcock. It’s… Read More

Guess What? Freddy’s Already Tired

TORONTO (Dec. 23) — Rejoice, if you wish, in another sloppy win, as the Maple Leafs need every point available. But, ignore, at your peril, the tell–tale sign between the pipes, where Frederik Andersen is already beginning to wear down.… Read More

What An Absurd Correlation

TORONTO (Nov. 27) — Maybe I’m missing something here. But, I doubt it. On one side, we have a former Maple Leafs coach executing a callous mind game, after which penance was offered and accepted. On the other, we have… Read More

The Leafs Are Absolute Darlings

TORONTO (Nov. 26) — As a heterosexual male, I had never felt the urge to kiss another man. Until yesterday, when I read the impassioned offer of remorse from Maple Leafs forward Alex Kerfoot in the wake of his two–game… Read More

Don’t Look Beyond The Players

TORONTO (Nov. 17) — It remains the most parochial, knee–jerk reaction in sport: “Fire the coach!” And, the parochial/knee–jerk among fans and media that follow the Toronto Maple Leafs are out in full force. Want to craft a newspaper column… Read More

The Leafs After One Month

TORONTO (Nov. 2) — It began, rather predictably, one month ago tonight: a 5–3 conquest of the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena. The big gun, Auston Matthews, scoring twice; the big acquisition, Tyson Barrie, assisting twice. Frederik Andersen recording the… Read More

Seven Games To Go?

“He’s got 20 games,” said a well–known figure in the National Hockey League. “If the Leafs aren’t playing up to par by mid–November, Babcock’s gone. Count on it. There is lots of appetite for change in Toronto.” — BETWEEN THE… Read More