Leafs Notebook

Since 2011, Anthony Petrielli has been providing his weekly long-form breakdown of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ games and the big storylines surrounding the team.

Nick Robertson, Maple Leafs

Leafs Notebook: Nick Robertson making his case in the top six, the David Kampf...

There are four games in the next six nights, William Nylander and Scott Laughton are potentially returning soon, and hopefully, Joseph Woll isn’t far...

The Leafs need to stop trying to outscore their problems and start solving them...

Bad weekend, or bad omen? That’s the big question for the Maple Leafs right now. Entering the weekend fresh off five wins in their past...
Craig Berube, Maple Leafs bench

We’re entering crunch time for Craig Berube to prove he can fix what ails...

As we approach the 20-game checkpoint of the season, the Maple Leafs currently own a record under .500, the second-worst points percentage in the...

Nic Roy, Brandon Carlo & Dakota Joshua’s slow starts, the Troy Stecher addition, and...

Mired in their first five-game losing streak since April 2021, the Maple Leafs are in desperate need of a turnaround this week. Earlier today, we...

A potentially make-or-break road trip, more confounding lineup decisions, and lagging special teams –...

An NHL team can’t make the playoffs in November, but it can sure dig itself a hole it can’t climb out of.  As things stand...
Brad Treliving, Maple Leafs GM

As the market calls for everything from coaching changes to rebuilds, where should the...

As the Maple Leafs' struggles have mounted over the past few weeks, fan/media scrutiny has understandably escalated. As we all know, it will only...

Easton Cowan’s emergence, Craig Berube’s questionable messaging, and reasons for optimism as the Leafs...

The Maple Leafs can take a bit of a breath after a decisive win in Pittsburgh, followed by a two-day break, but big questions...
Craig Berube, Maple Leafs bench

The structural issues driving the Maple Leafs’ five-on-five possession problems

Given the Maple Leafs' underwhelming possession metrics over 100 games into his coaching tenure, it's interesting to revisit Craig Berube's comments about puck possession...
Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies

Are the Maple Leafs rediscovering their recipe for success? How can they fix the...

Just like that, after collecting nine of the last 10 available points, the Maple Leafs are three points back of the top spot in...
Brad Treliving, Craig Berube, Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs at the Christmas Break: An Organization in Turmoil, the Matthews Mystery,...

Christmas time is here, although the mood is anything but merry right now for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They officially sit second-to-last in the...

Is Craig Berube showing signs of change? A deep dive into the Maple Leafs’...

The Maple Leafs hit the halfway mark of the season in unfamiliar territory: on the outside looking in of a playoff spot, in a...
Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs vs. Panthers

The Morgan Rielly conundrum, and how the Leafs should organize their defense after Brandon...

Christmas is over, Canada has been eliminated by Czechia yet again in the World Juniors, and the NHL stretch run before the Olympic break...

The Maple Leafs’ impressive run has them back in the mix. Now the real...

The Maple Leafs required some sort of run to lift themselves back into the playoff mix, and while they've now gotten one with their...
Brandon Carlo, Maple Leafs vs. Avalanche

Maccelli’s fit on the Nylander line, Carlo’s encouraging return, and where should McMann play...

Earlier today, we explored the Maple Leafs' improvements on special teams and at five-on-five in their recent 7-0-2 run back into the playoff mix. Before...
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Minnesota Wild

The Leafs’ difficult five-game homestand, lagging defensive numbers, and McMann’s strong top line fit...

The Maple Leafs are halfway through their toughest remaining stretch of the season, completing the recent four-game road trip with a 2-1-1 record to...
Brad Treliving, Craig Berube, Maple Leafs

Selling and resetting is fast becoming the only logical path forward for the Maple...

A few weeks ago, we wrote that the Maple Leafs' two-plus week stretch -- featuring a gruelling four-game road trip, followed by a difficult...
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs shouldn’t sell just for selling’s sake at the trade deadline

With the Olympic break officially underway, all eyes in Leafs Nation have turned to the March 6 trade deadline. I've already written on this subject...

Can Olympic gold provide a stretch-run boost for Auston Matthews? + Other key storylines...

The Olympics have come and gone, and the NHL stretch drive has officially arrived.  There are all sorts of narratives flying around after the Olympic...
Brad Treliving, Craig Berube, Maple Leafs

With trade deadline week upon us, the Maple Leafs’ question marks start at the...

The Maple Leafs left the Olympic break hoping to embark on some sort of winning run to give themselves a fighting chance at the...
MLSE CEO Keith Pelley

The 2025-26 Maple Leafs season is now in “tank and pray” mode, and the...

The rest of this 2025-26 Maple Leafs season will be a slog.  On the ice, there’s really nothing left to watch for or write about,...

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