Alec Brownscombe
Alec Brownscombe is the founder and editor of MapleLeafsHotStove.com, where he has written daily about the Leafs since September of 2008. He's published five magazines on the team entitled "The Maple Leafs Annual" with distribution in Chapters and newsstands across the country. He also co-hosted "The Battle of the Atlantic," a weekly show on TSN1200 that covered the Leafs and the NHL in-depth. Alec is a graduate of Trent University and Algonquin College with his diploma in Journalism. In 2014, he was awarded Canada's Best Hockey Blogger honours by Molson Canadian. You can contact him at [email protected].
The Maple Leafs made big changes around Auston Matthews; now he needs to be...
Auston Matthews’ 2025-26 season made one thing abundantly clear: The Maple Leafs need their franchise player back.
The flashes were still there. There were nights...
After an inconsistent and injury-riddled season, can Dakota Joshua carve out a firmer role...
Dakota Joshua’s first season back in the organization that originally drafted him was a mixed bag.
There were a few stretches when he looked like...
Morgan Rielly’s Maple Leafs story isn’t over, but something has to change [2026-27 Player...
Morgan Rielly’s long-awaited bounce-back season never arrived in 2025-26.
After a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, Rielly and then-GM Brad Treliving held what Treliving described as a...
Easton Cowan ended his rookie year as an AHL champion; is he ready for...
Easton Cowan’s first professional season was rarely straightforward.
He made the Maple Leafs out of training camp -- even though he did not dress in...
Troy Stecher was a breath of fresh air for the Leafs; now a more...
Troy Stecher was a breath of fresh air when he arrived in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs needed him far more than they ever...
After a forgettable 2025-26, Anthony Stolarz gets a fresh start alongside a familiar legend...
Anthony Stolarz’s 2025-26 season was strange, injury-disrupted, and ultimately forgettable — a fitting description of the Maple Leafs’ season as a whole.
After leading the...
Oliver Ekman-Larsson can play almost anywhere on the Leafs’ blue line, but where does...
Oliver Ekman-Larsson's individual season was one of the Maple Leafs’ more positive stories in a mostly miserable 2025-26 campaign.
At 34, he produced eight goals...
John Tavares keeps delivering, but finding his optimal role is the Leafs’ next challenge...
There is probably no Maple Leaf who deserves more goodwill from the fan base right now than John Tavares.
A year after fully embracing the...
The Leafs need William Nylander’s reliably elite production — and a higher level of...
William Nylander’s 2025-26 season is a good example of why evaluating star players can’t simply begin and end with the points column.
Nylander was easily...
Matthew Knies has established his value in the Leafs’ core, but can he take...
Matthew Knies' 2025-26 season was a bit of a complicated one to evaluate. On the surface, there wasn't much to complain about.
Knies set a...
The Maple Leafs need Jake McCabe to rebound — and he’s a strong candidate...
Jake McCabe’s 2025-26 season is a tricky one to unpack. It really was a tale of two halves.
Through the Christmas break, McCabe played 36...
Thoughts on “Thoughts”: The Leafs’ big belief in Matthews, Claude Giroux interest, Gavin McKenna’s...
Elliotte Friedman’s final 32 Thoughts prior to the offseason break included a collection of Leafs nuggets to pore over, including the organization’s strong belief...
Instant Analysis: Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson part ways at long last
The Maple Leafs have executed a minor trade prior to the opening of unrestricted free agency, clearing out another roster spot and a couple...
The Zach Werenski sweepstakes have taken an intriguing turn — and the Maple Leafs...
The Zach Werenski drama took an interesting turn late on Tuesday night: Werenski rejected a trade to the Dallas Stars, and the Tampa Bay...
Cooper Williams selected 158th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs – Analysis & Scouting...
With the 158th overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs selected 6'1, 164-pound centerman Cooper Williams of the Saskatoon Blades (a...
Gavin McKenna selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs – Analysis & Scouting...
Never in doubt. Gavin McKenna is officially a Toronto Maple Leaf.
There is a lot to unpack with McKenna’s hockey skill set and on-ice résumé,...
With Chayka hired and the first-overall pick secured, all the attention turns to Matthews...
After the Maple Leafs' 2025-26 season concluded, Auston Matthews made the following statement about the highly disappointing campaign:
This was a tough year and a...
Draft lottery pot of gold gives the Maple Leafs the momentum boost they badly...
Just when you think you're out…
Long-time Maple Leafs diehards are extremely familiar with the rollercoaster ride of following this beleaguered franchise day in and...
The latest on the Leafs’ GM search, Mike Gillis, Mats Sundin, and Auston Matthews’...
On 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman discussed the latest on the Leafs’ GM search, interest from MLSE/ownership in Mats Sundin joining the new front office,...
Is he really talking about Radim Mrtka? The good and the bad of Keith...
It was a low bar to clear for Keith Pelley in Tuesday's press conference, but ultimately, he bricked the layup.
I don't want to speak...
Recent MLHS articles
Maple Leafs October Report Cards: Rating Every Player’s Start
Before we jump into our Maple Leafs player ratings for October, a caveat is in order.
Player ratings are highly subjective. How tough a grader...
