Everyone loves when a young, exciting star comes into the NHL and dominates right out of the gate. The Calder Memorial Trophy is given out each year to the league’s best rookie, with many winners later taking home other hardware, such as the league’s Hart Memorial Trophy. Which Calder Trophy-winning seasons have been the best
Auston Matthews
Now that it’s all but confirmed that the 2019-20 NHL season is done (fingers crossed for the playoffs!), I thought it would be fun to cap off the year with some individual awards voting for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Joined by fellow THW writer Peter Baracchini, and with the help of Twitter, we will be
The USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Plymouth, Michigan is nationally renowned for cranking out high draft pick after high draft pick, and for good reason. There have been five players from the program picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft — Jack Hughes, Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews, Rick Dipietro and Erik
In today’s NHL rumor rundown, there is news that Artemi Panarin might skip next season, the Ottawa Senators are looking at what to do with Brady Tkachuk, and one scribe looks at changes coming to the Pacific Division. Finally, the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to get creative when it comes to using this pause
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the world operates. One can no longer turn on the television or open social media without seeing an updated infection count or new restrictions about social distancing. Now in our fourth week without hockey and sports in general (aside from Toronto Raptors championship re-runs), it’s time to forget
Given the shutdown of public events occurring in California with the onset of the coronavirus, it’s a miserable time to be there. It was also a miserable trip for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but for different reasons. For a team that desperately needed points, the Maple Leafs might have shown up stronger. In total, in
Because the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t play until Tuesday when they meet the Tampa Bay Lightning at home, I want to use this post to review some of the “odd” news and rumors surrounding the team that sometimes get moved to the back when games are being played close together. Item One: Newcomer Denis Malgin
After the Pittsburgh Penguins finished off the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-2, on Tuesday evening, head coach Mike Sullivan summed up the difference between his team and the Maple Leafs – in so many words. Although he was speaking about his star Sidney Crosby, his comments highlighted what Crosby possesses in spades that Toronto’s team doesn’t.
ST. LOUIS — Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews has been playing with a bum wrist. Judging by his offensive output, it’s hard to tell. The 22-year-old is tied for second in the NHL with 34 goals this season to match his jersey number, with eight coming in his last nine games. Matthews worked to rehab the
TORONTO — Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk will replace Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2020 NHL All-Star Weekend in St. Louis this week. The Maple Leafs announced on Wednesday that Matthews is still nursing a wrist injury and thus he will not be “actively participating in any on-ice events” during the festivities at Entreprise Center. However, the team
Rumors the New Jersey Devils will be trading Taylor Hall get louder and louder. Elliotte Friedman was recently a guest on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer and said it’s likely Hall is moved, Matt Larkin of the Hockey News is predicting what the return might be and the NHL Network speculates which teams might have a
By The Canadian Press November 11th, 2019 NEW YORK — Ottawa goaltender Anders Nilsson, Toronto centre Auston Matthews and Colorado defenceman Cale Makar are the NHL three stars of the week. Nilsson stopped 96 of the 101 shots he faced, compiling a 3-0-0 record, 1.64 goals-against average and .950 save percentage for the Senators. Ottawa
Extension talks to start for some pending restricted free agents Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: From understanding, the New York Islanders and the agent for Mathew Barzal, J.P. Barry, have already established that they’d like to have contract extension talks this fall. Barzal’s numbers so far have him between Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. That
The Oilers would still like to add a top-six and a top-four Jason Gregor: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland: “I’d like another top-six forward and top-four defenceman. Those types of players weren’t available on waivers.” Holland added that there is nothing happening on the Jesse Puljujarvi front. There were a few teams that had been
TORONTO — Auston Matthews continued his dominance on opening night. The Maple Leafs centre scored twice as Toronto defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-3 in the curtain-raiser on the 2019-20 NHL season Wednesday. The Leafs unveiled John Tavares as the 25th captain in franchise history during the pre-game ceremony, with Matthews, winger Mitch Marner and defenceman Morgan Rielly named as
For today’s NHL rumors, there is news out of Toronto surrounding Auston Matthews and Taylor Hall has downplayed the progress of an extension with the New Jersey Devils. Plus, will the Pittsburgh Penguins move a goaltender to get under the salary cap? Are the Montreal Canadiens looking to move a forward? And finally, how does
In early September, the Toronto Maple Leafs were ranked by NHL.com as the number two team in the fantasy rankings – after the Tampa Bay Lightning. I don’t disagree with this ranking. Last season the Lightning had a stunning 319 goals (3.9 per game), with the Maple Leafs in fourth place with 286 goals (3.5
Notes on the Maple Leafs, Flames, Jets, Avalanche, Capitals, Canucks and Canadiens James (@Account4hockey): Elliotte Friedman on WGR 550 yesterday. Friedman thinks that the Toronto Maple Leafs had decided already who their next captain would be before the Auston Matthews news was made public – John Tavares. There were some within the organization that wanted