When one door closes, several others open. They might not be as exciting or jaw-dropping, but they still offer hope for a new beginning. Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs may have found such an opportunity after Mitch Marner’s trade, as one player in the NHL has now requested a trade.
The saying doesn’t lose any truth despite how many times it can be repeated. There might not be any way of filling the void left by Marner’s departure, but the Maple Leafs have no better plans than to try their luck. Matthews and company need some help in the top-six, and a candidate has just emerged for the vacant position.
It’s too late in the free agency period for a talent of Marner‘s caliber to be around, but Toronto can still create their own luck by means of a trade. That’s seemingly the go-to route for the Leafs, whose favorite target is reportedly Calgary Flames star Nazem Kadri. However, and though Kadri is reportedly willing to make a major move, it still seems like wishful thinking from Toronto.
Who could arrive to town?
On the other hand, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has now requested a trade from the franchise in Ohio. According to reports around the league, this could open a major chance for Matthews and the Leafs to start their post-Marner era by welcoming a key teammate.
Yegor Chinakhov #59 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on January 28, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.
“Yegor Chinakhov is a perfect example of someone the Leafs should covet,” The Leafs Nation’s Nick Alberga said on his X account (formerly Twitter).
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Canadiens reportedly not in pursuit of Maple Leafs’ preferred target to help Auston Matthews after Mitch Marner’s trade
A former first-round selection in 2020, Chinakhov has played 175 games with the Blue Jackets. He has recorded 71 points so far in his NHL career (34 goals and 37 assists), and last season he found a spot on Columbus’ second line — a role he could also fill for Toronto.
Nonstop
In a perfect nod to Toronto’s very own, Drake, the Maple Leafs will honor the rapper’s song released in 2018. The organization in The Six will feature one of the busiest schedules in the NHL, which guarantees the action will be nonstop.
The Maple Leafs’ 2025–26 schedule features 15 back-to-backs — always dreaded by NHL teams. Moreover, Toronto will play only five games in February due to the Olympic break. Still, the team will face consecutive-night road trips through Alberta and Florida, taking on the Flames and Oilers, as well as the Lightning and Panthers, in back-to-backs.
Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up before the game against the Detroit Red Wings in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 7, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Guess who’s back…
Obviously, aside from the season-opener (which will be on Oct. 8 against the Montreal Canadiens at home, by the way), Toronto fans cared about one thing from the NHL schedule release. When is Marner returning to Hogtown?
The newest star on the Vegas Golden Knights will walk out of the away team’s tunnel at Scotiabank Arena on January 23. Expect a hostile environment for the former hometown idol, as he goes to battle with Matthews and the rest of the players he once went to battle alongside.
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The fans and media will make sure the winger senses the pressure, though reports state Marner has one less worry upon his return to Toronto. The times have changed, it’s a new day in The Six, and Marner is no longer the welcome sight he once was.
