The Toronto Maple Leafs sense the pressure mounting after moving on from Mitch Marner in the NHL offseason. Auston Matthews and the rest of the team are looking for answers. Still, reports suggest the organization is not making any rushed decision in hopes of filling the void left by Marner’s absence.
Toronto decided to move on from its former homegrown idol, Marner, and must now face the music. The aftermath of such a pivotal divorce between the former fourth overall pick in 2015 and his childhood club is one that so many more layers than one.
Now, Matthews and company must pick up the pieces and rebuild the team’s morale ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season. All eyes are on the Maple Leafs to make a bold move to replace Marner, but the franchise may be wary of going all-in on a market that simply lacks clear-cut, high-end talent to fill his shoes.
“I ultimately don’t know how philosophically how ‘all in’ [the Leafs] are going to be this summer even with the cap space they have,” insider Greg Wyshynski said about Toronto on The Big Show podcast. “They aren’t going to just spend to spend, at least I don’t think that’s kind of where [Brad] Treliving’s head is at.”
Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs watches a flying puck in the warm-up prior to play against the Detroit Red Wings during the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic at BMO Field On January 1, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
New face in town
After sending Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks, Matthews and the Maple Leafs welcomed Henry Thrun to the locker room. The 24-year-old blueliner isn’t exactly a household name for Leafs Nation to rally around or build hype over heading into the season.
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NHL News: Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs welcome a defenseman from the Sharks as part of the Ryan Reaves trade
Regardless, his addition could prove to be very beneficial for Toronto. A fourth-round selection in the 2019 NHL entry Draft, Thrun has appeared in 119 games in his career. So far, he’s recorded only 25 points with 5 goals and 20 assists.
Out with a statement
After being traded from Toronto, Ryan Reaves didn’t mince words on his way out, offering a blunt admission about his time in The Six. As he said goodbye to Matthews and company, the enforcer made his presence felt one last time in Hogtown.
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“Things were going really wrong, and all of a sudden this whole city wanted me out,” Reaves said, per TSN’s Mark Masters. “I don’t think you see that in other organizations. It’s definitely different, but it’s nothing too crazy.”
