» NHL weekend rankings: The Wild, the Habs, and the 10 teams we haven't ranked yet
31/03/25 12:30 from Down Goes Brown
With the calendar about to flip over to April, we’re down to three weeks left in the regular season. And that means we don’t have many of these columns left. The finish line is in sight. It’s safe to assume that the last few weeks will b...
» Craig Berube on the Leafs’ goaltending since the 4 Nations break: “It’s been a little up and down… But hey, they’ve been really solid for us this year”
28/03/25 23:21 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
After Friday’s practice, head coach Craig Berube discussed the decision to make the practice an optional skate (with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner absent), load management down the stretch, the play of the Simon Benoit-OEL pairi...
» Battle of Ontario? Avs vs. Stars? Ranking the best potential first-round matchups
28/03/25 15:33 from Down Goes Brown
With just a few weeks left in the season, the playoff picture is coming into focus. And while we’re not sure which teams will claim the final wildcard spots in either conference, we’re pretty much locked in on 14 of the 16 playoff teams ...
» Game in 10: Maple Leafs grab loser point thanks to late comeback despite disappointing effort in San Jose
28/03/25 09:46 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
For the second time in March, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost a shootout decision to the last-place San Jose Sharks, leaving an important point on the table in the Atlantic Division race. This game’s script was pretty different from ...
» Craig Berube on the Leafs’ second shootout loss to last-placed San Jose this season: “We all have to be better, goalie included…. It’s just not good enough”
28/03/25 05:45 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 6-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, which dropped the team’s record to 43-25-4. On whether he’s encouraged by the late comeback or disappointed in the situat...
» Toronto Maple Leafs vs. San Jose Sharks – Game #72 Preview, Projected Lines & TV Broadcast Info
28/03/25 01:21 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
The Maple Leafs hope to avenge a trap-game home loss/dropped point to the Sharks earlier this month when they pay their annual visit to San Jose (10:30 p.m. EST, Sportsnet Ontario). Worth noting: Touchdown Lightning! #GoBolts | #UTA...
» Craig Berube on the Leafs’ areas for improvement before the playoffs: “We have to keep banging away at the PK because that will be crucial”
27/03/25 21:11 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Ahead of Thursday’s game in San Jose, head coach Craig Berube discussed the areas for improvement in the final 11 games of the regular season, Max Pacioretty’s availability for the playoffs, and the challenge against the Shar...
» Luke Haymes and John Prokop discuss their decision to sign with the Maple Leafs: “It’s the best organization in hockey… It’s hard to say no to them”
26/03/25 20:35 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
After Toronto Marlies practice, college free agent signings Luke Haymes and John Prokop discussed their decision to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. Head coach John Gruden also provided his early impressions of both prospe...
» Captain Logan Shaw leads the way with three points, Toronto Marlies defeat Belleville to solidify playoff hopes
26/03/25 19:44 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
“I liked our start. We needed to get the lead. We came out, scored the first goal, and answered right back with a second [goal]. To get the win is huge. Hopefully, we can build off of that moving forward.” – John Gruden The ramific...
» Game in 10: Tavares line drives the bus as Maple Leafs blow out Flyers
26/03/25 16:53 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Coming off a lacklustre loss in Nashville, the Maple Leafs responded with a strong team effort against a miserable Philadelphia Flyers team, including a 1-for-1 night on the power play and six five-on-five goals from three separate lines...
» 12 of NHL history's greatest record-breaking goals, ranked from worst to best
26/03/25 12:47 from Down Goes Brown
With the Alex Ovechkin goals chase now down to single digits, it no longer feels like a question of if he’ll break Wayne Gretzky’s mark this season, but rather when. We’ve already covered that question, a few weeks back . But there’s a s...
» Craig Berube on the red-hot Tavares line after the Leafs’ blowout win over Philly: “Bobby (McMann) just adds so much speed and strength to the line”
26/03/25 02:46 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 7-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, which improved the team’s record to 43-25-3. On the team’s effort coming off a dud in Nashville: It was a good response R...
» Craig Berube’s bottom-six challenge, and the Maple Leafs’ PP vs. PK trajectories — MLHS Podcast Ep. 87
25/03/25 16:52 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
In the latest MLHS Podcast, Nick Ashbourne and Anthony Petrielli discuss the Leafs’ opportunity to chase down a division title, Auston Matthews’ improved play in the past week, the challenge of forming a credible third line, ...
» Craig Berube on Scott Laughton facing his old team for the first time: “There is going to be emotion for him… Our guys will be ready to go”
25/03/25 16:51 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Ahead of Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia, head coach Craig Berube discussed the challenge against the Flyers, Scott Laughton facing his former team for the first time, and Chris Tanev’s play since returning from injury. M...
» John Tortorella on Scott Laughton’s transition to the Leafs: “When he’d walk into a locker room in Philly, he’d take it over… It’s a huge adjustment, but you’re going to find out what he is about eventually”
25/03/25 16:50 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Ahead of the Leafs vs. Flyers matchup, Philadelphia head coach John Tortorella discussed Scott Laughton’s impact in Philly and his transition to a new team in Toronto. Scott Laughton said his hotel room is close to yours. Tortorell...
» Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Philadelphia Flyers – Game #71 Preview, Projected Lines & TV Broadcast Info
25/03/25 16:21 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
The Maple Leafs are seeking a season-series sweep over Philadelphia — and a win for Scott Laughton — when they host the ailing Flyers (7:00 p.m. EST, TSN4). Game Day Quotes John Tortorella on the Flyers’ struggles in Ma...
» The 411 on Luke Haymes: Maple Leafs land sought-after 21-year-old center out of Dartmouth
25/03/25 02:39 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
The Toronto Maple Leafs continued to add to their 2025 college undrafted free agent haul by signing touted C Luke Haymes. Haymes, of Dartmouth College, will join the Toronto Marlies for the conclusion of their AHL season. The Dartmouth r...
» Craig Berube on deploying Scott Laughton on the wing: “I don’t want to put so much on him early on, but it is not that he can’t play center”
24/03/25 17:31 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
After Monday’s practice, head coach Craig Berube discussed Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo’s adjustment process in Toronto, Laughton’s game on the wing vs. center, and the McMann-Tavares-Nylander line. Practice Lines &...
» Scott Laughton’s slow adjustment, the special teams, the third line, and the Atlantic Division race — Leafs Notebook
24/03/25 13:29 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
With 12 games to go, you can’t ask for much more than the situation in front of the Maple Leafs. There was a lot of frustration after blowing a two-goal lead to a mediocre Predators team, but at the end of the day, here is where the Lea...
» NHL weekend rankings: A lot can change in 2 weeks, but I still believe in the Blue Jackets
24/03/25 13:23 from Down Goes Brown
Welcome back to the rankings, which took a week off last week. That gives us more recency bias to chew on than a typical week, and that means a minor shakeup in the Top 5 that features a new number one and the return of an old friend. Bu...
» Craig Berube on the Leafs’ 5-2 loss in Nashville: “I haven’t seen the mental mistakes like we made tonight in a while”
23/03/25 03:13 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, which dropped the team’s record to 42-25-3. On where the game got away from the team: In the second period — the odd-man rush...
» Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Nashville Predators – Game #70 Preview, Projected Lines & TV Broadcast Info
22/03/25 22:05 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
The Maple Leafs seek their fourth win in a row when they pay their annual visit to the Music City to take on the struggling Predators (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet/CBC). Starting tonight in Nashville, the Leafs embark on a five-game stretch ...
» Craig Berube on Matthew Knies reaching 25 goals and 150+ hits: “He is taking another step as that power forward we talk about… He is very unique”
22/03/25 19:33 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Ahead of Saturday’s game in Nashville, head coach Craig Berube discussed the decision to start Joseph Woll, Matthew Knies hitting 25 goals and 150 hits, Brandon Carlo’s acclimation to the new team, and the challenge against t...
» Late controversy denies Toronto Marlies a point in Belleville
22/03/25 12:51 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
“We have no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to get right back after it. We have to find ways to play with the lead because chasing is a tough thing to do, especially at this time of the year.” – John Gruden The Toronto Ma...
» The Contrarian: The Ovechkin goals record chase is bad, and other fake arguments
21/03/25 12:24 from Down Goes Brown
Welcome back to The Contrarian, the feature where you state the obvious and then I argue against it, because I’m a sportswriter and that’s just what we do, whether we mean it or not. This time around, you want to debate Alex Ovechkin, Co...
» Game in 10: Maple Leafs notch business-like win in a back-to-back situation against the Rangers
21/03/25 03:08 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Late in their win against Colorado, the Maple Leafs reunited Bobby McMann with John Tavares and William Nylander. They out-attempted the Avalanche 8-1 in three shifts, earning another game together. It’s a good thing for that. The ...
» Craig Berube on the Maple Leafs’ third straight win: “We are back to our identity”
21/03/25 03:07 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 win over the New York Rangers, which improved the team’s record to 42-24-3. On the team’s performance: I thought we played a really good game. It was a 60-min...
» The 411 on new Maple Leafs defense prospect John Prokop
20/03/25 23:15 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
The Toronto Maple Leafs dipped their toes into the 2025 UDFA pool today by signing college free-agent defenseman John Prokop. Prokop, of Union College, will join the Toronto Marlies for the conclusion of their AHL season. At 6’3, ...
» Game in 10: Matthews bests MacKinnon, Joseph Woll sharp in low-scoring win over Colorado
20/03/25 03:22 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
This was a big game for a Maple Leafs team that finally ended its losing streak earlier in the week. To really show signs of a turnaround, they needed a good performance against an elite opponent. It wasn’t always pretty, and they did gi...
» Craig Berube on the Matthews line’s performance in the Leafs’ win over Colorado: “We talked about putting [the MacKinnon line] on their heels a little bit, and they did that… The line was really good”
20/03/25 02:22 from Toronto Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche, which improved the team’s record to 41-24-3. On the funky game-winning shorthanded goal: The puck was shot out and hit the ref, but...
» When the players and the writers disagree on the best player: Breaking those ties
19/03/25 12:29 from Down Goes Brown
With a month left to go in the regular season, some of the award races are more of less settled. Connor Hellebuyck is going to win the Vezina, and will also be a first-team all-star. Barring an injury, Leon Draisaitl will win the Rocket ...
» Help me become a better contrarian
17/03/25 16:16 from Down Goes Brown
Hey folks… Thinking of doing another edition of The Contrarian. You send in a statement that you think is obvious or inarguable, and I’ll try to come up with the contrarian view. We've done a few of these, and the ones that work best fin...
» NHL weekend rankings: An unpredictable trade deadline shakes up the Top 5
10/03/25 12:08 from Down Goes Brown
Well, that was something. The annual trade deadline didn’t deliver huge numbers as far as the actual volume of trades, but the ones that did happen were significant, with more big names moving than just about any year in recent memory. A...
» Your favorite GM vs. himself: The roster he traded for against the one he traded away
05/03/25 13:27 from Down Goes Brown
Your favorite GM probably has his hands full this week, so let’s do him a favor and put him in a position where he can’t lose. Specifically, let’s put him in a contest against… himself. Yeah, this is going to get weird, but stick with it...
» Weekend rankings: The 5 most interesting names to watch on deadline week
03/03/25 13:33 from Down Goes Brown
Five days to go, and pretty much the entire hockey world is all deadline, all the time. While we overhype the deadline every year, this season really does feel different. I can’t remember many previous years where it felt like such a wid...
» Remembering the best seasons by a player who was traded midway through
28/02/25 13:44 from Down Goes Brown
With just one week left before the deadline, let’s kill some time on a Friday with a trade-themed question. What are the best statistical seasons a player has ever had while being dealt during that same season? It’s a tricker question th...
» Should your team make a big bold move at the deadline? Yes, and here's why
26/02/25 14:08 from Down Goes Brown
The trade deadline is just over a week away . Is your team going to make a blockbuster move? No, because this is the NHL, where all the GMs are whiny babies and making trades is too hard . There will be trades over the next few days, may...
» NHL weekend rankings: Closing the book on a memorable 4 Nations Face-Off
24/02/25 13:24 from Down Goes Brown
We’re back, because the NHL regular season is back. Not very much of it, though, with only two days’ worth of games to go on for this week’s rankings. In other words, don’t expect many big changes from a few weeks ago. Don’t expect a ton...
» Five reasons Team Canada will definitely beat Team USA tonight (and vice versa)
20/02/25 17:56 from Down Goes Brown
It’s Canada vs. the USA tonight, and it’s fair to say everyone is just a little bit dialed up. On one hand, that’s great – hockey rules when it’s played with real stakes, and it’s been a long time since a game has felt this important. Bu...
» Is Kyle Connor McDavid the best same-name combo player in NHL history?
19/02/25 13:31 from Down Goes Brown
We’re one day away from the biggest international showdown in 15 years, with Team USA hosting Team Canada in a grudge match that will feature all sorts of bad blood both on and off the ice. And I’m going to be honest: My tummy hurts. I k...
» NHL weekend rankings, 4 Nations Face-Off edition: A Saturday night for the ages
17/02/25 22:06 from Down Goes Brown
Here are this week’s NHL power rankings: The same as last week’s . That’s it. That’s the list. As you may have noticed, there haven’t been any NHL games played over the last week, which means there’s no reason to shift any of the ranking...
» Every Canada vs. USA matchup from a men's best-on-best tournament, ranked
14/02/25 15:11 from Down Goes Brown
On Saturday night, after over eight years of waiting, it’s finally back: Canada vs the USA in a best-on-best men’s hockey tournament. OK, maybe the 4 Nations Face-Off doesn’t have quite the same claim to “best-on-best” status as some of ...
» Which NHL team has the best all-time roster from one country that isn't Canada?
12/02/25 13:24 from Down Goes Brown
Since we’re all in an international hockey mood this week, let’s try a roster challenge that reader Derrick sent in a while ago. His question was simple: Which NHL team could produce the best lineup of three forwards, two defensemen...
» NHL weekend rankings: No, your predictions are wrong
10/02/25 14:29 from Down Goes Brown
Yes, it’s yet another batch of predictions. But this time it’s not me or the other writers making the picks, but you. Yes, you, personally, because I’m going to assume that you took part in The Athletic’s recent survey. More than 2,500 r...
» The 4 Nations Face-Off can't have any trades, obviously... but what if it did?
09/02/25 16:00 from Down Goes Brown
There are no trades in the 4 Nations Face-Off. There couldn’t be. It wouldn’t make any sense. Players play for their home countries, just like every other international tournament. Each team has a GM, but that guy’s job is simply to asse...
» Emergency Cap Court session: Does the rising cap change the verdict on these stars?
05/02/25 14:08 from Down Goes Brown
But the cap is going up. For years, it’s been the go-to excuse for any questionable contract signed in the NHL. Aside from the years immediately following the pandemic, the NHL’s cap ceiling always goes up, at least a little bit. And tha...
» NHL weekend rankings: Huge cap news, more blockbuster trades, and oh yeah, games
03/02/25 13:29 from Down Goes Brown
It was another weekend where the biggest stories came off the ice, including our second consecutive Friday night blockbuster. We’ll get to the J.T. Miller trade, and the follow-up deal with the Penguins, in a bit. But first, let’s focus ...
» Grab Bag: Offseason grades, a 4 Nations request, and happier times in Vancouver
31/01/25 15:49 from Down Goes Brown
We’re halfway through the season and haven’t done a Grab Bag yet. Let’s fix that today, with your favorite Friday complete waste of time… >> Read the full post at The Athletic (Want to read this post on The Athletic for free? Sign up for...
» How rare is it for first overall picks like Taylor Hall to play for this many teams?
29/01/25 14:20 from Down Goes Brown
Friday night’s Mikko Rantanen blockbuster was such a monster trade that the inclusion of a former Hart Trophy winner felt like a footnote. But there was Taylor Hall, heading to Carolina and his seventh stop in the NHL. That led to what I...
» Weekend rankings: The Mikko Rantanen blockbuster shakes up the league
27/01/25 13:24 from Down Goes Brown
The word “blockbuster” gets thrown around a little too often in today’s NHL, often for trades unworthy of the term, in the same way that anything might feel like a five-star meal to a starving man. But the deal that dropped on Friday nig...
