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The Official 2026 Off-Season Thread: Revenge of the Nerds

Even when I’m cautiously tempering my own expectations, purely because that’s what I reflexively do as a Leaf fan to protect my sanity, I still fully expect McKenna to come in and be at least at the 60-point level Mitch & Willy were as rookies.

He’s just a better prospect than either was at that point and will also have the luxury of playing with established stars. And for that reason, he very well could blow past that to a different level entirely. Even moreso if we get anything resembling a return-to-form from Matthews.
 
LeafGm said:
Even when I’m cautiously tempering my own expectations, purely because that’s what I reflexively do as a Leaf fan to protect my sanity, I still fully expect McKenna to come in and be at least at the 60-point level Mitch & Willy were as rookies.

He’s just a better prospect than either was at that point and will also have the luxury of playing with established stars. And for that reason, he very well could blow past that to a different level entirely. Even moreso if we get anything resembling a return-to-form from Matthews.
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He has to be drooling at the opportunity to be on Matthews flank and feed him pucks all season. That's a dream scenario most rookies don't get
 
Pwner said:
Oh, so they were just running cover for other teams (teams that give them access).


View: https://x.com/NHLRumourReport/status/2065064003856900108?s=20
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Oh man, I hate our insiders sooooo much


Matthews staying put?​

All signs point to Auston Matthews staying put and playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.

Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, hasn’t formally indicated that to the Leafs, but that’s where it’s very much trending from what I understand. When the season ended, there was no GM in Toronto. There were so many unknowns, and it was natural for Matthews to have questions. There still are unknowns as far as what the roster will look like next season, but the conversations between Moldaver and new Leafs GM John Chayka have been cordial, and there’s some level of comfort there about how things are shaping up.

So, unless something dramatic happens in the coming weeks, the Leafs captain will be back next season in Toronto. That’ll be disappointing for a long list of teams that were keeping an eye on how things developed on the Matthews front, including the likes of the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Utah Mammoth.

Then again, there’s always next summer.
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zeke said:
Lol you're absolutely right - he just exposed that this whole thing was based on running propaganda for those specific american teams there.

Laughing my big black ass off over here.
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100% was just trying to manifest “Auston wants out” into being on behalf of the contributors to his regular “here’s what rival GM’s think about the Maple Leafs” pieces, who were all desperately hoping for an opportunity to buy low on Matthews.
 
I mean I very much believe it if they said Auston was wary of the direction when we had no GM and were coming off of Treliving bc we all got sick of the Leafs too under Treliving and Berube.

But then we got new management that talked about a return to puck possesion, offensive, fast hockey and then we fluked into a lottery win? And this team still has a lot of talent up front. I can't really see why you would want out and go to... Utah? Anaheim?
 
They have to make an example of one of these rumor mongers. Major public embarrassment for made up bullshit to the point where everyone laughs at the sight of their name. That’s the only thing that will make the others ramp up professionalism, the threat of being tossed to the side.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
They have to make an example of one of these rumor mongers. Major public embarrassment for made up bullshit to the point where everyone laughs at the sight of their name. That’s the only thing that will make the others ramp up professionalism, the threat of being tossed to the side.
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isnt that already happening?
 
On a message board of 20 people? Sure. I’m talking a story that grows legs and runs about one of these reporters just making up crap and putting it out there.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
On a message board of 20 people? Sure. I’m talking a story that grows legs and runs about one of these reporters just making up crap and putting it out there.
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The average hockey fan don't know these people exist really, and the average ones that do wont give a shit if they get embarrassed
 
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