Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs and star forward Mitch Marner reportedly agreed to a six-year contract Friday, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported the deal averages $10.9 million annually.

Toronto came to terms with the restricted free agent one day after NHL training camps officially opened.

The 22-year-old Marner is coming off a career year that saw him register 26 goals and 68 assists for 94 points in 82 games.

Toronto selected Marner with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft after he racked up a remarkable 126 points in 63 games for the OHL's London Knights during the 2014-15 season.

Marner was productive during his first two NHL campaigns with 61 points in 2016-17 and 69 points in 2017-18. It was the addition of John Tavares in free agency that helped Marner reach the next level last season, however.

In addition to setting a new career high with 26 goals last season, Marner was fourth in the NHL with 68 assists as the primary setup man for Tavares, ranking behind only Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets.

Marner is the second young superstar to sign a significant contract with the Leafs this year. In February, center Auston Matthews signed a five-year, $58.17 million extension.

TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Wednesday that Marner was using Matthews' contract as a benchmark during negotiations:

TOR has made seven and eight year offers in the $11M AAV universe but because it’s a lower AAV and longer term than Auston Matthews, it hasn’t been palatable to Marner.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) September 11, 2019

Getting a deal done with Marner now helped Toronto avoid a repeat of last season when forward William Nylander held out for the first two months of the season before signing a new contract.

With Marner officially back in the fold and the threat of an offer sheet from another team or holdout into the season averted, the Maple Leafs are once again viewed as one of the NHL's top Stanley Cup contenders entering the 2019-20 campaign.

Toronto has disappointed in the playoffs lately with first-round exits in each of the past three seasons, but a core of Marner, Matthews and Tavares is as good as any in the league.

If the Leafs can get more secondary scoring and the defense corps steps up beyond Morgan Rielly during the upcoming season, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and recently acquired forward Alexander Kerfoot reportedly agreed to a new contract Thursday.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the restricted free agent will ink a four-year, $14 million deal with the Leafs.

Toronto landed Kerfoot, defenseman Tyson Barrie and a 2020 sixth-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche on Monday for forward Nazem Kadri, defenseman Calle Rosen and a 2020 third-round pick.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period broke down Toronto's salary cap situation after signing Kerfoot and fellow restricted free-agent Cody Ceci:

Looking at the Leafs cap situation: Add Kerfoot's $3.5M AAV & Ceci's $4.5M AAV. Factor in Horton's $5.3M going on LTIR and 4 players on the current roster making avg $700K each being moved to the AHL to start the year, the Leafs have $11.165M in cap flexibility to play with.

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) July 4, 2019

The 24-year-old Kerfoot was a productive player during his two seasons with the Avs. He registered 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points as a rookie and followed that up with 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points last season.

Kerfoot appeared in all but seven regular-season games for Colorado over the past two seasons, and he also appeared in 18 playoff games during that time, recording two goals and three assists.

The Harvard graduate is a versatile forward who can play center and wing, and he figures to be a good fit on Toronto's third line in 2019-20 and beyond.

Kerfoot may be asked to fill the role vacated by Kadri, who went to Colorado as part of the trade. While Barrie was the big prize for Toronto due to his offensive ability from the blueline, Kerfoot should be a good fit within one of the best forward groups in the NHL.

There won't be much pressure on Kerfoot to put up big offensive numbers since the likes of John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson all topped 40 points among Leafs forwards last season.

With Kerfoot signed, Toronto's focus will shift toward its highest-profile restricted free agent in forward Mitchell Marner, who led the team with 94 points last season.

If Toronto can get Marner signed, it has the makings of a Stanley Cup contender despite getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are "closing in" on a four-year extension with winger Andreas Johnsson, according to Darren Dreger of TSN.

Dreger noted that the deal would likely feature an average annual value (AAV) in the range of $3.25 million to $3.5 million.

This comes after Dreger reported the Leafs had unsuccessfully attempted to get a deal done in February. Dreger noted in April that the club offered a pair of contracts, a two-year deal with a $2.1 million AAV and a four-year pact with a $2.6 million AAV, around the trade deadline.

In his first full season in the NHL, the 24-year-old Johnsson recorded 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 73 games with a plus-minus of 14. His 20 goals were tied for fifth on the team. Meanwhile, he tallied one goal and three assists in seven postseason games.

The news of an impending extension comes after Toronto traded forward Patrick Marleau to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. That move cleared $6.25 million off the books for the Maple Leafs, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Also, per TSN's Bob McKenzie, Toronto has an agreement on an extension in place for forward Kasperi Kapanen.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded Patrick Marleau to the Carolina Hurricanes in return for a 2020 sixth-round pick, the team announced Saturday.

The Hurricanes will also receive a conditional first-rounder in 2020 and a 2020 seventh-rounder. They outlined the Leafs' pick will convey in 2020 if it doesn't wind up in the top 10. Otherwise, Carolina will receive the selection in 2021 without any protections.

Marleau's wife Christina shared a statement from him on Twitter regarding his departure from Toronto:

Hi, Patrick here. I don’t have my own social media, so I wanted to come here and say a few words to @MapleLeafs, their fans and also to @Marner93 and @AM34 pic.twitter.com/6Te4oePdLa

— Christina Marleau (@c_marleau) June 22, 2019

The move is largely about shedding Marleau's contract. The 39-year-old will count for $6.25 million against the salary cap in 2019-20.

The Canes, on the other hand, are in a great position to take on some money for next year in exchange for a first-round draft pick. After accounting for Marleau's deal, Carolina has a little over $21.5 million in salary cap space this offseason, per Cap Friendly.

Marleau appears likely to be on the move already. According to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, he waived his no-movement clause in order to facilitate his trade to the Hurricanes, who will then likely buy him out of his contract. Johnston added Marleau's prefers a return to the San Jose Sharks, where he spent his first 19 seasons in the NHL.

The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported Thursday about Marleau's desire for a reunion:

It is beyond doubt that Patrick Marleau would covet a return to San Jose. And the Sharks may potentially have interest but they’ve got higher priority items to figure out now in trying to re-sign pending UFAs Pavelski, Thornton, plus RFA star Meier.... so on back burner for now

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 20, 2019

Echoing LeBrun, The Athletic's Kevin Kurz doubted whether signing the veteran forward will climb to the top of the Sharks' offseason to-do list:

https://twitter.com/KKurzNHL/status/1142468867236610049

Getting a first-rounder next year or the year after more than justifies this trade for Carolina, even if Marleau never plays a game for the team.

While the Maple Leafs now have $14 million in cap space, TSN 1050 Toronto's Bryan Hayes questioned the long-term consequences of the deal:

That’ll likely be two years in a row without a 1st round pick in Toronto. For a team that is going to need some cheap talent to contribute, Dubas and the scouts are going to have to seriously grind. And get lucky.

— Bryan Hayes (@HayesTSN) June 22, 2019

However, JD Bunkis of Sportsnet 590 The FAN reported restricted free agent Kasperi Kapanen was mentioned as a possible sweetener for the Leafs to include in order for a team to acquire Marleau.

Surrendering a first-rounder is a somewhat steep price, but Toronto seems to have avoided giving up a more valuable asset.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews will grace the cover of NHL 20, as announced during the NHL Awards on Wednesday.

Matthews follows the footsteps of Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban, who landed on NHL 19.

Unlock your CHEL in #NHL20.

Available worldwide September 13 👉 https://t.co/Ob0fSsRhrX pic.twitter.com/1UhRMINiPU

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) June 20, 2019

The Maple Leafs' fortunes have changed dramatically since the team picked the three-year veteran first overall in the 2016 NHL draft.

Toronto, which had not made the playoffs in 10 of its previous 11 seasons, has now earned a playoff berth in three consecutive years.

Matthews, 21, has scored 111 goals during that span, winning the 2016-17 Calder Memorial Trophy in the process.

NHL 20 will hit stores on September 13 for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

       

Shooting

Real Player Motion (RPM) Tech is changing the game, and fans can further copy their favorite players' styles in NHL 20.

Of note, Matthews' half toe-drag wrister and Washington Capitals wing Alex Ovechkin's one-timer are among specific shot styles now featured, and that's in addition to hundreds of new shot animations.

        

Passing

RPM overhauls to passing and puck pick-ups help create faster and more seamless gameplay reminiscent of the NHL.

      

Goaltending

New goalie artificial intelligence now consists of a "full offensive threat analysis," to quote an EA Sports press release. Now, goalies can "read and react" to each zone entry.

     

ONES and THREES Eliminator

Players can now take part in a new version of ONES and THREES called "Eliminator."

In ONES, 81 players face off in a survival tournament bracket. In THREES, players and friends must try to win back-to-back rounds against opponents of increasing difficulty.

     

Broadcast Package

A new broadcast package brings fresh play-by-play and color commentary calls, and that's in addition to new motion graphics, scoreboards and overlays.

Furthermore, a "Play Of The Game" feature "brings memorable plays to life through highlights designed to put top moments on a pedestal for both your teammates and opponents," per EA Sports.

    

Hockey Ultimate Team and NHL ONES

Players can now play ONES mode "via local multiplayer with class-based NHL stars," per EA Sports, which means a chance to challenge others to one-on-one-on-one battles.

As for Ultimate Team, players can now take part in Squad Battles, where "new opponents are refreshed every day." These include "NHL players, musical artists, hockey influencers and other superstar athletes."

Furthermore, fans can play with a new group of hockey Icons, which now numbers over 400.

     

CHEL Challenges

The CHEL game mode from NHL 19 continues with CHEL Challenges in NHL 20, defined by EA as "weekly in-game events across all of fan-favorite modes that unlock unique customization rewards, character XP and more."

Furthermore, CHEL now includes 2,000 unique customization items ranging from clothing to equipment. Fans can sport their new looks at four new outdoor locations.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Tuesday team president Brendan Shanahan signed a six-year contract extension with the organization through the 2024-25 NHL season.

"When [Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment] approached me several months ago to discuss an extension, I told them this would be quite simple as I've had no desire to leave what we've started here with the Maple Leafs," Shanahan said.

"I'm thankful to the Board of Directors, our coaches, trainers, management and office staff, and especially our players for the professionalism and dedication they display every day."

Shanahan earned enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame for a playing career that featured three Stanley Cup championships with the Detroit Red Wings and eight All-Star Game appearances. His 656 goals rank 14th in NHL history.

He joined the league office shortly after his 2009 retirement and worked his way up to senior vice president before accepting the Leafs president job in April 2014.

The 50-year-old Ontario native has overseen the rebuilding of Toronto's roster to reach a championship-contending level in recent years.

After failing to crack 70 points during his first two full years in charge, the Leafs enjoyed a breakout 2016-17 campaign with 95 points and just their second playoff berth since 2005.

They have reached the 100-plateau each of the past two seasons, highlighted by a franchise-record 49 wins during the 2017-18 campaign.

Toronto has failed to advance beyond the first round of the postseason in any of its three straight playoff appearances, though. It was eliminated by the division rival Boston Bruins the last two years.

Although the Leafs feature one of the league's most talented roster, led by centers Auston Matthews and John Tavares as well as winger Mitchell Marner, they could face some difficult decisions this offseason.

Marner headlines a group of potentially coveted restricted free agents that also includes Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. All three could generate offer-sheet interest from other teams, putting pressure on a Toronto front office that already has Matthews and Tavares signed to big-money contracts.

If Shanahan and general manager Kyle Dubas can keep the core together, the Leafs should enter the 2019-20 season as one of the NHL's top title contenders.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri has been suspended the rest of the first round after his cross-check against Jake DeBrusk of the Boston Bruins in Game 2, according to the NHL Player Safety account.

Kadri already received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for his hit to the face, but the league felt additional suspension was necessary.

"This is not a hockey play," the league explained in a video. "Instead, this is a player retaliating against an opponent by using his stick as a weapon to make forceful and direct head contact."

The incident came directly after DeBrusk hit Patrick Marleau into the boards, so Kadri's intent was pretty clear.

"It looked like a cross-check to the face," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after the game, per Emily Kaplan of ESPN. "I assume it'll be dealt with, or looked at, and we'll go from there."

The 28-year-old was also suspended three games in the playoffs last year for a hit on a Boston player, that time against Tommy Wingels. The center has been suspended three other times in his career, with the others coming in the regular season.

His history and the severity of the hit likely contributed to the length of suspension.

Boston won Game 2 Saturday, and the series is now tied at 1-1 heading into Game 3 Monday night.

While the Maple Leafs were already underdogs in the first-round battle, it will be even harder to pull off an upset without a key player who tallied 44 points this season, tied for fifth on the team.

Kadri also has a goal and an assist in two games so far this postseason.

The pressure will now be on Marleau and others to pick up the slack in the third line for the rest of the series.

The NHL determined Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly didn't direct a homophobic slur toward a referee during his team's 6-2 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night. 

Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice president of hockey operations, issued a statement Tuesday saying Rielly denied using a slur, with audio evidence backing up his account:

Statement from Senior EVP of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell on investigation of @TBLightning - @MapleLeafs game last night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/R3j7n1oJt9

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 12, 2019

The Toronto Star's Kevin McGran wrote the television broadcast appeared to catch one player using a slur in the middle of the action. McGran added the audio also sounded like a member of the Lightning was instructing the team to "rag" the puck—or hold it for the team in possession.

The Lightning were on the power play as the situation was occurring, with Cedric Paquette scoring a shorthanded goal at the 18:16 mark of the second period to make it a 5-1 game.

Rielly spoke to reporters Tuesday following the NHL's announcement.

Morgan Rielly: 'I was 100% confident I didn't use the word.'

MORE: https://t.co/TNot6F8GBc pic.twitter.com/sMLifeIlxO

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 12, 2019

In recent years, the NHL has issued fines and a suspension in one case when finding players guilty of using anti-gay slurs during games.

Andrew Shaw, then of the Chicago Blackhawks, received a $5,000 fine and a one-game ban in April 2016, while Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf was fined $10,000 in May 2017.

The Toronto Maple Leafs locked in a key part of their future Tuesday announcing they agreed to a new long-term contract extension with center Auston Matthews. 

The deal is for five years with an average annual salary of $11.63 million. Per Sean Leahy of Pro Hockey Talk, the contract is worth $58.17 million in total. 

Three years after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 NHL draft, Matthews has lived up to his potential. He ranks second on the Maple Leafs with 23 goals and fourth with 46 points in 38 games this season. 

The 21-year-old forward missed 20 games due to injury last season, but he still managed to register 34 goals and 29 assists for 63 points in 62 games. Matthews also skated to an impressive plus-25 rating.

As a rookie in 2016-17, Matthews potted 40 goals to go along with 29 assists for 69 points, while appearing in all 82 regular-season games. That was good enough to earn him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

Matthews has led the Leafs to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, but they have been unable to get over the hump with consecutive first-round eliminations. Their 67 points so far in 2018-19 rank second in the Eastern Conference. 

Toronto took a big step toward rectifying that situation this offseason by signing All-Star center John Tavares from the New York Islanders.

With Tavares joining an already-strong forward group that includes Matthews, Mitchell Marner, William Nylander and Nazem Kadri, the Maple Leafs have all the makings of a Stanley Cup contender heading into the stretch run this season.

Since Matthews is seemingly on the verge of becoming a perennial MVP candidate, signing him to a long-term deal is a move that will likely keep the Leafs in the championship mix for many years to come.

The addition of Tavares coupled with the re-signing of Matthews gives Toronto a strong combination of experience and youth up front for a long time.

As long as Matthews continues to produce at his current clip, though, the Maple Leafs will be among the NHL's most explosive and talented clubs.