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2026-27 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion | Official: Sundin & Chayka to lead front office

herman said:
You know who wanted to draft Werenski in 2015? #FurnacevsJetSki
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Jonas is for it. Luke Fox is for it. The Athletic did a rundown of 8 possible landing spots. If Werenski is looking to get on a team that’s been in and around the last 2 rounds lately, only Carolina and Dallas strike me as having what CBJ is after. Leafs seem, to me, better positioned to get him than a lot of teams on their list, though of course it depends on what the 2026 draft did to change perceptions of the Leafs trajectory. And probably whether Matthews is any good at recruiting.
 
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mr grieves said:
Jonas is for it. Luke Fox is for it. The Athletic did a rundown of 8 possible landing spots. If Werenski is looking to get on a team that’s been in and around the last 2 rounds lately, only Carolina and Dallas strike me as having what CBJ is after. Leafs seem, to me, better positioned to get him than a lot of teams on their list, though of course it depends on what the 2026 draft did to change perceptions of the Leafs trajectory. And probably whether Matthews is any good at recruiting.
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I think the Leafs are best positioned to make this a hockey trade and not just a futures trade.
 
I also think Dallas is an interesting opportunity. Not to necessarily get Jason Robertson, but to facilitate Dallas keeping Jason Robertson and keeping him happy. I think trading Nick Robertson to the Stars is something that could be talked about.
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/2071250409641922914
https://twitter.com/x/status/2071242683817906269
We could just spam his socials with this and similar highlights. He’d probably hit 30+ goals with the Leafs (shooting on Ottawa and Buffalo and Detroit and Florida’s whoever and a tail end Vasilevskiy a lot) while Matthews and Nylander draw most of the attention.

(I’m not that sold on Dallas’s viability as Cup contenders, but then again I thought Ehlers was not going to help Carolina overcome Florida)
 
herman said:
(I’m not that sold on Dallas’s viability as Cup contenders, but then again I thought Ehlers was not going to help Carolina overcome Florida)
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Technically the jury is still out on that. Unless Florida admits that they were so scared of Ehlers they didn't even bother making the playoffs
 
mr grieves said:
Yeah, this would be great for CBJ, DAL, and Werenski.
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I might think that Harley alone is enough...Harley is signed through to 2034, and Werenski only has 2 years to go.

EDIT: probably not, I didn't think their point differential was that wide...Werenski is a point a game, and Harley runs around 50 points per season.
 
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Frank E said:
I might think that Harley alone is enough...Harley is signed through to 2034, and Werenski only has 2 years to go.

EDIT: probably not, I didn't think their point differential was that wide...Werenski is a point a game, and Harley runs around 50 points per season.
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Harley plays behind Heiskanen (top option), whereas Werenski is CBJ’s near only offensive option.

If Judd Moldaver wanted to, he could play kingmaker and orchestrate the Miami Heat of the NHL in a year or two with McDavid and Matthews and Werenski all reaching FA together. Toronto would be the natural city to centre that effort. The endorsements alone for such a situation (and the favourable coverage from the owners of the team) would offset the income tax situation (better than Cali).
 
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herman said:
They just miss Mitch

And to be fair, Mitch Marner is a unicorn two-way winger with well above average defense. Him and Hyman coming in at the same time with Nylander (and to a lesser degree Kapanen) meant some wingers got all the defensive development reps because that’s what the team needed then.

Nylander helped pad the stats of a lot of defense-first linemates over the years. Who’s job was the harder one on each of those plays is debatable. I’m sure they both appreciate each others gifts.
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When his team asked the "unicorn two-way winger" to play center because they needed it, he delivered for much of last season. His team said they appreciated it.
 
cw said:
When his team asked the "unicorn two-way winger" to play center because they needed it, he delivered for much of last season. His team said they appreciated it.
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Not sure why the Leafs never found a coach who could puzzle out how to make three lines with the four forwards they had.

Among the many missed opportunities of the Leafs last decade, I think, was not running through several more coaches.
 
cw said:
When his team asked the "unicorn two-way winger" to play center because they needed it, he delivered for much of last season. His team said they appreciated it.
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This is the same player that told his draft team he must play with Matthews (allegedly) and PP1 and PK1 or shit will go down. It’s good that he grew out of that.

The other winger that is believed to be a terrible teammate because he doesn’t look like he tries on defense volunteered to play centre whenever it was needed (Tavares injury, super line shifts, and coaches ran out of ideas) and dragged up bottom six wingers on his lines whenever called upon.

Remember that funny season Nylander led the team in SHG
 
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herman said:
This is the same player that told his draft team he must play with Matthews (allegedly) and PP1 and PK1 or shit will go down. It’s good that he grew out of that.

The other winger that is believed to be a terrible teammate because he doesn’t look like he tries on defense volunteered to play centre whenever it was needed (Tavares injury, super line shifts, and coaches ran out of ideas) and dragged up bottom six wingers on his lines whenever called upon.

Remember that funny season Nylander led the team in SHG
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Maybe Marner's franchise leading 10 SHG during his time here dwarfed Nylander's 3 SHG.

It is one thing to go through the motions and "volunteer". It is another to sincerely commit, put your heart into it and do it.

There is nothing to substantiate Marner told his draft team he must play with Matthews.
Marner contradicted that allegation when he did say this as he returned from injury:
www.sportsnet.ca

Maple Leafs' Marner set to return, but not alongside Matthews

Mitch Marner is set to return to action Saturday in Montreal after missing 12 games due to a reported ankle injury, but he will not be skating alongside Auston Matthews on the top line.
www.sportsnet.ca www.sportsnet.ca
"Like I've spoken on so many times before, I don't think it really matters who you are playing with on this group .. A lot of guys on all sorts of lines that have a lot of versatility, skill, make plays so ... Obviously, Auston, Bert & Dome's line has been unbelievable for us over these past couple of weeks so its been great to see that"
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But there is also this from Auston:
https://twitter.com/x/status/989884091968380930

It would be hard to believe multiple Leafs coaches forced Matthews to play with someone he didn't want to play with year after year.
Philosophically, Matthews (+147, +2) & Marner (+145, +20) were on the same page as two way players. They block shots and finish checks, play defense responsibly, etc. Willie (+20,-2) only plays one way.
During Matthews 69 goal season, Marner assisted on 34, Nylander 17. Maybe Matthews missed Marner last year. Hopefully, McKenna can help fill the void Nylander could not.
 
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