Alec Brownscombe

Scott Laughton’s folk hero status continues to rise in Toronto. I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn’t superimposing the memory of Laughton’s goal against the Dallas Stars onto this game in my head, wanting the moment for Laughton so badly. It was the exact same goal with the same finish […]

The score to settle with the Anaheim Ducks over the Auston Matthews injury shouldn’t start and end with the Maple Leafs sending a willing combatant over to drop the gloves with Radko Gudas, if he plays. Sure, it can be one part of it, should Gudas actually dress, but it’s not even the most important […]

10 thoughts after a dramatic evening in Leafland ended in a GM firing, a 4-3 overtime win, and 93 combined penalty minutes against the Ducks. Overall, nothing can totally erase the lack of reply in the moment on March 12, but tonight’s response was solid, with Max Domi, Michael Pezzetta, and Jake McCabe leading the […]

On 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman discussed the latest on the Leafs’ GM search, interest from MLSE/ownership in Mats Sundin joining the new front office, Auston Matthews’ future, and more on the Leafs big offseason decisions ahead. On the GM search Sunny Mehta was obviously a contender. Several people told me they heard his name internally. […]

Just when you think you’re out… Long-time Maple Leafs diehards are extremely familiar with the rollercoaster ride of following this beleaguered franchise day in and day out over the years, but the last 24 hours are about as dizzying as it gets. First, a controversial GM hire with little initial popular support was announced by […]

After the Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 season concluded, Auston Matthews made the following statement about the highly disappointing campaign: This was a tough year and a frustrating year. We didn’t meet the goals or expectations we set out at the start. Ultimately, that is on me. That is on us as players. We’re the ones who […]

With the 158th overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs selected 6’1, 164-pound centerman Cooper Williams of the Saskatoon Blades (a UND commit for ’26-27). It took the Maple Leafs eight selections to draft their first centerman, which is less than ideal given their relative weakness at the position on the organizational […]

The Zach Werenski drama took an interesting turn late on Tuesday night: Werenski has rejected a trade to the Dallas Stars, and the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs are (reportedly) two of the top teams on Werenski’s list. The rumours of Dallas’ keen interest and willingness to offer Thomas Harley in a package […]

The Maple Leafs have executed a minor trade prior to the opening of unrestricted free agency, clearing out another roster spot and a couple of million dollars in future cap space they would’ve otherwise spent by keeping their qualified, arbitration-eligible RFA around. Nick Robertson is reuniting with the GM who drafted him in the second […]

Elliotte Friedman’s final 32 Thoughts prior to the offseason break included a collection of Leafs nuggets to pore over, including the organization’s strong belief in Auston Matthews, Toronto’s offer on Claude Giroux, Gavin McKenna’s poise in the media, the touchy Morgan Rielly situation, and Florida’s decision to walk away from Sergei Bobrovsky. “They really believe […]