5 h. ago Leafs players roamed Toronto streets before playoff games and hardly anyone noticed

There's a common belief held that if you ever find yourself as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, your life will never be the same.With a rabid media market, eagle-eyed fans, and about as much pressure as any professional athlete could be expected to have, even fringe Leafs players are assumed to have a tough time being anonymous in Toronto.But that might not exactly be the case.Posted up on the corner of Bay and Front streets before Game 1 and 2 against the Ottawa Senators in the opening round of the playoffs this week, fan Brian Encarnacao shared a few videos on his Instagram page of Leafs players opting to walk down the street to Scotiabank Arena rather than take a car or public transit.With thousands of fans packed into Maple Leaf Square, the arena itself, and nearby bars, restaurants, and condos to watch the game, you'd imagine the players would be bugged by people trying to stop them for an autograph or a quick pic.One of the players spotted by Encarnacao before both...

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16 h. ago Leafs concede Ridly Greig is great at agitating, but must ignore him in Game 3

In another time, on another team, Craig Berube might appreciate having a disruptor such as Ridly Greig on his bench. “He’s a good player, a competitor, a lot of good hockey traits,” the Maple Leafs coach observed. But Greig can’t be allowed to become a distraction against Toronto when this series shifts to Ottawa on […]

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7 d. ago Why this Maple Leafs player has surprised coach Craig Berube most this season

Craig Berube is just like the rest of us, in a sense. When the Maple Leafs coach was asked on Thursday morning which player has surprised him the most in his first year running the Toronto bench, he didn’t look beyond the top line. And no, we’re not talking about captain Auston Matthews or Mitch […]

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8 d. ago NHL legend reveals blockbuster Toronto Maple Leafs trade that almost happened

The Toronto Maple Leafs once nearly had one of the biggest stars of the 2000s on their roster as part of a trade that never came to fruition.Vincent Lecavalier had nine goals, seven assists, and 16 points across 23 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning en route to the 2004 Stanley Cup, the first in franchise history.But three years prior, in December 2001, he almost found himself making his way to the Leafs as part of a package for defenceman Tomas Kaberle and forwards Jonas Hoglund and Nik Antropov."That deal was done. I got a call from [current Montreal Canadiens GM and former agent Kent Hughes]," Lecavalier said on an episode of Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and former Leafs player Jay Rosehill. "I was in my pre-game nap and he called me. 'Alright it's done, you're going to Toronto!' So I was like 'oh wow, OK.'"Lecavalier was just three years removed from being picked first overall and having former Lightning owner Art Williams proclaim him to be the "Michael Jordan of hockey....

Economics

9 d. ago China pursuing 3 alleged US operatives over cyberattacks during Asian Games

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China said Tuesday it was pursuing three alleged U.S. operatives accused of carrying out cyberattacks on Chinese infrastructure during the Asian Games held in the city of Harbin in February. A notice from the Harbin police headquarters named them as Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson and […]

Events

2 w. ago LEAFS NOTES: Craig Berube happy with the process, Leafs players glad for Vlad Guerrero Jr.

They’ve won four in a row and are 8-1-1 in their past 10 games. So, yes, the Maple Leafs are on the right side of coach Craig Berube as they head into Florida for a back-to-back set against the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. What’s more, the Leafs — with a lead for first […]

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3 w. ago SIMMONS: This Maple Leafs team is finally learning to win the right way

This is what the Maple Leafs have been missing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, year after disappointing year. Great goaltending when the game and the result is on the line. Star performances from the largest salaried stars on the Leafs roster – the same players who are usually left to fruitlessly explain what went wrong […]

Sport

3 w. ago Toronto Maple Leafs record held by Mats Sundin for 28 years has been broken

If you've spent any time watching William Nylander playing this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it'd be pretty easy to make the case that he's the best he's ever looked.While he's 19 points of his career-high 98 points achieved last season with just eight games left for Toronto, one could argue that this has been Nylander's most dynamic offensive year yet.With a career-high 42 goals, which sit him second in the entire NHL behind Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl, Nylander has been a driving force behind Toronto's offence all season long.And it turns out that he actually quietly set a Leafs record last week, despite not much fanfare circling on it.With Nylander's 42nd of the season scored in a 6-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, he actually one-upped countryman Mats Sundin for the best single-season goal-scoring mark in Leafs history by a European player. Sundin topped out at 41 in the 1996-97 seasons, 2001-02 season topping a previous mark of 32 set by Czech winger Miroslav Frycer...

Sport

3 w. ago Rogers Centre exterior looks a bit different this Toronto Blue Jays season

For fans coming to the Toronto Blue Jays games this season, changes to the Rogers Centre aren't quite as drastic as in recent years.After undergoing a C$400-million renovation heading into each of the past two seasons, the stadium, in operation since 1989, has slowed down the new additions to the park for 2025.The biggest changes this year are a new pair of exclusive clubs, located in right field and behind home plate, respectively.The new Rogers Banner Club and Club 328 offer a chance for members (and non-members, pending on availability) to check out a unique private experience just steps away from their stadium seats.But if you're walking into a game anytime soon or simply walking past the ballpark, you might notice a bit of a refresh of the stadium exterior.This week, the team unveiled its annual player banners for the 2025 season, featuring the members of the Opening Day roster and the new "lights up, let's go" slogan.Eight new players cracked the fold for this year, including ...

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4 w. ago New Maple Leafs player still hasn't moved out of downtown Toronto hotel

When Scott Laughton got traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was an opportunity to return close to home.But the Oakville native is still searching for an actual home to live in.The 30-year-old forward, who, before the trade, had spent his entire NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers after being drafted by them in 2012, is currently living in a downtown Toronto hotel, as per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.And before facing off against his former team for the first time on Tuesday, Laughton told reporters that he's actually located quite close to his former head coach, John Tortorella."I said, 'Stay in your room. I'll stay in mine. I don't even want to see you,'" Tortorella joked before last night's matchup.Tortorella might've wished he had stayed in his hotel room a little bit longer, however, with Toronto coming away from the contest with a 7-2 win Tuesday night.Laughton and his wife, Chloe, welcomed a son late last year, and despite the trade to Toronto, his family is likely to spend plen...

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