Leafs Morning Take

Nick Alberga & Zack Phillips are joined by Spittin' Chiclets and NHL on TNT personality Paul Bissonnette to break down the Maple Leafs' 3-3-1 start and more why he's denounced his fandom following John Chayka's arrival in Toronto. Biz dishes on Auston Matthews' resurgence, including his improved foot speed, usage, health and the Leafs' efforts to surround their captain...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill sift through the news and notes from Thanksgiving weekend for the Maple Leafs, including Toronto’s 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. However, the victory came at a cost, as Chris Tanev suffered an upper-body injury and was placed on IR. Meantime, the boys preview the third and final stop of the road trip as the Leafs visit Utah. Plus, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio h...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill are joined by Steve Kouleas, host of The Power Play on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, to discuss the latest around the Maple Leafs. Kouleas sounds the alarm on Chris Tanev’s latest injury, explaining why he believes Toronto needs to make a move to address its blue-line concerns. Plus, he raves about Gavin McKenna’s emergence, discusses John Tavares’ importance, and bre...

Nick Alberga & Zack Phillips recap and dissect Toronto’s frustrating 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights after the Leafs blew a 3-0 lead. The boys break down what went wrong, Sergei Bobrovsky’s stellar performance, and the injury concerns surrounding Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who left the game in the third period after taking a big hit from Jeremy Lauzon. Plus, the fellas look ahead to S...

Former Maple Leaf and current Colorado Avalanche TV colour analyst John-Michael Liles joins Nick Alberga & Zack Phillips to preview Saturday night's showdown in Denver. Liles discusses Auston Matthews' electric start to the season and why the Leafs captain looks like a different player, plus Toronto's offseason overhaul and his love for the Sergei Bobrovsky acquisition. (“I love th...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill preview the Maple Leafs’ visit to Vegas, the first game of a daunting three-game road trip. The boys discuss the vibes being sky-high after Toronto’s thrilling OT win over Nashville and what the Leafs need to do to carry that momentum into Vegas. They also dive into Gavin McKenna’s impressive outing and whether the young star can eventually become Toronto’s long-ter...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill welcome Gerard Gallant to Leafs Morning Take to tee up Toronto's visit to Vegas. Gallant weighs in on Auston Matthews' dominant four-point performance against Nashville, calling the Leafs captain outstanding, before offering his thoughts on Gavin McKenna and the patience required for a young player to find his footing in Toronto. Gallant draws comparisons be...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill recap Toronto’s thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over Nashville. Auston Matthews played the hero, scoring the OT winner while finishing the night with a goal and three assists. Gavin McKenna also delivered a milestone performance, recording his first NHL goal and point. The boys break down the wild night, Matthews’ huge performance, McKenna’s first NHL goal, and what...

Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta preview Toronto’s home date with Nashville — the fourth and final game of the Leafs’ season-opening homestand. Is this a sneaky big game for Toronto with a daunting Vegas-Colorado-Utah road trip looming? The boys discuss the importance of Tuesday night’s matchup, Gavin McKenna, John Tavares, and the latest on Toronto’s search for defensive help. Plus, legendary pl...

Chris Cuthbert joins Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta to break down the Maple Leafs through three games. First, Cuthbert weighs in on Gavin McKenna taking the option on Sunday’s optional skate, explaining why he’s not concerned about the rookie and believes John Tavares can help show him the right way to handle the grind of an NHL season. Then, Cuthbert assesses Toronto’s start, calling the secon...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill recap Toronto's 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. The boys discuss John Tavares' foot-speed issues and whether Jim Hiller may need to break up the McKenna-Tavares-Nylander trio. Plus, they dish on the latest from Leafs practice as Toronto prepares for Tuesday night's home date with the Nashville Predators. Also, TSN Hockey Analyst Cheryl...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill welcome TSN Hockey Analyst Cheryl Pounder to break down the Maple Leafs through their first three games of the season. Pounder explains why she likes the Kirill Marchenko trade and why she believes he’s arguably been Toronto’s best player so far. Plus, she weighs in on the McKenna-Tavares-Nylander line, whether she’d like to see Gavin McKenna alongside Auston Matthe...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill discuss Matthew Knies’ monster two-goal, one-assist performance in his Columbus Blue Jackets debut. Then, they dive into the latest news and notes from Leafs practice as Toronto prepares for Round 1 of the Battle of Ontario. Plus, they discuss Jake McCabe narrowly avoiding a serious injury in the season opener. Recently retired NHL coach Jacques Martin, who has seen...

Two-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime Senators head coach Jacques Martin joined Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill to discuss the Battle of Ontario, the Leafs’ offseason, and much more. Martin reflected on the rivalry and what has made the Battle of Ontario so special over the years, joking that he was on the wrong end of a few of them. He also praised Toronto’s offseason improvements, giving Jo...

Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green joins Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta ahead of Saturday night’s season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Green discusses the excitement surrounding the start of the season, Ottawa’s injury concerns, and naming Thomas Chabot captain. He also weighs in on Daniel Alfredsson facing the Senators for the first time since joining the Leafs’ coaching staff,...

Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta recap Toronto’s 2-1 win over the New York Islanders — win No. 1 of the Jim Hiller era. Anthony Stolarz was solid between the pipes with 26 saves, while Easton Cowan led the way offensively with a goal and an assist. Plus, Pagnotta dishes on what else the Leafs could be up to on the trade market — hint: they may be looking to add some help on defence. Meantime, Col...

Don Waddell, President of Hockey Operations & GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets, joins Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill for a behind-the-scenes look at how the Matthew Knies–Kirill Marchenko blockbuster came together. Waddell details when the Leafs first entered the equation, Columbus’ read on Knies, what it’s like being an NHL GM in 2026, and what it was like negotiating with John Chayka. Plus,...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill recap the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener. The boys break down all the big storylines from the opener, including Raddysh’s turbulent debut, McKenna’s first taste of NHL action, Marchenko’s impact, and Nylander’s two-goal performance. Plus, the Leafs may not be done making aggressive moves. On Tuesday night’s edition of TSN’s Insi...

Former Montreal Canadiens captain and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty joins Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill ahead of the season opener to discuss the rivalry, his time in Toronto, the blockbuster Matthew Knies/Kirill Marchenko trade, and the current Leafs roster. Pacioretty opens up about what makes the Toronto-Montreal rivalry so unique and how different his experiences were playing fo...

Dan Milstein, agent for Kirill Marchenko, joins Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill to break down his client's blockbuster trade to Toronto and six-year, $75 million contract extension. First, Milstein provides an update on whether Marchenko will make his Maple Leafs debut in the season opener, revealing that the team is working through immigration paperwork and there’s a good chance he’ll play. M...

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill preview the Maple Leafs’ season opener against Montreal, just hours after John Chayka pulled off a huge move, sending Matthew Knies to Columbus in a deal that landed Kirill Marchenko in Toronto. The boys set the scene for opening night, break down the blockbuster trade and discuss what Marchenko brings to Toronto. Plus, Dan Milstein, Marchenko's agent drops by t...

🚨 EMERGENCY LIVE 🚨 The Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets are reportedly working on a major trade involving Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko, and Daily Faceoff Toronto is going LIVE to break it all down. Nick Alberga, Zack Phillips, and Dan Riccio react to the breaking Leafs trade news, discuss what a potential Knies for Marchenko deal could mean for Toronto, Marchenko’s fit with th...

Nick Alberga & Zack Phillips get set for the Maple Leafs’ season opener against Montreal, breaking down the latest news and notes out of Toronto one sleep before the puck drops. The boys dive into Toronto officially signing Nick Blankenburg to a one-year deal, Nick Paul returning to practice, and Dakota Joshua rejoining the main group. Plus, Nick & Zack break down the Leafs-related betting...

Bruce Boudreau joins Nick Alberga & Zack Phillips ahead of the Leafs' season opener against the Montreal Canadiens. First, Boudreau breaks down Toronto's bottom six and what he needs to see from that group, emphasizing the importance of being able to play responsible defence. Boudreau also revisits his offseason skepticism about the Leafs making the playoffs, explaining why he expects...

Projected No. 1 overall pick Landon DuPont joined Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill as he gets set to begin his first NCAA season with the Michigan Wolverines. DuPont discussed his decision to make the jump from the WHL to the NCAA, explaining why the opportunity to play against older competition was a major factor in his decision. He also talked about the defencemen he studies and tries to model hi...