In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll take a look at rumors that the Maple Leafs have some interest in Zdeno Chara. I’ll then look at what players might be signed to the best contracts.
Finally, I’ll share my belief that Austin Matthews is emerging in status and might be closing the gap between himself and the great Connor McDavid as one of the best players in the entire NHL.
Item One: The Maple Leafs Are Not Interested in Zdeno Chara
A recent report by Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy suggested that the Maple Leafs might be one of three teams interested in signing Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara. However, just as quickly as that rumor came out, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reported that it was likely false – although who really knows with the Maple Leafs?
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins leaves the ice after warming up for Game Four of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
Fox’s guess is that the team won’t even invite anyone to training camp on a PTO. They’re done revamping their roster. As far as Chara goes, the rumor is that like the rest of the hockey world, he’s waiting to see what the NHL and NHLPA can work out about starting the 2020-21 season.
Rumors suggest, according to Boston Hockey Now, the Bruins and future hall of famer Chara are ‘far apart’ on a contract extension and that Chara has had offers from ‘more than three teams.’
Item Two: The Maple Leafs Best Contracts?
In a recent mailbag article, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox was asked to comment on which Maple Leafs player had the best and worst contracts. His answers suggest he agrees with me about the change in the status of William Nylander’s contract from a “salary-cap problem” to a “team-friendly contract.” Nylander’s contract seems now to be separated from Marner, John Tavares, and Auston Matthews’ contracts.
Fox believes Nylander “bounced back to prove worth every penny of his cap hit and should cruise around the 30-goal, 60-mark through his 20s while gaining the blue line like few others.” He also noted that, should the Maple Leafs be in an emergency to gain salary-cap space, the front-loaded nature of Nylander’s contract makes him a great trade chip.)
Fox also named Morgan Rielly’s $5 million and Ilya Mikheyev’s $1.645 contract as good contracts. He believes Zach Hyman is underpaid at $2.25 million. According to Fox, Hyman plays physically, forechecks hard, makes those he plays with better, and is getting better with experience.
Finally, Fox cited general manager Kyle Dubas’ belief that the organization doesn’t “have any contracts that we look at and say, ‘We need to get rid of this player. This player isn’t delivering on it at all.” Fox tends to agree and points out that the Maple Leafs aren’t burdened by contracts like Milan Lucic, James Neal, or Loui Eriksson carry.
Item Three: Auston Matthews Is Gaining on Connor McDavid as the NHL’s Best Player
In yesterday’s post, I made a case that Mitch Marner, although he’s a great player, hasn’t progressed like Auston Matthews has and doesn’t have the on-ice team impact Matthews has had. The question became over the past season: How good can Matthews get?
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews jumps over the sticks of Detroit Red Wings defenceman Filip Hronek and defenceman Danny DeKeyser (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov)
Defining a “best NHL player” is a personal preference because there are a number of amazing NHL players. For example, in September 2019, David Satriano (an NHL.com Staff Writer) ranked the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid the NHL’s best player. He followed McDavid by ranking Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov second, Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby third, Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon fourth, Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane fifth, Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin sixth, Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand seventh, Florida Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov eighth, San Jose Sharks’ Brent Burns ninth, and the Lightning’s Victor Hedman tenth.
Obviously, Maple Leafs fans will note that Matthews didn’t make that list. Again, such a list is personal; however, I’m here to support Matthews as a player who’s quickly moving up that list and might – not far into the future – surpass almost everyone on this list.
I’m not alone in thinking Matthews might be closing in on McDavid the best NHL player. In 2018, Sportsnet conducted a vote about whether fans would rather have Matthews or McDavid on their team. With more than 10,000 votes cast, McDavid was the fans’ choice by a wide margin. But that was two years ago, and Satriano’s list was now more than a year ago. What would fans say today?
Here’s my own ranking of these two talents head-to-head, focusing on individual skills and areas of team impact.
Area #1: Skating
Here McDavid has a wide edge not only on Matthews but on everyone else in hockey. In my mind, McDavid is simply the best skater ever to play NHL hockey. At every skills competition at all-star weekend, McDavid is the player to beat in the race for the title of the Fastest Skater Competition.
Although McDavid is trickier as he gets closer to the goal than Matthews and is adept at faking out goalies, Matthews has the better shot. He can almost shoot the puck through goalies. He has great hands, a quick release, and an accurate shot. The edge in shooting goes to Matthews.
Area #3: Playmaking
Matthews is a great puck-handler, which is helped by a high hockey IQ. He also plays a great transition game through the middle of the ice. Still, McDavid sees the ice like no one else not named Wayne Gretzky. He passes first and shoots second, which is the opposite of Matthews. The edge to McDavid in playmaking.
Area #4: Defensive Ability
McDavid, for his elite play in all areas, isn’t as a good a defensive player as Matthews, who’ll one day, I believe, be seen as the King of the 200-foot game. He’s becoming more well-rounded than McDavid and doesn’t have McDavid’s defensive issues. There’s even been support for Matthews as a Norris Trophy winner, which is talk that likely won’t be pointed McDavid’s way.
Area #5: Talent Level
McDavid is one of the more talented players in NHL history. McDavid will also regularly outscore Matthews, but his lack of defense means he won’t stop as many points as Matthews. Matthews is also much grittier, bigger, and stronger than McDavid. Should Matthews continue to improve, he might even surpass McDavid’s on-ice impact. And that’s a radical thought.
Edmonton Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen celebrates with Connor McDavid (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Matthews is also fortunate to play on a better team than McDavid’s Oilers. I’ve even heard rumors that McDavid – although he’d never say – might consider leaving the Oilers. But those are rumors.
McDavid is the captain of the Oilers and, since Day 1, he’s been a class act. Matthews, the Arizona issue aside, is growing into more of a leader. But he isn’t McDavid yet.
Both these young players are exemplary players. McDavid’s always been a star, with Matthews quickly becoming one. My call right now is that McDavid remains the better player. However, both Matthews and McDavid are generational talents and NHL hockey fans are lucky to watch each of them play. Their highlights will be shown and reshown season after season.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The answer to what’s next for the Maple Leafs might be “not much.”
The Maple Leafs have added strong depth players at bargain contracts and are probably pleased where they stand. Adding more players might mean losing someone already signed. As I noted earlier, Fox reports that the Maple Leafs won’t even bring in anyone on a PTO. If that player actually made the team, cap space would need to be cleared.
I have to think the organization feels it’s done as well as it could, all things be considered, signing players. That said, one can never assume Dubas will completely close the door to different possibilities. I have a sense that Maple Leafs fans are quite ready for the 2020-21 season to begin.
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps will begin their post-season campaign with a play-in game against the Timbers in Portland on Wednesday.
The ‘Caps (13-13-8) ended the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday and finished eighth in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings.
The eighth and ninth spots from each conference meet in a play-in game this week, with the winner going on to face the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Each eighth-place team was set to host the play-in game, but Vancouver announced Friday that its home stadium, B.C. Place, is not available, so the club will cede home-field advantage to Portland (12-11-11), the ninth-place team.
The ‘Caps and Timbers split their three-game series during regular-season play, with each side taking a win, a loss and a draw.
The first round of the MLS playoffs is set to begin next weekend.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Diego Luna scored a tying goal in the 73rd minute and Real Salt Lake added another on an own goal for a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night to set a single-season club record for points.
Real Salt Lake (16-7-11) secured the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference and will face Minnesota in the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs. RSL reached 59 points this season, topping the 2012 team with 57.
Vancouver (13-13-8) will play the Portland Timbers on Wednesday in a wild-card game for a chance to play top-seeded LAFC.
Luna settled a long cross from Braian Ojeda before taking four touches to slot home a shot inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season.
RSL went ahead in the 83rd when Vancouver goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer misplayed a lofted ball that rolled into the back of the net.
Vancouver midfielder Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 58th to become the first player in club history to produce multiple seasons with at least 10 goals and 10 assists.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Juan Soto’s arrival last winter was supposed to be that move that pushed the New York Yankees back to the top.
They’re one step away.
Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.
Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.
Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade from San Diego in December, pushed the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.
This was why he came, for this moment and for so many more.
“We’re right where we belong,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who pulled off the deal for Soto.
The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
In the third consecutive tight game in three nights at Progressive Field, Austin Wells walked with one out in the 10th and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.
Hunter Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.
“I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” said Soto, who moved alongside his manager, Aaron Boone, as the only New York players to homer in an extra-inning, series-clinching win.
Luke Weaver got the final three outs with Lane Thomas flying out for the last one, which was caught by Soto.
“We get to play for a world championship,” Boone said. “That’s pretty sweet.”
The 25-year-old Soto is eligible for free agency this winter, and Yankees fans chanted “Re-sign Soto!” during the postgame festivities. He’s expected to get a contract upwards of $600 million, and his heroics in Game 5 may have raised his price.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and was named ALCS MVP as the Yankees took care of the Guardians in five games. It wasn’t easy.
New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.
The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.
“This was a rollercoaster and we were able to just keep punching back,” Stanton said. “We know there’s much more work to do and it’s only uphill from here and we got to get it done.”
Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.
“There’s only one team that gets to win the last game of the year, and unfortunately it’s not going to be us,” Vogt said. “But we accomplished a lot as a group. We got better. We worked extremely hard. I couldn’t be more proud of this group. We just didn’t get quite as far as we wanted to.”
The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.
The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.
While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star — accelerated the team returning to title contender.
“That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.
Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.
It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).
Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.
“He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”
But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”
“There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.
The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (elbow strain) had another successful live batting practice session. The reliever remains on track to join the Yankees on their World Series roster. Boone said Cortes would throw again early next week. Cortes went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 starts.
