Maple Leafs Hotstove
Providing Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies news, opinion and analysis since 2008, MLHS is one of the largest, most authoritative independent hockey sites online.
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John Gruden on the Marlies’ fourth line scoring back-to-back game winners to take a 2-0 series lead: “We have four lines that can all play the game”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 2-1 overtime victory over the WBS Penguins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final. On Michael Pezzetta scoring a game-winner in back-to-back games: If you look at the playoffs for any team that continues to have success, the top lines neutralize themselves, and it is […] The post John Gruden on the Marlies’ fourth line scoring back-to-back game winners to take a 2-0 series lead: “We have four lines that can all play the game” app...
Pezzetta scores game-winner, Akhtyamov wins goaltending battle as Toronto Marlies score late goal to stun WBS in Game 1
“I thought we played really well in moments, but we still know how dangerous they are in their transition game. We got a little cute on a few shifts there, but again, it is a bend-don’t-break mentality, and when it matters the most, our group finds a way to show up. This is a best-of-seven, […] The post Pezzetta scores game-winner, Akhtyamov wins goaltending battle as Toronto Marlies score late goal to stun WBS in Game 1 appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on the Marlies’ fourth line scoring the winner in Game 1 of the ECF: “They’re the heartbeat of our team at times”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 4-2 victory over the WBS Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final. On starting the fourth line (Pezzetta-Johnston-Johnson) to begin the game, and the line coming through with the game-winner in the third period: They’re the heartbeat of our team at times. When we […] The post John Gruden on the Marlies’ fourth line scoring the winner in Game 1 of the ECF: “They’re the heartbeat of our team at times” appeared first on Maple...
Toronto Marlies vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: Eastern Conference Finals Series Preview & Schedule
Against all expectations, the Toronto Marlies have bested the rest in the North Division. They did it the hard way, becoming the third team in AHL history to win three winner-take-all games in a single Calder Cup postseason. Now playing with house money, the Marlies’ reward is a matchup with the vaunted Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Regular […] The post Toronto Marlies vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: Eastern Conference Finals Series Preview & Schedule appeared first on Maple Leafs Hots...
Five Thoughts on the Toronto Marlies’ playoff run: Akhtyamov shines, Danford’s pro debut, Villeneuve’s production, Cowan’s showing & more
As we gear up for the NHL Draft, free agency, and the Maple Leafs’ hiring of a new head coach, the Toronto Marlies keep finding ways to win playoff series. It hasn’t always been pretty, but the Marlies are off to the conference finals after winning their third winner-takes-all game this postseason. It’s only positive […] The post Five Thoughts on the Toronto Marlies’ playoff run: Akhtyamov shines, Danford’s pro debut, Villeneuve’s production, Cowan’s showing & more appeared first on Maple ...
John Gruden on the benefits of the Marlies’ deep playoff run: “These are great moments for Cowan, Chadwick, Danford, Akhtyamov… I can’t say enough about how important it is to learn how to play and win at this time of the year”
Ahead of the start of the Conference Final series in Wilkes-Barre, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed the challenge of facing the Penguins, the importance of his veteran leaders during the playoff run, and the developmental benefits of postseason experience for the team’s younger prospects. What are the key areas of focus ahead of […] The post John Gruden on the benefits of the Marlies’ deep playoff run: “These are great moments for Cowan, Chadwick, Danford, Akhtyamov… I can’t ...
Easton Cowan scores dramatic late winner, Toronto Marlies roar back in final five minutes to clinch series victory in Cleveland
“I thought we came out with the right mindset. The resilience of our group — to bend, but not break — is such a credit to our guys, with the way they handle themselves when our backs are against the wall.” – John Gruden “We’re never out of the fight.” – Vinni Lettieri. “We always […] The post Easton Cowan scores dramatic late winner, Toronto Marlies roar back in final five minutes to clinch series victory in Cleveland appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden after another comeback win punched the Marlies’ ticket to the Conference Final: “I said it between the periods: ‘We bet on you guys if our backs are against the wall'”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s series-clinching 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Monsters in Game 5 of the North Division final. On the feelings coming off another winner-takes-all playoff victory: How can you not be excited about what just happened in those last five minutes? I do believe it started from the […] The post John Gruden after another comeback win punched the Marlies’ ticket to the Conference Final: “I said it between the periods: ‘We bet on you guys i...
Artur Akhtyamov & Ryan Tverberg stay hot, Toronto Marlies force Game 5 with best effort of the series vs. Cleveland
“We got our team back. They found their confidence. They found their mojo. And I knew they would. We’ve said it all year and all playoffs long: When their backs are against the wall, it brings out the best in them. I guess that is a good trait to have when your team is on […] The post Artur Akhtyamov & Ryan Tverberg stay hot, Toronto Marlies force Game 5 with best effort of the series vs. Cleveland appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on the Marlies bouncing back to force a winner-takes-all Game 5 vs. Cleveland: “We got our team back”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Monsters in Game 4 of the North Division final. On the team finding a higher level to its play in a do-or-die game, after two straight losses: It definitely hasn’t happened in this series other than the third period of the […] The post John Gruden on the Marlies bouncing back to force a winner-takes-all Game 5 vs. Cleveland: “We got our team back” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Toronto Marlies face elimination on Friday night after feeble shutout defeat to Cleveland
“They haven’t seen our best game yet, and that’s on us as a whole group. We have spurts, and we have shifts, but we just can’t string them together right now. It comes down to us wanting it a little bit more and playing more physical.” – Logan Shaw We were on our heels for […] The post Toronto Marlies face elimination on Friday night after feeble shutout defeat to Cleveland appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Former Leafs GM Brad Treliving on Morgan Rielly’s future: “Who knows what the future holds, but sometimes, a change is good for everybody, right?”
Now serving as the General Manager for Team Canada at the World Championships, Brad Treliving joined TSN Overdrive to discuss John Tavares shifting to the wing in the tournament, Morgan Rielly’s future, and where it went wrong in Toronto in the lead-up to his firing last March. John Tavares has been playing some left-wing in […] The post Former Leafs GM Brad Treliving on Morgan Rielly’s future: “Who knows what the future holds, but sometimes, a change is good for everybody, right?” appeared ...
John Gruden on Ben Danford’s two playoff appearances for the Marlies: “He is not afraid of the moment”
After Tuesday’s practice, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed splitting the two road games in Cleveland, areas for improvement for Game 3, Ben Danford’s first two playoff appearances, and the team’s strength in net. Over the first two games of the series, it seemed like there were maybe 25 minutes of playing the way […] The post John Gruden on Ben Danford’s two playoff appearances for the Marlies: “He is not afraid of the moment” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
A deep dive on David Carle amid reports of serious interest from the Maple Leafs
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs are “legitimately” interested in University of Denver head coach David Carle. Carle, long viewed as one of the best hockey coaches outside of the NHL, has been considered for pro jobs the past couple of offseasons but has remained in Denver. It remains to be seen if […] The post A deep dive on David Carle amid reports of serious interest from the Maple Leafs appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Despite more heroics from Artur Akhtyamov, Toronto Marlies slump to Game 2 defeat in Cleveland
“We were watching and didn’t respond very well to [allowing the first goal]. We were shooting ourselves in the foot. We have to be more direct in our first 10 minutes because you could see it coming again. It looked like a very familiar script from the last time we played them. You can only […] The post Despite more heroics from Artur Akhtyamov, Toronto Marlies slump to Game 2 defeat in Cleveland appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Maple Leafs’ front-office house cleaning continues: Brandon Pridham and Derek Clancey depart the organization
The Maple Leafs’ house cleaning continues. On Sunday, the club announced that AGMs Brandon Pridham and Derek Clancey will depart the organization. pic.twitter.com/A6RrDs7uEM — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 17, 2026 These moves hardly come as a surprise. New GMs almost always clear out the old regime and bring in “their” guys. A month and […] The post Maple Leafs’ front-office house cleaning continues: Brandon Pridham and Derek Clancey depart the organization appeared first on Maple...
Artur Akhtyamov holds team in it, Toronto Marlies score five unanswered to down Cleveland in Game 1
“Well, I loved the last 25 minutes. We were a completely different team, again, and the guys know it. But credit to them: knowing that when we are not at our best, we find a way to understand what it will take. We just flipped it. We flipped the switch.” – John Gruden “He has […] The post Artur Akhtyamov holds team in it, Toronto Marlies score five unanswered to down Cleveland in Game 1 appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Five Thoughts: A word of caution on trading down from the Leafs’ #1 pick, the Matthew Knies trade speculation, the Marlies & more
We are almost through the second round of the NHL playoffs, the Maple Leafs have a new GM in place, and against all odds, Toronto won the draft lottery. As always, there’s a lot happening in Leafland, even though the team hasn’t played a game in a month. Let’s jump into some long-weekend thoughts on […] The post Five Thoughts: A word of caution on trading down from the Leafs’ #1 pick, the Matthew Knies trade speculation, the Marlies & more appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on another comeback win for the Marlies in Game 1 vs. Cleveland: “I can’t explain it… All I know is that this group is resilient, and we won’t go away easily”
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Monsters in Game 1 of the North Division final. On the team’s performance in Game 1: Well, I loved the last 25 minutes. We were a completely different team, again, and the guys know it. But credit to them: knowing that […] The post John Gruden on another comeback win for the Marlies in Game 1 vs. Cleveland: “I can’t explain it… All I know is that this group is resilient, and we won’t go away easily” ap...
Craig Berube OUT, Coaching Candidates, and Matthews’ Future – MLHS Podcast Ep. 120
In the latest MLHS Podcast, Nick Ashbourne and Anthony Petrielli discuss the dismissal of Craig Berube, the field of candidates to replace him, and Auston Matthews’ future in Toronto amid rampant speculation. Episode Topics John Chayka making the correct (if obvious) call to fire Craig Berube and team ownership/Keith Pelley signing off on it (0:45) […] The post Craig Berube OUT, Coaching Candidates, and Matthews’ Future – MLHS Podcast Ep. 120 appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
Toronto Marlies vs. Cleveland Monsters: Third Round Playoff Series Preview & Schedule
The Toronto Marlies advanced to the North Division Final via the most challenging route possible. After defeating the Rochester Americans 2-1 in the play-in round, they upset the regular-season division champs, Laval, in five games. Now, the Cleveland Monsters stand between the Marlies and the Conference Final. Regular Season Series These two teams battled it […] The post Toronto Marlies vs. Cleveland Monsters: Third Round Playoff Series Preview & Schedule appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotst...
John Chayka gets first big decision right; Maple Leafs finally pull trigger on Craig Berube firing
The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially relieved Craig Berube of his duties. This was the only logical and appropriate step forward. The Leafs entered the season with the vast majority of the hockey world viewing them as a playoff team, and they didn’t even come close to qualifying. They finished fifth last in the NHL […] The post John Chayka gets first big decision right; Maple Leafs finally pull trigger on Craig Berube firing appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden, after the Berube firing, on whether he feels prepared for an NHL opportunity: “That is not part of my aspiration right now”
After Wednesday’s practice, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed Craig Berube’s dismissal, his interest in the Leafs’ job, and the challenge in the third round against Cleveland. What was your reaction to the news about Craig Berube’s dismissal? Gruden: It is unfortunate. It is part of the business. He was great to work with, […] The post John Gruden, after the Berube firing, on whether he feels prepared for an NHL opportunity: “That is not part of my aspiration right now” appear...
John Chayka on whether Auston Matthews’ future impacted the decision to fire Craig Berube: “None. Zero.”
After the decision to relieve Craig Berube of his head-coaching duties, GM John Chayka discussed the process behind the decision, the start of his search for a new head coach, whether any players were consulted, and the plan to meet with Auston Matthews. Chayka’s Opening Statement Chayka: I just want to start out by thanking […] The post John Chayka on whether Auston Matthews’ future impacted the decision to fire Craig Berube: “None. Zero.” appeared first on Maple Leafs Hotstove .
John Gruden on Artur Akhtyamov’s rising profile in the Leafs organization: “I’ve said this since day one — he reminds me a lot of Ilya Sorokin”
After Tuesday’s practice, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed goaltender Artur Akhtyamov’s strong playoff campaign, his comfort in rotating goalies, William Villeneuve’s productive postseason, and Ben Danford’s readiness to jump into the AHL playoffs. Sometimes, it can be tricky to rotate goalies in the playoffs. So far, it’s working out well. Why do you […] The post John Gruden on Artur Akhtyamov’s rising profile in the Leafs organization: “I’ve said this since day one — he rem...
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