Locked On Leafs - Daily Podcast On The Toronto Maple Leafs

General Manager John Chayka is reportedly looking for an upgrade on the blue line — but what trade chips do the Toronto Maple Leafs actually have left after the blockbuster Matthew Knies-Kirill Marchenko deal?

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti break down some of the defencemen Toronto could potentially target, including Alexander Nikishin, Simon Edvinsson and the intriguing possibility of Vince Dunn.

Then it's time for the Friday Five Pack: the five futures-related trade chips the Maple Leafs could potentially dangle to land a top-four defenceman.

The guys debate the value of Toronto’s 2027 first-round pick from Colorado, the Leafs’ 2029 first-rounder, Ben Danford, Tinus Luc Koblar and a 2027 second-round pick. They also discuss Artur Akhtyamov as an intriguing honourable mention.

With Toronto reportedly looking to win now during the next two years, how aggressive should John Chayka be in using the Leafs’ remaining assets to upgrade the blue line?

Plus, the Leafs get ready for the first Battle of Ontario of the season as they host the Ottawa Senators.

The Sens haven't played a regular-season game yet, while Toronto comes in with two games already under its belt. The guys preview the matchup, discuss Ottawa's potential rust, what the Leafs need to improve after their first two games and why Kirill Marchenko finally getting a full practice with his new teammates could be a big storyline.

Can Auston Matthews and Marchenko get the top line going? Will Gavin McKenna score his first NHL goal? And can the Leafs start controlling possession and dictating play?

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THE COWBOY HAS ARRIVED! 🤠

The Toronto Maple Leafs picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders — and Easton Cowan was the star of the show.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti break down Cowan’s outstanding performance, as he picked up an assist on Toronto’s opening goal before scoring the game-winner on the power play. His relentless forecheck, backchecking, puck battles and ability to create offense are making it harder and harder for Jim Hiller to keep him out of the top six.

Anthony Stolarz was also outstanding in his season debut, stopping 26 of 27 shots and making several huge saves to preserve the victory.

The guys also dive into Gavin McKenna’s second NHL game, Darren Raddysh’s bounce-back performance and why Toronto’s second power-play unit looked better than the star-studded first unit.

But there is one major concern: Auston Matthews still hasn't scored in two games. Is it time to start worrying about the Leafs captain, or does he simply need more time to find his game with two brand-new linemates?

Plus, the Leafs may not be done making moves. With Toronto opening up roughly $7 million in cap space, could John Chayka be preparing for another big addition — potentially on the blue line?

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The Toronto Maple Leafs opened the 2026-27 season with a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens — and there were plenty of positives and concerns to take away from Game 1.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti break down the season opener, including a huge night from William Nylander, an impressive Toronto debut for Kirill Marchenko, and a strong performance from Easton Cowan.

But there were also some major concerns.

Darren Raddysh struggled in his first game as a Maple Leaf, turning the puck over five times and finishing with a minus-two rating. The guys also break down the Morgan Rielly-Raddysh pairing and whether the combination can work long-term.

Gavin McKenna also had a quiet NHL debut, finishing with one shot and a minus-two rating. Should the Leafs keep him on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, or give him a chance to ease into the NHL on the third line?

Plus, the guys discuss the early chemistry between Auston Matthews and Kirill Marchenko, the Leafs' struggling power play and why Cowan quickly earned more responsibility.

And with the Leafs right back in action against the New York Islanders, the guys preview Game 2 and discuss potential lineup changes, including Anthony Stolarz getting the start.

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On the eve of the NHL season opener, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Matthew Knies, Steven Lorentz, Emil Andrae, and a second-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a massive deal for Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood and Elvis Merzlikins.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti break down the stunning trade and what it means for the Maple Leafs.

Why was Toronto willing to move on from Knies? What does Kirill Marchenko bring that the Leafs didn't have? The guys dive into Marchenko's elite speed, goal-scoring ability and play-driving skills — and whether he can take his game to another level playing alongside Auston Matthews.

The guys also hear directly from Locked On Blue Jackets host Jay Forster, who explains why Columbus was willing to move Marchenko, what Leafs fans should expect from their new forward and the biggest question surrounding his game.

Plus, the guys discuss the $12.5 million extension Marchenko signed with Toronto, what the deal could look like as the salary cap rises, the loss of Knies' physicality and whether the Leafs have gone too far toward skill and analytics.

Then it's time for Game 1 of 84!

The Maple Leafs open the season against the Montreal Canadiens with Marchenko potentially making his Toronto debut. Can Auston Matthews and his new linemate get the Leafs off to a winning start?

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The NHL season is finally here, and it’s time to make our 2026-27 Toronto Maple Leafs predictions!

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti go through their annual Leafs over/unders, including some BIG questions surrounding Auston Matthews, Gavin McKenna, William Nylander, Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky.

Can Matthews get back to 50+ goals and 85+ points? Will William Nylander return to his 40-goal form? And can Gavin McKenna reach 60 points in his rookie season?

The guys also debate Darren Raddysh’s 60-point potential, how many starts and wins Sergei Bobrovsky will have, and whether the Maple Leafs can get past 95.5 points in the standings.

Plus, Nick Blankenberg signs a one-year deal with Toronto, the Leafs face a salary-cap crunch ahead of their final roster deadline, and the guys discuss what the Blankenberg signing means for Emil Andrae and Troy Stecher.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs’ opening-night roster is starting to take shape — and there are some genuine surprises after the first wave of cuts.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti break down Toronto’s projected opening-night lineup after eight players were placed on waivers, including the surprising decision to move on from Steven Lorentz and the emergence of Zach McEwen as a potential fourth-line option. The guys also look at Beau Groulx making his case for an NHL roster spot and the battle on defence between Troy Stecher and Emil Andrae.

With Morgan Rielly and Darren Raddysh forming Toronto’s projected second pairing and Sergei Bobrovsky firmly established as the No. 1 goalie, the Leafs are starting to look a lot more like the team we’ll see when the regular season begins.

Then it’s time for the Friday Five Pack: whose stock went UP and whose stock went DOWN throughout training camp?

Auston Matthews and Chris Tanev are among the biggest risers, while Zach McEwen makes a surprise appearance after earning his way onto the roster. On the other side, Steven Lorentz and Emil Andrae see their stock fall, while the guys debate where Matthew Knies and Gavin McKenna stand after camp.

Plus, the NHL salary cap could be heading toward a massive jump by 2028-29.

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The Maple Leafs put a bow on the preseason with a pair of wins over the Ottawa Senators — and the final tune-up gave us plenty to talk about.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morasuti break down Toronto’s 6-1 win at Scotiabank Arena, including another strong performance from Auston Matthews, who showed his burst, conviction and willingness to shoot while finding the scoresheet again. Gavin McKenna also continued to flash his elite skill, picking up his first preseason assist, while Easton Cowan stood out with his puck-carrying, playmaking and north-south game.

The guys also dive into Sergei Bobrovsky’s performance — and whether there is any real debate left about who should be Toronto’s No. 1 goalie. Bobrovsky made a huge glove save on Tim Stützle and looked composed whenever Ottawa tested him, strengthening the belief that he could take the bulk of the starts this season.

Plus, a look at Morgan Rielly and Darren Raddysh, the Leafs’ final blue-line decisions, Emil Andrae seemingly losing ground in the battle for a roster spot, and Toronto’s decision to ditch the traditional Muskoka trip for a team-bonding trip to Arizona.

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Easton Cowan is being talked about as one of the NHL’s top breakout candidates — but there’s one major thing that could stand in the way of a huge season.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morassutti break down Cowan’s opportunity heading into his second full NHL season, including why his current matchup-line role with Nick Paul and Colton Sissons could limit his offensive production. Can Cowan force his way into the Leafs’ top six, and what would a true breakout season look like for him?

Then, the guys get into one of Toronto’s biggest questions heading into the season: who is actually the Maple Leafs’ No. 1 goaltender?

Is Sergei Bobrovsky going to take the net and run with it, or should Toronto view him and Anthony Stolarz as a tandem? With Bobrovsky coming off another 50-plus-game season but entering his age-38 season, how much should the Leafs lean on him?

Plus, the final preseason game, Morgan Rielly’s first game alongside Darren Raddysh, Matthew Knies’ breakout potential and more Leafs discussion.

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Auston Matthews looked like a different player in the Maple Leafs’ preseason split-squad games against Montreal — but what does he still need to show before we can say he’s truly back?

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morasuti break down the signs that Matthews is healthier, more explosive and playing with more conviction, while looking at the next steps he needs to take: his skating, burst, strength, off-puck play, backchecking and overall ability to dictate games.

The guys also dive into the Leafs experimenting with Darren Raddysh alongside Morgan Rielly and why that combination could make sense.

They end the show with a Co-Sign/No-Sign about a player struggling to get with the main group and if Easton Cowan could be the first in line for a promotion.

Also discussed:

Matthews’ encouraging preseason performance
Why his skating and defensive play stood out
Raddysh’s impact on the Leafs’ power play
What a Raddysh–Rielly pairing could look like
Gavin McKenna’s NHL debut
What Toronto needs to clean up before the next preseason game

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If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

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The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped both of their preseason games against the Montreal Canadiens, but there were still plenty of encouraging takeaways.

Mike DiStefano and Dave Morasuti break down Gavin McKenna’s NHL debut, including his flashes of offensive skill, areas he needs to improve and why he could eventually earn a spot on the top power-play unit.

The biggest positive, however, may have been Auston Matthews looking healthier and more explosive. Is the Maple Leafs captain showing signs of returning to his dominant two-way form?

Plus:

McKenna’s first NHL game and three shots on goal
Why Matthews’ skating and defensive play stood out
Darren Raddysh’s impact on the power play
Sergei Bobrovsky’s Maple Leafs debut
What the Leafs need to improve before facing Ottawa
William Nylander’s level of engagement and Toronto’s sloppy turnovers

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