The Toronto Maple Leafs have already given fans plenty to talk about, and the season is barely two games in with Maple Leafs news & rumors swirling around.
In this edition, the focus will turn to a developing trade rumor involving newly acquired Miles Wood, Kirill Marchenko’s place in the lineup, and an injury situation worth keeping a close eye on.
So, with the Leafs getting set to take on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, it’s worth taking a quick break to check in on the latest Maple Leafs news & rumors worth watching.
Maple Leafs Could Already Be Looking to Move Miles Wood
The Maple Leafs acquired Wood as part of the blockbuster deal with Columbus, but it apparently did not take long for his name to surface in trade discussions again.
A report citing Elliotte Friedman indicates Toronto has explored moving Wood after acquiring him from the Blue Jackets. That would suggest the 11-year NHL veteran may not be viewed as an especially important part of John Chayka’s long-term plans.
That is noteworthy because Toronto only acquired Wood days ago.
Wood’s contract was a necessary evil, as the Blue Jackets insisted it be a part of any trade involving Marchenko. This particular point wasn’t in Maple Leafs news & rumors until hours before the deal actually hit.
Wood, meanwhile, could already be viewed as a movable piece.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a trade is imminent. But it does reinforce the idea that Chayka is looking to move Wood, as Maple Leafs news & rumors suggest.
Kirill Marchenko Is Already Getting a Bigger Role
Marchenko has only played two games with Toronto, but the Maple Leafs are wasting little time trying to find the right fit for their newest star forward.
At Friday’s practice, Marchenko skated alongside Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic on Toronto’s top line. The Russian winger showed flashes of his offensive ability during his first two games despite arriving in Toronto just days before the season began.
Marchenko – Matthews – Roslovic McKenna – Tavares – Nylander Cowan – Paul – Sissons Duhaime – Blueger – Groulx MacEwen
McCabe – Tanev Rielly – Raddysh Ekman-Larsson – Stecher Blankenburg
Bobrovsky Stolarz
Host Sens tomorrow
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Saturday presents another opportunity to see what that combination can do.
The timing is important. Marchenko didn’t get a chance to practice with his new team before playing his first two games. So, the time in between games should give the Leafs’ newcomer a chance to settle in a little more.
And if Marchenko settles in beside Matthews, that could be a major talking point in Maple Leafs news & rumors.
Dakota Joshua Worth Keeping an Eye on in Maple Leafs News & Rumors
Toronto also continues to deal with an important injury in its bottom six.
Dakota Joshua is dealing with a core-muscle injury and was subsequently classified as week-to-week. He has been skating, but there is still no indication that he is close to returning to game action.
That matters because Joshua remains on the team’s roster, despite his cap hit not counting due to LTIR.
He led Toronto with 195 hits last season despite appearing in only 55 games.
The problem is that the organization will need to figure out if Joshua can return to the ice. If there is a chance he can play at any point this season, the Leafs will be in a massive cap crunch. That situation could mean moving bodies out just to remain cap-compliant.
Alternatively, the Maple Leafs may have to explore playing with a depleted lineup just to make the whole thing work. That’s why fans need to stay tuned to Maple Leafs news & rumors to find out who sits, if Joshua indeed returns to the lineup.
Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Wood, Marchenko and Joshua