In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain a hot topic of conversation as there is plenty of talk surrounding the future of the core four. Who else did the Ottawa Senators seriously look at to be a head coach? In Boston, there is talk about a cheap shot by Sam Bennett on Brad Marchand. Finally, was Leon Draisaitl ever going to miss a game for the Edmonton Oilers?
0% Chance Maple Leafs Core Four Is Back Next Season
TSN analyst Chris Johnston says there is close to a “0% chance” the group of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander are all back together to form the Leafs’ core next season. These guys have had their run, it didn’t work, and now it’s time to move on before the salary cap ramifications are even more problematic than they currently are.
Johnston predicts that Matthews and Nylander will likely be spared from trade discussions, but attention may turn to Marner and Tavares. With both lacking long-term contracts in Toronto, Tavares has a remaining season at $11 million, while Marner has one year left at $10.9 million. Offloading one or both of them could provide substantial financial flexibility, allowing management to go to a new configuration better suited for playoff success.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Untouchables List Sees 3 Big Names on Trade Table
Johnston pointed to at least seven instances in the press conference on Friday where GM Brad Treliving and President Brendan Shanahan both seemed to suggest it was time for something else. Johnston added that the risk posed by significant cap hits and the inherent unpredictability of player health only further motivates the Leafs not to place so much of an onus on those four.
When it comes to the new coach of the Maple Leafs, Johnston also said, “The two names to keep a look at are Craig Berube and Todd McLellan… It looks like Berube is starting the interview process with the team.”
Senators Went Far Down Path With Berube
Before hiring Travis Green as their new head coach, Elliotte Friedman discussed Berube’s candidacy for the Ottawa Senators coaching position, revealing that negotiations progressed significantly. Some reports suggest Berube sought better opportunities elsewhere, and that the Senators weren’t quite prepared to meet his financial expectations.
Sign up for our Daily NHL News & Rumors Substack newsletter
Ultimately, the Senators opted for a different direction and Berube’s instincts might have paid off. He’s a lead candidate for both the Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils coaching jobs.
Did Bennett Cheap Shot Marchand?
Bruins’ coach Jim Montgomery said Brad Marchand is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He is upset about what he believes was a non-call on Sam Bennett, who seemingly punched Marchand while the Bruins’ forward was trying to finish a hit. The argument is that Bennett did this intentionally and there’s a history with him and “evidence of what went on.”
Florida’s Paul Maurice defended his player, saying he didn’t believe there was a punch of anything dirty about what Bennett did. He called it unfortunate that Marchand might have gotten hurt, but that it’s hockey.
Was Draisaitl Ever Going to Miss Game 2 for the Oilers?
Leon Draisaitl was questionable for the Oilers against the Canucks on Friday, but he took the warmup and was in the starting lineup for Game 2. He wound up with a goal and three assists, playing over 27 minutes. Not bad for someone with a cramping issue that wasn’t 100 percent.
McDavid called Draisaitl “best player in the world on a lot of nights” and said after Game 2 that there was never really a question about Draisaitl playing. He was likely referring to the idea that Draisaitl is a gamer who will play through a lot, but some are wondering if Edmonton let people believe the injury might have been a bit more serious than it was. The Oilers didn’t suggest it was bad, but media and fans ran away with the story and that left unanswered questions, which was probably fine by the team.
This is not to say Draisaitl wasn’t playing hurt. He likely was. Speculation is just that Edmonton was fine letting people run the narrative that he might have missed a playoff game, which was probably not the case.