Maple Leafs News & Rumours: Roy Question, Marner Drama & Is McKenna Ready

Watching the playoffs once the Toronto Maple Leafs are out can be interesting. In some ways, it’s easier to enjoy the hockey just for the hockey’s sake. Still, this season has a few “what ifs” surrounding former Maple Leafs players.

Two former Maple Leafs are finding success elsewhere. One is Nicolas Roy with the Colorado Avalanche, and the other is the polarizing Mitch Marner with the Vegas Golden Knights. Amidst all that, there’s the surprising draft lottery bounce that has given Maple Leafs fans something positive to dream about.

This edition of Maple Leafs News & Rumours explores both topics. The Maple Leafs, somehow, remain one of the biggest stories in hockey even when they’re not playing.

Did the Maple Leafs Misuse Nicolas Roy Before Shipping Him Out?

Watching Nicolas Roy contribute offensively for the Colorado Avalanche has become a little uncomfortable for fans. Every time he picks up another point or makes another smart offensive play, there’s a growing sense that maybe Toronto never really saw the best version of him.

There’s some online discussion centred on how Roy was used under Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube. The numbers are hard to ignore. He received the fewest offensive-zone starts of his career while playing in Toronto, which meant he spent much of his time in defensive situations rather than attacking. That used to be David Kampf’s job, but Kampf eventually became a healthy scratch before being released by the Maple Leafs on Nov. 14, 2025.

Maybe Berube leaned heavily on Roy as one of the safer two-way centres on the roster. But there’s also a point where deployment can start working against a player’s strengths, which is the debate Maple Leafs fans are having right now. Roy clearly has offensive instincts, and with Colorado, those instincts suddenly seem to be showing up again in a much bigger way.

Did Toronto turn Roy into a different kind of player instead of simply letting him play to his strengths? It’s hard not to look back now and question whether the Leafs ever really used him properly offensively.

Jay Rosehill Isn’t Backing Down on Mitch Marner Debate

As Marner continues putting up huge playoff numbers with the Golden Knights, more fans around the hockey world are revisiting how he was treated during his final seasons in Toronto. Some people believe Maple Leafs fans owe him an apology. Others do not.

Former Leafs enforcer Jay Rosehill made it very clear which side he’s on. Following Vegas’ Game 4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, Rosehill pushed back hard against the idea that Marner’s playoff success in Vegas somehow erases what happened in Toronto. His argument is that Marner simply didn’t produce enough in the biggest elimination games with the Maple Leafs, which is why fans turned on him.

Of course, the conversation gets uncomfortable because Marner previously revealed that he and his family dealt with death threats during his final years with the Maple Leafs organization. That crossed a line. Criticism about playoff performance is one thing. Personal threats are something completely different.

Still, Marner remains a complicated figure in Toronto hockey history. He was one of the most talented players the franchise has ever developed. The regular-season numbers were elite. But for many fans, the playoff disappointments became impossible to separate from the overall story. Even now, with him exploding offensively in Vegas, not everyone in Toronto is ready to reshape the narrative.

Easton Cowan Thinks Gavin McKenna Could Handle Toronto Just Fine

The fun part of the conversation right now, though, is the future. One player who already seems completely comfortable handling the pressure in Toronto is Easton Cowan. After wrapping up his rookie season with the Maple Leafs and joining the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies for the playoffs, Cowan was asked about Gavin McKenna potentially playing in Toronto one day.

His answer sounded pretty confident. According to Cowan, McKenna has the swagger and personality needed to survive in a market like Toronto. The two became friends during the 2025 World Juniors and have stayed in touch since then. Cowan made it sound like McKenna wouldn’t be intimidated by the spotlight at all.

For young players who come to Toronto, skill matters. But confidence matters just as much. Every slump becomes front-page news. Every bad game gets debated for three straight days on sports radio. Some players shrink under that kind of pressure. Others seem to feed off it.

One exciting thought for Maple Leafs fans is what this next core could eventually look like. Matthew Knies already looks like a foundational piece. Cowan keeps developing. And if McKenna somehow ends up in Toronto, the Maple Leafs suddenly start looking younger, faster, and maybe even a little tougher competitively.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

That’s probably the biggest question hanging over this entire offseason. What will the Maple Leafs try to become? There’s a real sense that the organization could shift directions a little bit. The old core is slowly changing shape, younger players are pushing their way into the picture, and management seems more focused on building a tougher, more balanced roster instead of simply trying to outscore everyone every night.

Whether that works or not remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: even in the middle of the playoffs, the Maple Leafs somehow still dominate the conversation. And around Toronto, that never changes.