The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the 17th week of the NHL season and, to be honest, it hasn’t gone well. This past weekend, they finally made it clear that they’re pivoting toward selling. That feels like an admission from the front office that they’re just too far out of the playoff race, and that a minor retool is the smarter path right now. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but there is at least one thing that feels settled. Auston Matthews isn’t going anywhere. Elliotte Friedman reported that Matthews and the organization met and reaffirmed their commitment to each other moving forward, which gives the team a clear foundation as they sort through the rest.
Related: Reports Suggest Maple Leafs Inching Towards Selling
As for this week, there aren’t a ton of games around the league, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be quiet. With the roster freeze coming into effect on Wednesday, teams may try to get business done before the door closes. That could lead to a busy few days across the NHL. For the Maple Leafs, there are a couple of things to keep an eye on. The biggest is Morgan Rielly. He left Saturday’s game with an injury and there still hasn’t been an update. With the Olympic break right around the corner, that situation matters. The break itself runs from Feb. 6 to 24, and it could play a role in how teams handle injuries and trade talks.
Rielly’s Injury
As mentioned above, the Maple Leafs are now dealing with another injury as they head into the final stretch before the break. Rielly left Saturday’s game and didn’t return. After the game, Craig Berube didn’t provide an update, and as they head into tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames, there still hasn’t been one.
If Rielly isn’t 100 percent, it would make sense to keep him out for the final two games before the Olympic break. He’ll have nearly a month to recover from whatever is bothering him, and there’s no real reason to push it. That said, we’ve seen this happen before this season. A player leaves a game, there’s concern, and then he’s back in the lineup the next night without issue. Still, the Maple Leafs know where they are in the standings and understand the schedule. It doesn’t feel like a situation where they’re going to rush anyone back if they’re dealing with something.
Olympic Break Roster Freeze
This isn’t a typical February around the NHL. Because of the Olympics, the league has a roster freeze starting Wednesday, February 4 at 3:00 PM EST. Once that freeze goes into effect, no trades can be made until it lifts on February 22. In a way, it creates a soft deadline that is forcing teams to make decisions earlier than usual.
Related: Maple Leafs and Rielly Could Both Benefit From Parting Ways
According to multiple insiders, including the aforementioned Friedman, the Maple Leafs are gauging the market. For the first time in nearly a decade, Toronto is at least listening as a potential seller. Brad Treliving is reportedly making calls to see how the rest of the league values his roster, which signals that this era of Maple Leafs hockey may finally be nearing an end. A major move before Wednesday still feels unlikely, but the message around the league is clear, the Maple Leafs are selling.
Maple Leafs Pivoting to Selling
If anything happens this week, the focus will be on the pending unrestricted free agents. Bobby McMann has been one of the few bright spots this season, scoring 17 goals and 30 points. He would make sense for a contender looking for affordable depth scoring. Scott Laughton and Calle Jarnkrok also fit the mold of players teams tend to overpay for this time of year. They bring versatility, experience, and can slot into multiple roles during a playoff run.
The more uncomfortable conversations involve players who are underperforming but still have term left on their contracts. Names like Anthony Stolarz, Brandon Carlo and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. With the Maple Leafs sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference and the blue line continuing to be their biggest weakness, ranking near the bottom of the league in goals against, the list of untouchables has gotten very short. Outside of Matthews and William Nylander, nothing feels completely off the table anymore.
Maple Leafs Schedule Feb. 1 – 7
| Date | Time (EST) | Opponent | Venue | Notes |
| Mon, Feb. 2 | 10:00 PM | vs. Calgary Flames | Scotiabank Saddledome | First game of back-to-back |
| Tues, Feb 3 | 8:30 PM | vs. Edmonton Oilers | Rogers Place | Last game before Olympic Break |
