If not Schenn, the Leafs could pursue David Savard, the muscly Montreal Canadiens defender playing on an expiring contract ($3.5 million cap hit). He fits the meat-and-potatoes prototype, but the Leafs still can’t be sure he’ll be comfortable playing next to Rielly.

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Describes Reason For Fraser Minten's Bump Back To Marlies In their 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Maple Leafs had David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg as their bottom-six centermen.

With the NHL Trade Freeze set to lift on Dec. 27 at midnight, the NHL rumour mill is heating up. NHL insider Pierre LeBrun had Leafs Nation excited over the Christmas break when he said that Seattle Kraken forward Yanni Gourde would be willing to waive his modified no-trade clause to join the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs likely will be without captain Auston Matthews for at least the next two games, although the star center is said to be doing better as he recovers from an upper-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue to play without Auston Matthews as the first-year captain remains sidelined with an upper-body injury, head coach Craig Berube confirmed to David Alter of The Hockey News.