Erik Karlsson sticker price shock, the future of the Leafs goal, and more: Weekend Leaflets

Erik Karlsson sticker price shock, the future of the Leafs goal, and more: Weekend Leaflets

It’s a new year and a new me. Part of that means changing up when I post Leaflets. Rather than having them starting your work week, they will now kick off you weekend. Instead of me ruining you Monday with my horrible takes, you’ll start your weekend with coffee spit take. You’re welcome.
The Erik Karlsson trade ask is ridiculous
I’m sure if hop in the way back machine we’ll remember a time when there was some entertaining of the idea of Erik Karlsson being someone the Leafs should acquire. Remember that point when missing Muzzin seemed like a big deal and the blueline was so overwhelmed by injuries that Victor Mete was playing with Mac Hollowell?
Anyway, at that time there seemed to be some interest in Karlsson if the ask was low enough and the Sharks would eat half his salary. Karlsson was playing pretty good at that time too, but was being actively shopped.
Now, I don’t doubt he’s still being actively shopped (why do the Sharks need him?), he’s still playing some of his best hockey, but the asking price on his is far steeper than anyone expected.
Via Frank Seravalli at Daily Faceoff:
This week, the San Jose Sharks reportedly asked for three first-round picks in exchange for Karlsson, with the Sharks willing to retain 18 percent of his contract. That would knock Karlsson down to a roughly $9.4 million salary cap hit.
That shoul …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Recapping the five best Toronto Maple Leafs goals of 2022

Recapping the five best Toronto Maple Leafs goals of 2022

The best part of this time of year is looking back at all of the incredible goals scored — by the Maple Leafs and every other team in the NHL.

Today, though, brings an all-Maple Leafs highlight reel, and 2022 had some of the best goals that I’ve seen from Toronto in a long time. We were able to see vintage John Tavares, Auston Matthews’ dazzling hockey IQ, and even a special goal from Pierre Engvall.
There were a lot of amazing goals to go through for this top five and it was very difficult figuring out where to place them. But I tried my best, and that’s all that matters, right?
Here are my picks for top five Maple Leafs goals of 2022. Enjoy!
5 – Morgan Rielly vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (February 17th, 2022)

An end-to-end masterpiece.
Rielly has scored a goal like this before, back in 2015, and I’d say that goal was even better than this one. Either way, though, it’s always fun when the 28-year-old can go end-to-end like this.
It’s an incredible individual effort.
4 – Pierre Engvall vs. New York Islanders (January 22nd, 2022)

We don’t often get Engvall goals, let alone highlight-reel ones.
This buzzer-beating dangle was far from what a lot of us expected to happen on this play. The 26-year-old is usually using his deceptive speed and strength to find the back of the net, and when he scored this, a lot of people were shocked.
I, personally, didn’t think Engvall had it in him to do this the NHL level. And it makes it even better that the goal was a buzzer-beater.
One of the goals of his career for sure.
3 – Mitch Marner vs. Florida Panthers (April 5th, 2022)

This goal might’ve been number one if not for Matthews and Tavares.
We usually see Marner as a magician with the puck, but as the years go by, he’s slowly solidifying himself as a goal-scorer too. The 25-year-old has three Panthers players on him, yet he somehow still finds a way to get by them all.
Marner even lifts the stick of MacKenzie Weegar just in time to go al …

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Author: Nick Barden / The Leafs Nation

How can Mitch Marner take yet another step forward for the Leafs?

Mitchell Marner has been a key part of the Toronto Maple Leafs ever since he first burst onto the scene in 2016-17, as part of that core group of rookies that helped the Leafs in their surprising push to the playoffs. Ever since that magical first season, Marner has only gotten better. There have been ups and downs for the star winger, from a controversial contract, to struggles in the playoffs, but he has undoubtedly been a key cog in the Leafs’ regular season success, and he will need to continue to do so if the Leafs wish to remain competitive.
But can Marner find yet another level in the 2022-23 season? He’s been nothing short of dominant alongside Auston Matthews the past few seasons, and despite the first-round loss, the two of them finally seemed to have it all together in the playoffs this season. Remember this?

“Marner to Matthews scORESSSSS! YES! YES! YES!”
Felt that call in my SOUL!pic.twitter.com/uQ3GiP9cKE
— Kwnhausen (@KwnStorm) May 11, 2022

That might have been the best Leafs fans have felt during the playoffs since 2004, and Marner will be on a mission to try and improve on it even further this season, with the burden of trying to bring the Leafs past the first round for the first time in what will be 19 years when April 2023 rolls around. That burden has seemed to weigh heavily on Marner in the past, especially after the raised expectations that came with the $10.9 million contract he signed in the summer of 2019. People noted that he seemed to try to do too much, especially in the playoffs, trying to be a hero …

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Author: Jaden Ho / The Leafs Nation

Toronto Raptors 2022-23 season preview: PF Thad Young

Toronto Raptors 2022-23 season preview: PF Thad Young

It was a savvy move on the part of Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors to trade a disgruntled veteran in Goran Dragic for a more committed one in Thad Young. Adding someone with the experience of Young to mentor the young forwards on the Raptors squad made sense, given how Thad played ball last […]
Toronto Raptors 2022-23 season preview: PF Thad Young – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Avishai Sol / Raptors HQ