{"id":608813,"date":"2026-04-16T21:26:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T21:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/608813\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T21:26:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T21:26:09","slug":"maple-leafs-notebook-rielly-knies-reiterate-desire-to-stay-in-toronto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/608813\/","title":{"rendered":"Maple Leafs notebook: Rielly, Knies reiterate desire to stay in Toronto"},"content":{"rendered":"

The long, painful journey to the final game of this lost Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> season has come to an end. Now comes the truly difficult part \u2014\u00a0pinning down how exactly it all went off the rails, and finding a way to get the organization back on track.<\/p>\n

Thursday marked the first step in that process, as the Maple Leafs spoke to the media at the club\u2019s training facility in Etobicoke, Ont., reflecting on the first campaign in a decade that ended without playoff hockey. Much remains uncertain about the future of the club, about its front office and the players who don its sweater \u2014\u00a0the only thing that is clear is that changes are coming.<\/p>\n

Morgan Rielly<\/a>\u2019s worn the Maple Leafs crest longer than any other player currently in the building, has seen the franchise at rock bottom and at dizzying heights. And as the team\u2019s trajectory aims downward once again, he finds his name at the centre of chatter about the changes needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Thursday, the 32-year-old was asked how he would feel if asked to waive the no-move clause granted to him when he inked his eight-year, $60-million extension in 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a challenging thing to answer when those conversations haven\u2019t happened yet,\u201d Rielly said. \u201cBut after a year like this \u2014\u00a0after any year, but especially one that [was] very disappointing \u2014\u00a0change is bound to happen. So, I think as an athlete, you have to be prepared for that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the first time that it\u2019s crossed my mind. It\u2019s not something anyone believes that they\u2019re not open to. So when that conversation happens, we\u2019ll deal with it accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defender \u2014\u00a0who\u2019s played 13 seasons for the Maple Leafs, including four that saw him top the 50-point plateau, and one that saw him put up a career-best 20 goals and 72 points back in 2018-19\u00a0\u2014\u00a0reiterated his affinity for the organization that drafted him fifth-overall back in 2012.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always loved being in Toronto and being a part of this organization. It\u2019s very meaningful to me, and I\u2019ve enjoyed every minute of it,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to stay. I still want to stay. I love playing here, I love being a Maple Leaf, and this organization means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

That said, Rielly also made clear that the path back to post-season relevancy after this rollercoaster campaign will be a hard journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this league, I don\u2019t think there are any easy fixes,\u201d he said. \u201cThe work that this team will have to put in to get back to where we want to be is extensive. Being outshot or playing too much time in our D-zone are things that we need to improve on. But you know, it\u2019s more than just that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tanev \u2018very confident\u2019 he\u2019ll be ready for training camp in September<\/p>\n

The Maple Leafs’ blue line was a central topic of conversation all season, as the club\u2019s struggles in their own zone started early and never went away.\u00a0Key to those struggles was the loss of back-end stalwart Chris Tanev<\/a>, who missed all but 11 games with injury in 2025-26 after establishing himself as a pivotal blue-line leader for Toronto a season prior.<\/p>\n

Amid questions about whether the 36-year-old will be able to resume his career after his recent slate of injuries, the veteran said Thursday he believes he\u2019ll be back on the ice for the Maple Leafs next season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing well,\u201d Tanev said. \u201cI was in New York Monday to see the doctor about my surgery and everything\u2019s going great, everything\u2019s on track.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defender said he doesn\u2019t foresee any further surgeries being required following the core muscle procedure he underwent in March. Asked how confident he is in his ability to return to the ice next season, Tanev was adamant: \u201cVery confident,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like I work harder than anyone, and I will continue to do that to get to where I need to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally injured in a late-December game against Detroit, Tanev said he delayed his surgery in the hopes of returning in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery doctor I saw said the exact same thing: \u2018You need surgery.\u2019 I chose to wait a little bit \u2014 I was hoping we were going to be in a playoff spot and I could try to come back and play in April,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was the goal. If that was the case, I would\u2019ve had surgery after that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut coming out of the Olympic break, we didn\u2019t play as well as we wanted, so it gave me an opportunity to do it then, where I could have a bit of a runway to get ready for next season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked what he saw as the fundamental reason his club found themselves unable to claw their way back, Tanev said there are a number of issues that need to be ironed out before 2026-27.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you watch the game up there, everyone thinks they\u2019re Wayne Gretzky. The game is so much slower from the press box than it is on the ice. So, it\u2019s tough for me to really critique when I only played 11 games,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I think we needed to execute our systems better, we needed to have some more pace. Depending on who you ask, there could be 20 different things.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen things don\u2019t go as well as planned, or as well as they need to go, there\u2019s always issues that need to be addressed. I think whoever comes in at the top is going to have to look at that and see what the important issues that they see are, and then try to fix them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knies on seeing his name in trade reports: ‘That\u2019s not in my hands. I\u2019d love to stay here.’<\/p>\n

One approach considered by the club\u2019s previous regime was moving out young power forward Matthew Knies<\/a>, who found his name brought up in reported trade offers considered by former GM Brad Treliving and Co.<\/p>\n

Signed to a six-year, $46.5-million deal prior to this season, the 23-year-old managed 23 goals and 66 points in 2025-26. However, injuries hampered his ability to truly take a step for the club.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt came up earlier in the year, I honestly don\u2019t even know what date \u2014\u00a0some time pretty early in the season,\u201d Knies said of his lower-body injury. \u201cI think it was kind of blown out of proportion, I don\u2019t think it was as serious as it was [said to be].\u00a0It was obviously not comfortable to play with all year, but it didn\u2019t really hinder me being out of the lineup.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy now that I can let it heal up and rest it a little bit, and try to come back and be 100 per cent for next season.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for his name being considered in trade offers this season, and perhaps moving forward, Knies reiterated his desire to remain a Maple Leaf.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not in my control,\u201d the winger said. \u201cI can just focus on my attitude that I bring to the rink, the work ethic I bring to the rink. That\u2019s for the guys upstairs, that\u2019s not in my hands. I\u2019d love to stay here. I want to play here. I think you\u2019re going to hear that from everyone in this locker room.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t get to me, really, I\u2019ve just got to focus on my game and trying to help the team win. That was my only thought this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maple Leafs point to lack of consistency, injuries as key reasons for lost season<\/p>\n

As the dust settles on a disastrous campaign that saw Toronto finish in the league\u2019s basement just one year after winning a division title, the Maple Leafs tried Thursday to sort through the wreckage of their disappointing season. The squad\u2019s overall lack of consistency was brought up repeatedly by the dejected group.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe never really seemed to get quite on track the way we needed to,\u201d said John Tavares<\/a>. \u201cOur game obviously just didn\u2019t build, get to the level that it needs to be consistently to have success, to put yourself in a spot to be in the playoffs. \u2026 We just didn\u2019t do a good enough job. I think we all understand the roles we play as players, and certainly myself, the expectation and the standards that we want to uphold. We didn\u2019t meet those.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked why that consistency wasn\u2019t there, despite the veteran experience in the group and the results they found last season, Tavares said the issues were plenty.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just didn\u2019t really come together. You know, I think it\u2019s always hard to pinpoint one thing. But certainly our level of execution, and just the challenge that it brings on a nightly basis in this league, the buy-in that everyone needs to have to be on the same page \u2014 and doing the things when they\u2019re the most difficult, when they\u2019re the most challenging, being able to sustain that. You know, having the fortitude needed to do what\u2019s required on a nightly basis.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs our game went throughout the season, it obviously was a real challenge \u2014\u00a0just spending a lot of time in our own zone, not having the puck very much, and then we just didn\u2019t defend and execute, break out very well. That\u2019s on everyone, starting with myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knies pointed to the club\u2019s defensive performances.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t let in that many goals and expect to win games,\u201d he said. \u201cI think our defensive play, to be honest, was very subpar. We left our goalies out to dry a lot of the games. I think that was a part of it. I think towards the end of the season, our ability to generate offence wasn\u2019t there. That kind of ties into consistency \u2014 not everything was there all the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt parts I think we were good defensively, but the offence wasn\u2019t there, and then vice versa. We\u2019re going to have to put it together, all the pieces, next year, and completely buy into the system, show that it works.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Stolarz, it was the lack of bite and competitiveness that sunk them \u2014 the type of intensity he saw his former club, the Florida Panthers, bring routinely.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, you look at the response that we had late in the season after the Auston injury. I think that\u2019s something that, next year, starting at Game 1, that\u2019s the way we have to play,\u201d the netminder said. \u201cWe have to play like bastards. We have to play hard and we have to play heavy. There were times this year that we\u2019ve shown it. We\u2019ve played with some of the best teams in the league and were able to beat them. I think that was the toughest thing, was just the consistency. We hung with some of the best teams in the league, we beat some of the best teams in the league\u00a0\u2014 it just wasn\u2019t there night in, night out.\u201d<\/p>\n

William Nylander<\/a>, who led the club with 79 points this season, chalked it up to the injury bug.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, a lot of injuries piled up,\u201d the winger said during a brief availability Thursday. \u201cI think that maybe was a big factor, looking back at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Much was made of head coach Craig Berube\u2019s system, and what seemed to be a lack of buy-in from his players this season, an issue that appeared to snowball as the tumultuous campaign wore on. Asked Thursday for his thoughts on that critique, Berube said he and his staff did try to tweak the system throughout the season to find a solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, we did modify it this year at times. And it ended up being the same result,\u201d the coach said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like we\u2019re not trying to work and help the players and try to get them to a different level. Systems are systems. They have to be executed to be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berube \u2014\u00a0who said he hasn\u2019t heard anything yet about whether he\u2019ll be back next season \u2014 pointed to one area specifically when asked why his team fell off in 2025-26 after a successful 2024-25.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoals-against,\u201d the coach said, point blank. Still, Berube said he believes the club\u2019s current goalie tandem of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz<\/a> can find success again in Toronto.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did last year,\u201d Berube said Thursday when asked if he could live with the duo returning. \u201cAnd they were solid. We had a nice tandem, and I believe that we can have that tandem again. You know, this year, whether it\u2019s a one-off or whatever, there was a lot of circumstances, with injuries and different things, that went on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a little chaotic in the goaltending department. But I do believe Stolarz and Woll are very good goalies, when they\u2019re healthy and ready to go. I believe they can come back next year and do the job again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tavares on belief Maple Leafs can bounce back next year: \u2018We have to earn that\u2019<\/p>\n

The crucial question for the Maple Leafs faithful is where things go from here \u2014\u00a0was this campaign a one-off, undone by injuries and a mismanaged roster? Or was it a sign that the Maple Leafs\u2019 window for contention has now slammed shut, and a new path must be charted?<\/p>\n

Asked if they believe they can return to the playoffs Thursday, the Maple Leafs expectedly affirmed their belief in their group \u2014\u00a0but also noted it won\u2019t be a simple process.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think in moments you have doubt. If you look at the record and after games, you have feelings of doubt,\u201d admitted Rielly. \u201cBut ultimately I think that there\u2019s a strong belief in here with this team, in the big picture and over the long run, that this team will be able to get back to a position of strength and a chance to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we have a ton of good players in here,\u201d added Tanev. \u201cObviously we didn\u2019t have a very good season at all. But we had \u2014\u00a0I\u2019m not going to give excuses on injuries \u2014\u00a0but we had some guys that didn\u2019t play a lot of the year. I think we can learn a lot from this year, and the importance of having a really good start to the season. Falling behind the eight ball and learning and adapting to how we can get better. There\u2019s some amazing players in here, and I do believe that we can be a playoff team next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the talent and the personnel in this locker room, I think that that\u2019s definitely going to happen,\u201d said Knies, doubling down. \u201cIt sucks to say, but with a summer like this, there\u2019s time for guys to heal up and get prepared, just get as ready as possible for next season.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have some good players here\u00a0\u2014\u00a0we have to make some adjustments, we have to make some moves to bring in maybe some different players or different people,\u201d said Berube. \u201cBut there\u2019s a good core here, good players, and good people. So I do believe we can bounce back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if he\u2019s confident this group can return to the post-season after what just transpired in 2025-26, Tavares was more cautious with his optimism.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery. But we have to go out there and prove that and earn that,\u201d the former captain said. \u201cJust like, you know, we had high expectations for this year, and we didn\u2019t come close. So, the challenge going forward for the group is to regroup, continue to work together to find the areas we have to be better. And then our level of play just has to be much, much higher.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The long, painful journey to the final game of this lost Toronto Maple Leafs season has come to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":608814,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194291],"tags":[49,48,3302],"class_list":["post-608813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-toronto","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-toronto"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/608813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=608813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/608813\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/608814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=608813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=608813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=608813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}