Leafs Morning Take

Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta preview Toronto’s home date with Nashville — the fourth and final game of the Leafs’ season-opening homestand. Is this a sneaky big game for Toronto with a daunting Vegas-Colorado-Utah road trip looming? The boys discuss the importance of Tuesday night’s matchup, Gavin McKenna, John Tavares, and the latest on Toronto’s search for defensive help. Plus, legendary play-by-play voice Chris Cuthbert drops by to share what he’s seen from the Leafs through their first three games.🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca Cola👍🏼Movember: https://movember.com/👍🏼SHOP MERCH - https://nationgear.ca/Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Chris Cuthbert joins Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta to break down the Maple Leafs through three games. First, Cuthbert weighs in on Gavin McKenna taking the option on Sunday’s optional skate, explaining why he’s not concerned about the rookie and believes John Tavares can help show him the right way to handle the grind of an NHL season.Then, Cuthbert assesses Toronto’s start, calling the second period against Ottawa perhaps the best they’ve played this season — while labeling the third their worst. He also gives his thoughts on Sergei Bobrovsky’s solid start between the pipes and the McKenna-Tavares-Nylander trio, urging Leafs fans to give the line some time to find its chemistry.Plus, Cuthbert makes an intriguing comparison for Kirill Marchenko, pointing to Martin Necas’ jump from Carolina to Colorado as an example of how a player can level up in a new environment. Could Marchenko do the same in Toronto?🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca Cola👍🏼Movember: https://movember.com/ 👍🏼SHOP MERCH - https://nationgear.ca/ Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill recap Toronto's 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. The boys discuss John Tavares' foot-speed issues and whether Jim Hiller may need to break up the McKenna-Tavares-Nylander trio. Plus, they dish on the latest from Leafs practice as Toronto prepares for Tuesday night's home date with the Nashville Predators. Also, TSN Hockey Analyst Cheryl Pounder drops by.🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca ColaReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill welcome TSN Hockey Analyst Cheryl Pounder to break down the Maple Leafs through their first three games of the season. Pounder explains why she likes the Kirill Marchenko trade and why she believes he’s arguably been Toronto’s best player so far.Plus, she weighs in on the McKenna-Tavares-Nylander line, whether she’d like to see Gavin McKenna alongside Auston Matthews, and the optics surrounding McKenna skipping optional skates and skills sessions. Pounder also discusses the influence of John Tavares, potential line-combination changes, and why she’d be aggressive in upgrading the Leafs’ blue line — specifically adding more foot speed and mobility.Finally, Pounder gives her early thoughts on Sergei Bobrovsky and the Leafs’ crease.🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca ColaReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill discuss Matthew Knies’ monster two-goal, one-assist performance in his Columbus Blue Jackets debut. Then, they dive into the latest news and notes from Leafs practice as Toronto prepares for Round 1 of the Battle of Ontario. Plus, they discuss Jake McCabe narrowly avoiding a serious injury in the season opener. Recently retired NHL coach Jacques Martin, who has seen his fair share of Battle of Ontario matchups, also drops by. And finally, the boys debut the first-ever edition of JAY or NAY, where Rosie breaks down and analyzes some Leafs-related fashion. 🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca ColaReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Two-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime Senators head coach Jacques Martin joined Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill to discuss the Battle of Ontario, the Leafs’ offseason, and much more.Martin reflected on the rivalry and what has made the Battle of Ontario so special over the years, joking that he was on the wrong end of a few of them. He also praised Toronto’s offseason improvements, giving John Chayka and company plenty of credit for upgrading the team’s depth, particularly on the third and fourth lines, while also addressing the goaltending.Martin also discussed Daniel Alfredsson joining the Leafs, including his connection with Mats Sundin and the opportunity to take on a greater role in Toronto than he had in Ottawa.Plus, Martin weighed in on the Kirill Marchenko-Matthew Knies blockbuster, Gavin McKenna’s impressive start to his NHL career, and why McKenna’s development needs to be monitored closely. He compared the situation to Marian Hossa’s NHL debut, when Hossa played seven games before returning to junior.Finally, Martin shared his thoughts on the Sergei Bobrovsky-Anthony Stolarz tandem before reflecting on his retirement and what he plans to do with his newfound free time.Hint: He’ll be watching a lot of hockey.🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca ColaReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green joins Nick Alberga & David Pagnotta ahead of Saturday night’s season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Green discusses the excitement surrounding the start of the season, Ottawa’s injury concerns, and naming Thomas Chabot captain.He also weighs in on Daniel Alfredsson facing the Senators for the first time since joining the Leafs’ coaching staff, saying, “I want nothing but the best for him personally. I can't say that about the team he's coaching for.”Plus, Green reacts to the league-wide buzz surrounding the Kirill Marchenko trade and shares his keys to victory for Saturday night’s Battle of Ontario.🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca ColaReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!

Don Waddell, President of Hockey Operations & GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets, joins Nick Alberga & Jay Rosehill for a behind-the-scenes look at how the Matthew Knies–Kirill Marchenko blockbuster came together. Waddell details when the Leafs first entered the equation, Columbus’ read on Knies, what it’s like being an NHL GM in 2026, and what it was like negotiating with John Chayka. Plus, Waddell reveals whether he’s more of a caller or a texter — and explains why he can’t stand the infamous 👍 emoji, despite how often it gets sent around the NHL.🚨 Subscribe to DFO Toronto on Youtube!🚨 ➡️ / @dfotorontoSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+.👍🏼 Coca ColaReach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!