The Athletic Hockey Show – January 28, 2026
Episode Summary: Why the Maple Leafs Should Sell on the Season
Episode Overview
This episode of The Athletic Hockey Show, hosted by Sean Gentili, Frankie, and Haley, dives into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ disastrous homestand, their plunging playoff hopes, and the urgent question: Is it time to sell off assets and initiate a retool? The panel discusses the team’s current state, fan and media reactions, front office decisions, and wider implications for the Leafs' future. The episode also touches on NHL trade deadline moves (notably the Devils-Islanders deal), the Buffalo Sabres’ ascent, and insightful banter around NHL culture and Olympic hockey snubs.
Main Episode Topics & Key Discussion Points
Leafs Hit Rock Bottom: The Homestand from Hell
[01:42–10:38]
- Context: Leafs lose 7-4 to Buffalo, ending an 0-4-1 homestand, effectively torpedoing recent playoff hopes.
- Haley: “Tonight's game doesn’t mean anything, but the homestand means it's over. It’s done... They blew all that in a five game home stand in which they lost all five. Four in regulation, really. Four blowouts almost...” [02:32]
- Leafs had fought back into the playoff race but collapsed massively at a crucial point.
- “This Leafs team is done.” — Haley [03:53]
- Frankie: “If your mind wasn’t made up prior to this homestand, this homestand should have been the deciding factor.” [04:56]
- All usual talk of playoff bolstering has been replaced by a sobering focus on failure.
- Sean points out persistent issues: “They’re bad in some of the same ways they were bad at the start of the season... this is the fulfillment of the team that they showed us... in October.” [05:32]
Notable/Telling Moments:
- The arena emptying out with minutes left, fans booing loudly. [07:15]
- Discussion of how media and fan criticism (especially on TSN) have become especially harsh—and warranted.
Time to Sell? Facing the Future, Retooling on the Fly
[10:04–14:37]
- Toronto is now “eight points behind everybody who matters.” [05:32]
- UFA asset discussions: “If you could trade [Calle Jarnkrok], he’s a UFA. Scott Laughton, you might have to trade Scott Laughton.” — Frankie [09:30]
- Early trade rumors, e.g., Bobby McMann linked to the Oilers.
- Halting the perennial “all-in” approach: “This is always the, the cautionary tale of quote, unquote, all-in.” — Frankie [09:56]
- No need to tear it all down: “Matthews, Nylander, Tavares... there’s a decent foundation there... This is not, you got to start from scratch again, but you have to do something.” [10:04]
Notable Quotes:
- “Toronto is the team that fits the definition of a retool for me.” — Frankie [10:04]
- “I would rather retool around Auston Matthews at 28... than Sidney Crosby at 37.” — Sean [10:44]
Management, Accountability, and the Path Not Taken
[11:12–14:37]
- Should Brad Treliving get to oversee the retool?
- “If he accepts where the team is at and says... we need some draft capital... then you can probably say so.” — Frankie [11:47]
- Discussion on the role of new CEO Keith Pelley: “Let’s actually try something that has not been tried when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the last decade. Let’s try to make some tough decisions.” — Haley [12:35]
- Urgency with the Olympic break and trade deadline approaching: time to create a market for tradable assets, not “do it the easy way, which is what they’ve done on every big pivotal decision” in recent years.
Marner Fallout and Fanbase Emotions
[14:37–17:22]
- Examining the “domino effect” of Mitch Marner leaving for Vegas: team age, on-ice leadership, and emotional impact.
- Frankie: “It can’t be this much for one player, but... it just feels like that decision has sent this team into a place that they can’t recover from...”
- Marner’s muted homecoming and fan attitudes: “Good night for the people who want to say Leaf fans are too quiet... bad for the ‘toxic fans’ crowd.” — Haley [15:38]
- Venting about the Department of Player Safety and unfairness toward the Leafs.
Honest Assessment – What Went Wrong (And What’s Left)
[17:22–18:04]
- “Last year, they were a team that were floated by... elite talent... bunch of career years, high shooting percentage... goaltending... Less talented players [now], less hot players, and a goaltender who... isn’t good enough to bail them out...” — Sean [16:17]
- Leafs' original-six status and big-market legacy provide neither success nor immunity from hard truths.
Should There Be a Public "Letter"?
[18:04–18:35]
Joking about whether Brad Treliving needs to release an open “letter to fans” à la New York Rangers to announce the team is selling/retooling.
Sabres’ Surge and What the Leafs Can Learn
[18:35–21:41]
- Buffalo’s transformation from similar rosters year-to-year to being “a culture changer.” [19:05]
- “Kevin Adams is going to get GM of the Year votes.” — Haley [19:11]
- Fun with possible playoff matchups: “As of today, [first round would be] Detroit vs. Buffalo: the two longest playoff droughts going head-to-head.” — Frankie [21:09]
Trade Talk: Devils & Islanders In-Metro Deal
[24:46–33:22]
- Discussing the Devils shipping Andre Palat (and his tough contract) to the Islanders in exchange for Maxim Cyplikov and a pick, while also absorbing minor assets back.
- “For Tom Fitzgerald? He clears off a bad contract and now he's got room to go get Quinn Hughes. Go do it.” — Haley [25:41]
- Haley/Sean note: smart move, but “a day late and a dollar short”—should've happened much sooner if the aim was to salvage the season.
- Islanders’ low-risk, playoff-push moves lauded: “The Islanders have earned some reinforcements.” — Haley [29:58]
NHL Olympic Rosters, American Player Snubs & Caulfield's Streak
[33:22–36:53]
- The group riff on which US-born scorers were omitted from the Olympic roster, highlighting Cole Caulfield’s scoring tear.
- “So, three of the top five American born goal scorers are staying home. It looks crazy.” — Frankie [34:42]
- “He's a better overall player than I think people give him credit for.” — Frankie on Caulfield [35:39]
Fun, Lighthearted Closing Banter
[36:53–39:52]
- Upcoming Habs game where Avalanche will don iconic Nordiques jerseys in Montreal, promising nostalgia and possible tension.
- Frankie’s travel story, praised for broadcasting with the Red Wings, and weathering “Snowmageddon.”
What We Learned: Closing Reflections
[42:12–49:39]
- Sean and Haley riff on league oddities, notably the fines for players (Willie Nylander, Mikhail Sergachev) flashing obscene gestures at cameras—further fueling Leafs' persecution complex.
- Frankie muses on teams “letting agents find a trade”—the ultimate player-punt, with Evander Kane as current example.
- Short notes on professional writing workflows and newsletter duties (in-jokes for regular Athletic readers).
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- “This Leafs team is done.” — Haley [03:53]
- “If your mind wasn't made up prior to this homestand, this homestand should have been the deciding factor.” — Frankie [04:56]
- “I would rather retool around Auston Matthews at 28... than Sidney Crosby at 37.” — Sean [10:44]
- “Let’s try to make some tough decisions. Let’s try not to take the path of least resistance again...” — Haley [12:35]
- “It can’t be this much for one player, but man, it just feels like that decision [to let Marner leave] has sent this team into a place they can’t recover from.” — Frankie [15:04]
- “Toronto is the team that fits the definition of a retool for me.” — Frankie [10:04]
- “Three of the top five American born goal scorers are staying home. It looks crazy.” — Frankie [34:42]
Timestamps of Key Segments
- Leafs Homestand autopsy: [01:42–10:38]
- Selling/retooling debate: [10:04–14:37]
- Management & accountability discussion: [11:12–14:37]
- Marner fallout & fanbase: [14:37–17:22]
- Sabres’ rise: [18:35–21:41]
- Devils/Islanders trade breakdown: [24:46–33:22]
- US Olympic roster snubs/Caulfield: [33:22–36:53]
- Fun closing banter: [36:53–39:52]
- ‘What We Learned’ & wrap: [42:12–49:39]
Episode Tone & Style
The episode offers a candid, occasionally biting, but ultimately insightful tone—with mix of Leafs exasperation, genuine analysis, light sarcasm, and lively repartee.
Takeaway for New Listeners
This episode is essential listening for Leafs fans ready to move from hope to realism, and for any NHL watcher interested in the mechanics, psychology, and drama of major-market collapse and retool. The panel’s blend of stats, locker room perspectives, media savvy, and fan empathy creates an engaging, thoughtful, and highly current conversation.