Mitch Marner’s departure from Toronto looms large as Auston Matthews speaks for the first time since the trade chatter intensified. Matthews praised Marner as a friend and teammate, stressing that the move is part of hockey’s business side, yet he remains optimistic about the Leafs’ chances. He highlighted the job for Toronto now—new teammates, a growing core, and Matthew Knies taking a meaningful step forward. Toronto’s leadership has shifted, but Matthews insists the focus is on staying grounded, pushing through training camp, and taking it one day at a time.

The sign-and-trade to Vegas, a blockbuster eight-year, $96 million deal for Marner, reshapes the Leafs’ offensive landscape and tests Toronto’s depth. Matthews remains confident in the new roster, while Knies, coming off a career-best 58-point season, has drawn praise from his captain and earned an Olympic orientation camp invite, signaling a brighter horizon for Leafs fans and fantasy managers.

Knies’ development is central to Toronto’s immediate future, with Matthews noting he’s still “coming into his own” and poised to grow with more responsibility. As camp approaches, the Leafs will lean on their leadership core, blend in new faces, and aim to recapture playoff momentum. In Vegas, Marner adds a dynamic forward to a deep Knights lineup, potentially elevating the VGK top-six and complicating fantasy projections across the rivalry.

Auston Matthews enters a pivotal season in Toronto, tasked with carrying more of the scoring load after Mitch Marner’s blockbuster move to Vegas signaled a new Leafs era. Nicolas Roy returns to the lineup, giving Toronto added depth as Matthews pursues Mats Sundin’s all‑time Leafs goal mark in a season that starts Oct. 8 against Montreal. The club leans on leadership and a refreshed supporting cast, with John Tavares and Max Domi among those stepping into mentorship and on-ice roles during a transitional year.

Toronto’s nine straight playoff appearances remain the backdrop, but the on-ice chemistry will be under a microscope as players adapt to a different top six and new line combos. Brampton’s charity game highlighted a culture of accountability and community, underscoring how this Leafs group blends veteran guidance with youthful opportunity as fantasy managers scan for breakout values in a season ripe with change.

In short, Matthews’ goal pace, the quiet addition of Roy, and the reshuffled depth chart could redefine who benefits in fantasy leagues, especially in multi-category formats where two-way play and PP1 time carry extra weight. The Oct. 8 opener against Montreal doubles as a test of how Toronto’s new pieces gel with its marquee captain.

Edmonton’s front office is eyeing two PTO options in Klim Kostin and Brett Leason, signaling a push for roster depth as Connor McDavid’s extension talk heats up. Kostin, a former Oiler, and Leason, a local Alberta product, could fill a winger slot if training camp opens with questions answered about McDavid’s future. Podkolzin remains a wild-card in Oilers’ plans, with a multi-year extension floated and cap-pressures weighed by young guns Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie, plus Andrew Mangiapane’s arrival. Rumors linger around McDavid, Eichel, and McTavish as front offices prepare for a busy summer of negotiations ahead of the 2025-26 season.

In this shifting landscape, fantasy managers should monitor how these moves pressurize Edmonton’s top-six, power play roles, and cap flexibility. Kostin and Leason could quietly become favorable depth options if they secure spots, while Podkolzin’s status could ripple through line combos and ice time in both regular-season and postseason rotations. The pipeline—Howard, Savoie, and Mangiapane—adds upside for opportunistic late-round picks and potential breakout candidates in dynasty formats.

Colorado Avalanche add scoring depth by signing Victor Olofsson to a one-year pact, a move that could pay off for fantasy managers if he slides into a productive role in a deep lineup.

Olofsson, 30, posted 15 goals and 14 assists in 56 games with Vegas last season, and etched his name in Golden Knights history with a 10-game road point streak from December 4 to January 23. He also chipped in two goals in Vegas’ playoff run to the second round. A seventh-rounder by Buffalo in 2014, he has 105 goals and 106 assists in 370 NHL games with the Sabres and Golden Knights, highlighted by milestones that include back-to-back 100th goals/assists in January. A former all-rookie honoree (2019-20), his signing adds a veteran scoring option to Colorado’s forward group as he re-enters North American hockey after a stint in the Knights’ system.

Colorado Avalanche land Victor Olofsson on a one‑year pact, adding veteran scoring depth as they navigate serious roster uncertainty and cap flexibility. Olofsson, 30, arrives after a 29‑point season in 56 games with Vegas, plus four points in nine playoff games, marking his first postseason exposure.

Drafted by Buffalo in 2014 (181st overall), he has 211 points in 370 regular‑season games with the Sabres and Golden Knights. The undisclosed terms leave a clear path for camp competition and a potential role that could yield immediate fantasy value if he earns top‑nine time or power‑play minutes.