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Young Leafs: The Making of a New Hockey History
An in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at how Auston Matthews and a gang of talented young hockey players are breaking from Toronto’s troubled sporting past and rekindling the city’s love for its team.
Auston Matthews made history on October 12, 2016 by becoming the first player in the modern game to score four goals in his NHL debut. It was a momentous occasion for the talented young All-Star, but it was equally important for his newly adopted city and its storied, century-old team.
That night marked the dawn of a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team had a long and colourful history, and it had always been foundational to the city’s image. But years of losing seasons had tarnished the team’s reputation and left even the most diehard fans questioning their loyalty. It seemed that each passing year brought more of the more mediocrity, more heartbreak, more disappointment.
But the team’s management had a plan, one that would take them where others feared to a total rebuild. Piece by piece, they were assembling a group of young, talented players who would reshape the team. With the arrival of Auston Matthews, the team’s first overall draft pick in over twenty years, it seemed that the Leafs were ready to break with their past.
Young Leafs follows the team through that remarkable season, tracing the divergent journeys of the players leading up to their unlikely campaign. Matthews—the prodigy with the unorthodox path to the NHL. Marner—the baby-faced talent with immense skill and an infectious energy. Nylander—the son of a former hockey professional, now looking to make his own mark. Reilly—the youngster with the mind of a general. Kadri—the maturing leader once billed as the team’s saviour.
As the ups and downs of the season unfold, the team tries to overcome the ghosts of its past and write a new future, one that is far from certain. Can a group of precocious kids bond together and become winners? Will they be able to carry the hopes of a city? Most important, will Toronto finally have a reason to believe again?
Auston Matthews made history on October 12, 2016 by becoming the first player in the modern game to score four goals in his NHL debut. It was a momentous occasion for the talented young All-Star, but it was equally important for his newly adopted city and its storied, century-old team.
That night marked the dawn of a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team had a long and colourful history, and it had always been foundational to the city’s image. But years of losing seasons had tarnished the team’s reputation and left even the most diehard fans questioning their loyalty. It seemed that each passing year brought more of the more mediocrity, more heartbreak, more disappointment.
But the team’s management had a plan, one that would take them where others feared to a total rebuild. Piece by piece, they were assembling a group of young, talented players who would reshape the team. With the arrival of Auston Matthews, the team’s first overall draft pick in over twenty years, it seemed that the Leafs were ready to break with their past.
Young Leafs follows the team through that remarkable season, tracing the divergent journeys of the players leading up to their unlikely campaign. Matthews—the prodigy with the unorthodox path to the NHL. Marner—the baby-faced talent with immense skill and an infectious energy. Nylander—the son of a former hockey professional, now looking to make his own mark. Reilly—the youngster with the mind of a general. Kadri—the maturing leader once billed as the team’s saviour.
As the ups and downs of the season unfold, the team tries to overcome the ghosts of its past and write a new future, one that is far from certain. Can a group of precocious kids bond together and become winners? Will they be able to carry the hopes of a city? Most important, will Toronto finally have a reason to believe again?
- GenresSportsHockeyNonfiction
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 5, 2018
Being gifted a copy of this book over the Christmas season, there was admittedly a small part of me who questioned 'is there really enough here already for a full-length book?'
As it turns out, the answer is a resounding yes.
Written by Gare Joyce, one of Canada's best sportswriters who seems to elevate everything he touches, "Young Leafs" takes fans through the roller-coaster ride that was the surprising 2016-2017 NHL season where the storied Toronto Maple Leafs franchise, beginning a rebuild that featured many rookies, made a historic and unprecedented run to the NHL playoffs.
The book details the hockey upbringing of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Nikita Zaitsev, and Zach Hyman. Just as remarkable as the run to the playoffs is the way in which these talents took many different roads to make it to the NHL, but also seemed to converge together at just the right time.
There's the stories of Matthews and Marner, who even though they seemed destined for success, still took winding roads to end up where they are. There's the story of Nylander, a hot-shot kid who brings a family pedigree which is equal parts blessing and curse.
Then there is perhaps the lesser known stories. Nikita Zaitsev, going from undrafted russian import to key member of the Maple Leafs blue line. Or Zach Hyman working his way through the ranks, with the generous backing of his father (which, much like Nylander, was probably a sore spot for some people as much as it was a path clearing venture).
This is not a book featuring all-access to the Maple Leafs front office. Details of meetings between the brass outlining their thought process as it relates to building the team is not present.
Still, taken as it is, "Young Leafs" is a perfectly enjoyable venture, and a wonderful look back on a remarkable season that arguably should not have been, but somehow still was.
As it turns out, the answer is a resounding yes.
Written by Gare Joyce, one of Canada's best sportswriters who seems to elevate everything he touches, "Young Leafs" takes fans through the roller-coaster ride that was the surprising 2016-2017 NHL season where the storied Toronto Maple Leafs franchise, beginning a rebuild that featured many rookies, made a historic and unprecedented run to the NHL playoffs.
The book details the hockey upbringing of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Nikita Zaitsev, and Zach Hyman. Just as remarkable as the run to the playoffs is the way in which these talents took many different roads to make it to the NHL, but also seemed to converge together at just the right time.
There's the stories of Matthews and Marner, who even though they seemed destined for success, still took winding roads to end up where they are. There's the story of Nylander, a hot-shot kid who brings a family pedigree which is equal parts blessing and curse.
Then there is perhaps the lesser known stories. Nikita Zaitsev, going from undrafted russian import to key member of the Maple Leafs blue line. Or Zach Hyman working his way through the ranks, with the generous backing of his father (which, much like Nylander, was probably a sore spot for some people as much as it was a path clearing venture).
This is not a book featuring all-access to the Maple Leafs front office. Details of meetings between the brass outlining their thought process as it relates to building the team is not present.
Still, taken as it is, "Young Leafs" is a perfectly enjoyable venture, and a wonderful look back on a remarkable season that arguably should not have been, but somehow still was.
October 15, 2019
If you love the Leafs, it's hard not to love this book.
in 2016-17 the Leafs iced 8 rookies, including stars Matthews, Marner, and Nylander. This quick read is essentially a collection of mini biographies of the rookies of the team (the ones above, plus Zaitsev, Brown, Kapanen, and Hymen) as well as recounting the most important moments of the historic season.
It was hard reading the account of the playoffs near the conclusion of the book because I know what happens (and it still hurts!) but I expect this to be a fun book to read again with the benefit of hindsight after the Leafs have won numerous Stanley Cups with this core.
For Leafs fans, a nice - if a bit premature - bit of nostalgia.
in 2016-17 the Leafs iced 8 rookies, including stars Matthews, Marner, and Nylander. This quick read is essentially a collection of mini biographies of the rookies of the team (the ones above, plus Zaitsev, Brown, Kapanen, and Hymen) as well as recounting the most important moments of the historic season.
It was hard reading the account of the playoffs near the conclusion of the book because I know what happens (and it still hurts!) but I expect this to be a fun book to read again with the benefit of hindsight after the Leafs have won numerous Stanley Cups with this core.
For Leafs fans, a nice - if a bit premature - bit of nostalgia.
May 28, 2026
In retrospect, Young Leafs: The Making of a New Hockey History by Gare Joyce has not resonated well since it was first published in 2017. Through no fault of the author, there are those will read this book with some degree of disbelief and ask the question: What were we thinking? At the outset, let me add Mr. Joyce is a fine writer who has authored some excellent books, of which a few have focussed on hockey. I would particularly recommend his book, The Devil and Bobby Hull. Worthwhile. In regard to Young Leafs, the book explains how the storied NHL team was trying to climb back to respectability after a last place finish in 2015-2016. Having secured the first overall draft pick, they chose Auston Matthews, a highly regarded goal scorer who would eventually become the team's captain. That same season they promoted Toronto native Mitch Marner to the NHL squad. William Nylander also joined the team. The book focuses mostly, but not exclusively, on these three players. Leafs coach Mike Babcock is also mentioned on more than one occasion regarding his motivational style. One quote in Mr. Joyce's book stands out which reads, "All in all, the Leafs looked like a fragile team and their run in late December seemed like a chimera." That would be one of the ever-lasting criticisms of the Leafs over the next decade. Mr. Joyce writes well and with considerable research. The overall optimism of the book matches the high hopes at the time in Toronto among fans and media. Ten years later, the so-called Core Four -including John Tavares, who signed in the summer of 2017--produced successful regular seasons but appalling poor playoff results. This book is a worthwhile read. In hindsight, maybe readers can see the cracks in the foundation of the team that was being constructed for the 2016-2017 season and beyond. Young Leafs by Gare Joyce is available in accessible formats for those who are blind or partially sighted at the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) in Canada and Bookshare in the United States.
October 30, 2021
As a Leafs fan who grew up in the highs of the Clark/Gilmore era, and the lows of Harold Ballard, this book was a refreshing deep dive into the new young roster that might take us to the cup. The level of detail shared on the younger years makes you feel like Gare grew up with each one of these kids.
December 10, 2024
It accomplished exactly what it set out to do, chronicling the 2016-2017 maple leafs season through a focus on each of the young stars starting out that year. It was a good walk down memory lane, especially reading it now that I’ve seen the progression of so many of the players, both those who have stayed and those that are no longer maple leafs.
January 10, 2018
This book was entertaining for reliving the 16-17 season with the leafs, although watching it was better. The small background stories of some players was informative in some ways.
November 20, 2019
This book does a great job of introducing fans to our newest homegrown players such as Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, and Hyman.
November 15, 2020
Nothing special but a half-decent read about some of the Leafs' younger players. I believe this book was written around 2016 so it's lost some relevancy reading it in 2020.
January 19, 2018
Okay, so there's nothing really objectionable about this book (although I have no attachment to Matthews so the first 70 or so pages were a hard slog), and I mostly read this because I do have an attachment to Marner. And the thing is, if you want to know a lot about Matthews, a little about Marner and Nylander, a smidge about Brown and Hyman, this book delivers. Otherwise, it's somewhat of a letdown. There's no real insight to how the team came together (obviously this is not one of those books written with "unprecedented access"), so you're left with a journalist's recounting, which can basically be summed up as the Leafs did better than expected. Because of Auston Matthews. And some other players. But mostly Auston Matthews. And, having lived that season, I've already been told this exact narrative 5 000 000 times, so there's no new ground here. It's serviceable, but kind of like reading a 226-page game report for the entire season.
February 11, 2025
Review for Young Leafs can be found on Hockey Blog in Canada.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews