Preview of the Maple Leafs Training Camp: Anticipated Battles, Lingering Questions, and Projected Roster
The opening of training camp in the southwest corner of Toronto has begun to feel repetitive. For the eighth year in a row, the Maple Leafs’ springtime hopes start anew with the same core players. Captain John Tavares enters his sixth season with the team, accompanied by Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly. However, this year brings some changes. The Maple Leafs have a new general manager and two new assistant coaches with more experience than their predecessors. They also have a fresh mandate to be tougher to play against. To achieve this, they have added Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Ryan Reaves to the roster on one-year deals. The Maple Leafs will also enter the season with a playoff series victory under their belt. Despite the familiar faces, there are still new elements to look forward to and evaluate during training camp. The team’s salary cap space is currently at a deficit of $13.26 million. Brad Treliving is the new general manager, Sheldon Keefe remains the head coach, and the team has a mix of signed and unsigned players. Notable additions to the roster include Bertuzzi, John Klingberg, Domi, Reaves, Martin Jones, and Dylan Gambrell. Several players are participating on professional tryouts (PTOs), including Noah Gregor. Camp battles to watch include the first-line left-wing position, fourth-line center, sixth/seventh defenseman, and the backup goalie position. One of the pressing questions surrounding the team is the contract situation of William Nylander and whether he will re-sign during the season. The Maple Leafs’ projected lineup features Bertuzzi, Matthews, and Marner on the first line, Domi, Tavares, and Nylander on the second line, and Knies, Kämpf, and Järnkrok on the third line. Lafferty, Gregor, and Reaves round out the fourth line. On defense, Rielly and Brodie form the top pair, followed by McCabe and Klingberg, and Giordano and Liljegren. Samsonov is expected to start in goal, with Woll as the backup.
