2026-27 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion | Official: Sundin & Chayka to lead front office

[Zee]

Won't be long now, couple more weeks before all the hockey media get back into full force and get ready to cover training camp. I have no idea what to expect from the team this season. I think they underachieved massively last season, so does that mean we could make the playoffs again this year with a bounce back campaign? Who the heck knows!

 

[L K]

This is going to be one heck of a September.

Massive overhaul to the roster. Only 4 preseason games.

Matthews (is he healthy), Nylander (is he motivated/healthy), Knies (is he healthy), Tavares (can he stave off age and the CRA), Domi (will he play), Joshua (is he healthy)
Sissons (new), Blueger (new), Roslovic (new), Paul (new), Duhaime (new), McKenna (rookie and new),
Cowan (can he avoid a sophomore slump)
Lorentz (how often does he get in the lineup)
Klobar (does he force his way onto the team)
Groulx (did last year matter enough to get a chance), Haymes (is he valued enough to get a chance), Quillan (tick tock), Tverberg (is he valued enough to get a chance), Pezzetta (fodder), MacEwan (fodder)

21 forwards who COULD step in to the lineup at some point.

Moves are still coming.

 

[cw]

This is going to be one heck of a September.

Massive overhaul to the roster. Only 4 preseason games.

Matthews (is he healthy), Nylander (is he motivated/healthy), Knies (is he healthy), Tavares (can he stave off age and the CRA), Domi (will he play), Joshua (is he healthy)
Sissons (new), Blueger (new), Roslovic (new), Paul (new), Duhaime (new), McKenna (rookie and new),
Cowan (can he avoid a sophomore slump)
Lorentz (how often does he get in the lineup)
Klobar (does he force his way onto the team)
Groulx (did last year matter enough to get a chance), Haymes (is he valued enough to get a chance), Quillan (tick tock), Tverberg (is he valued enough to get a chance), Pezzetta (fodder), MacEwan (fodder)

21 forwards who COULD step in to the lineup at some point.

Moves are still coming.

"Only 4 preseason games." probably means they have to focus on the Marlies players who are not waivers exempt (& not fodder): Groulx and Tverberg
Given the UFA signings, I suspect the decisions on the forwards have already been made and the only question will be if Groulx & Tverberg clear waivers. Groulx cleared waivers the past two seasons so that shouldn't cause a lot of suspense. I'd guess Tverberg would clear as well.
If Domi doesn't start the season on LTIR, that could make things interesting.
If they bring in another winger for the top 6 (maybe on a PTO), that also might make it interesting.
Unlike many - particularly, Leafs management and coaching, depending on what moves they might yet make, I would look at Lettieri to see if he could help their top 9. He'd definitely help their second PP.

 

[herman]

"Only 4 preseason games." probably means they have to focus on the Marlies players who are not waivers exempt (& not fodder)

Just a note on preseason: the Leafs are slated for 4 games, but only playing on two nights (Sept 19, 23) vs Montreal and Ottawa. i.e. everyone is playing split-squad away and at home at the same time; home games are usually where the money makers play, while B squads get the away treatment.

How this plays out with respect to the players vying for an NHL spot comes down to the veteran requirements for preseason games and what strategic approach the new coaching staff and management group are angling for (chemistry building vs winning a role).

If it were up to me, the Joshuas and Lorentzes and Quillans and Tverbergs and Villeneuves will be on the away squad with the clear message to impress the brass and embarrass the home team, while the Danfords and Koblars and McKennas will be integrated into the NHL squad to see how they mesh to see how close they are.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2091873164301361287

wut (oh, it's the jersey number)

 

[cw]

Just a note on preseason: the Leafs are slated for 4 games, but only playing on two nights (Sept 19, 23) vs Montreal and Ottawa. i.e. everyone is playing split-squad away and at home at the same time; home games are usually where the money makers play, while B squads get the away treatment.

How this plays out with respect to the players vying for an NHL spot comes down to the veteran requirements for preseason games and what strategic approach the new coaching staff and management group are angling for (chemistry building vs winning a role).

If it were up to me, the Joshuas and Lorentzes and Quillans and Tverbergs and Villeneuves will be on the away squad with the clear message to impress the brass and embarrass the home team, while the Danfords and Koblars and McKennas will be integrated into the NHL squad to see how they mesh to see how close they are.

Camp opens Sept 16-17 for medical, fitness testing and media.
Sept 18th is their first day of on ice practices
The next day!!! ... they play - after only one day of on ice practice - their MTL games ...
Four days later they play their OTT games
Five practice days and then the season starts 11 days after their first on ice practice

Big turnover in the roster
New management, coaches and system
And they have only 11 days to sort out the roster and pull that all together.
As a bubble team, they need to get off to a good start.
That is going to be really hard to do with all the changes.

Danford wasn't top 4 in the AHL playoffs. He's only 20 with little AHL experience.
I'd send him with the bulk of the waivers exempt players & Marlies to the away games. Let him play his way on to the roster.
With their aged D, they need as much depth as they can muster. Danford being waivers exempt helps in that way.
With only 4 bonafide top 6 forwards (if they're healthy), McKenna & Koblar are worthy of taking a look at cracking the roster

 

[herman]

Danford wasn't top 4 in the AHL playoffs. He's only 20 with little AHL experience.

Just based on the way he looked compared to the rest of the D, I think the coaching staff would've played him more if he was already there for even half the season and had more time in the prep meetings and system training, rather than just half the playoff run. They had plenty of other, older options that didn't even see the ice. Of course there is some shine to being a draft pick that makes the management group want to look good. Danford was air dropped in and never left the lineup.

I think he gets a pretty long look in the first chunk of the season since they're not slating him for a top-pair offense driving position. If he stays afloat in a third pair PK role, that bodes well for the Leafs (not to mention all the immersion time he'll have with Chris Tanev). Even being able to handle the speed of the NHL game against massive energy checking lines is a good development step up from what he'd get in the AHL, especially with more detailed forwards to break out the puck with (and a lot of L centres to hit in stride).

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2092239533211345059

This would be so funny

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2092239533211345059

This would be so funny

Mark Stone's a UFA next season too...

 

[herman]

Mark Stone's a UFA next season too...

how old do we want the team to be... but worth it for the lolz