The Maple Leafs didn’t get the result they wanted in their preseason opener, falling 4-1 to the Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night. But the bigger story was what Toronto learned about the players who matter most, and there was plenty to take from an exhibition that still had some real juice to it.
The lone Toronto goal came from Darren Raddysh, who scored on the power play at 16:39 of the second period. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 10 of 11 shots, while Anthony Stolarz turned aside 15 of 17 as each goalie played a period and a half.
Gavin McKenna was the name on everyone’s mind before puck drop, and the 18-year-old delivered a debut that matched the buzz around him. He got a huge reaction during introductions, with the crowd already letting him know exactly how it felt about his arrival before the announcer could even finish saying his place of birth.
“Super cool to know the fan base is behind me,” McKenna said. “It was a good start, a lot to build on.
I created a bit, but also had a couple of turnovers, which happens with nerves. I’ll remember this day forever” (from ‘Why Gavin McKenna made a good first impression in Maple Leafs loss,’ Toronto Sun, Sept.
19, 2026).
McKenna logged 23:27 and was used on the power play and again in the 6-on-5 situation late, when Toronto was chasing the game. He didn’t look overwhelmed at all. Skating alongside William Nylander and John Tavares, he kept pace, moved the puck well and helped generate chances for himself and for teammates.
His passing stood out, especially the way he carried the puck through the neutral zone and found clean lanes. There were a few mistakes, including an early penalty and some turnovers, but the overall impression was positive enough that the Leafs may not keep him eased in for long.
Auston Matthews also looked sharp in his preseason debut, which matters more than any box score line in September. After back-to-back seasons interrupted by injury and some offensive struggles, he showed the kind of signs Toronto wants to see. The wrist shot was there, the snap shot was there, and so was the burst of speed that has been missing at times.
Matthews took six shots in 21:20 and looked engaged throughout. The coaching staff appears ready to keep giving Jack Roslovic chances on the top line with Matthews and Matthew Knies, though the chemistry clearly needs more time.
The night wasn’t about projecting 50 goals or talking championship odds. It was about Matthews looking healthy, and he did.
Bobrovsky also had a night that should at least ease some summer questions. His play had come under scrutiny after a downturn over the last couple of seasons and an injury-heavy year for the Florida Panthers, but he looked composed here, especially when Toronto’s power play coughed up short-handed chances. Montreal wasn’t dressing its full NHL group, but Bobrovsky still handled the pressure cleanly.
Raddysh’s goal gave Toronto its only scoring highlight and offered a glimpse of why he was such a July 1 prize. His puck-moving showed up, and there were moments when his power-play work looked useful. Still, the unit itself was messy enough that it was hard to draw sweeping conclusions from it.
There were a few other moments worth noting. Chris Tanev, who played only 11 games last season because of a concussion, a spinal issue and a core muscle injury that required season-ending surgery, looked good in his return.
“Tanny looks awesome out there,” Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe said. “His presence is certainly felt within our group.”
Marshall Rifai also stepped in after Florian Xhekaj cross-checked Matthews and hit Nylander, dropping the gloves in a scrap that Xhekaj appeared to win. Rifai still held his own.
“That’s appreciated,” Matthews said. “Guys sticking up for each other, that’s what it’s all about.”
Elsewhere on Saturday night, the Maple Leafs’ B-Team fell 4-3 in overtime to the Canadiens’ A-Team in Montreal. Colton Sissons scored on the power play with assists from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Easton Cowan. Artur Akhtyamov stopped 13 of 15 shots, and Samuel Hlavaj also stopped 13 of 15 in relief.
In Other News...
Florian Xhekaj Just Forced A Bigger Canadiens Roster Debate
Florian Xhekaj has spent training camp making himself harder to ignore, and not just because of the name on the back of the sweater. He has been skating with established players, showing the kind of physical development that tends to catch a coachs eye in September, and the broader Canadiens picture only adds to the intrigue with his brother Arber having recently signed a one-year deal in the organization.
The latest reminder came in a preseason meeting with Toronto, where Xhekaj dropped the gloves and added another layer to an already interesting camp battle. For Montreal, it is the sort of development that can sharpen a roster conversation quickly: a young player pushing for attention, a team looking at its depth and identity, and a decision that gets tougher when the physical edge starts to show up in real games. [Read more 🡒]
Arber Xhekaj Created A Canadiens Issue Fans Didn't Expect
The Canadiens preseason doubleheader against the Maple Leafs produced plenty of the usual camp noise, but Arber Xhekaj found himself at the center of an unexpected off-ice discussion. While serving a penalty, he was seen in the box using a cell phone to watch his brother Florian Xhekajs fight in the other game, a quirky scene that quickly drew attention beyond the scoreboard and into the leagues rulebook.
Montreal fans already had reason to keep an eye on Florian, who has been pushing for a roster spot and turned in a solid outing with an assist, a blocked shot and plenty of physical play. Now the focus has shifted to what comes next for Arber, because the NHL bans cell phones on the bench and in the penalty box, making this less of a lighthearted family moment and more of a situation that could carry a penalty of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face New Lineup Concern After Practice Absences
The Canadiens had a different look at practice as Alexandre Carrier, Jake Evans and Lucas Condotta were not on the ice with the regular group. Josh Nadeau and Dillan Bentley were moved into Group A, while Laurent Dauphin joined Group B to help fill the gaps, a sign that the club was shuffling things around before its next preseason outing against the Ottawa Senators.
The absences have not been explained, so it is not clear whether this was simply maintenance or tied to what happened in the previous game. Evans is the name worth watching most closely after he left that contest early with an apparent injury, and with no official lineup announced yet, the Canadiens still have a little uncertainty hanging over how they will look when they return to game action. [Read more 🡒]