Training camps are open, and three storylines are already drawing attention across the NHL: Kirill Marchenko is saying very little about his future in Columbus, Toronto is easing Gavin McKenna into camp without throwing him straight onto Auston Matthews’ wing, and Mike Babcock is trying to wrap his head around being back behind an NHL bench in Edmonton.
Marchenko was asked directly whether he likes playing in Columbus, and he answered with, “I love to play hockey,” without ever really touching the question. That was the theme throughout the day. When the topic turned to his agent’s comments that he does not plan to stay beyond his current deal, Marchenko said he had not even seen them and made it clear those conversations belong to his agent and GM Don Waddell, not him.
He also brushed off a report that he told Waddell he’d “work his butt off.” Marchenko said he didn’t know where that came from and noted that he is not on social media.
So while he never came right out and said anything definitive about his long-term future, he also never did much to calm the noise. Every attempt to pin him down on Columbus ended the same way: back to hockey, and nowhere else.
In Toronto, McKenna’s first camp lineup puts him with John Tavares and William Nylander rather than Matthews. Coach Jim Hiller said the pairing took plenty of thought, and the appeal is obvious.
McKenna’s passing could fit neatly with what Tavares and Nylander bring. At the same time, Hiller has been clear that these lines are just a starting point, not a final answer.
Matthews, for now, is skating with Matthew Knies and Jack Roslovic. That setup is not being treated as permanent either.
Hiller said nothing is locked in, and McKenna’s play will help determine where he ends up. Still, with Toronto’s track record of keeping top players apart before eventually joining them, the expectation is that McKenna and Matthews will end up together sooner or later.
The only real question is how long the Leafs wait.
Babcock’s return in Edmonton has brought plenty of attention, and after the first day of camp he sounded as if he was still adjusting to the reality of it. He said he wasn’t even looking for a coaching job and joked that when he checks his trail cam pictures of deer in the morning, he still can’t believe he is back coaching in the NHL. He also leaned into his roots, calling himself a Western Canadian and saying he grew up an Oilers fan.
Now the focus shifts to whether that new look in Edmonton actually produces results. Early reports say camp already feels different under Babcock, and the Oilers are making a major commitment with a three-year deal and an option year. For now, though, the bigger story is simply that he is back, and he knows it.
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For prospects, the timing is not ideal. Toronto has brought in experienced players to add competition and depth, which raises the bar for anyone trying to win a spot, while the defense corps is also unsettled enough to create openings and pressure at the same time. Young blueliners are getting their chances, but with Morgan Rielly out while he recovers from illness, the competition for those jobs is only getting tighter. [Read more 🡒]
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For a Toronto club trying to define itself under a new coach, this kind of battle matters because it can hint at bigger priorities before the regular season even starts. Hillers preference here could say plenty about whether he wants his bottom six to wear teams down with heaviness or give him more reliable support away from the puck, and the answer will be watched closely as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Morgan Rielly's New Camp Role Puts Leafs Future In Focus
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The pairing was notable not just because of the new face beside him, but because camp has already started to hint at a changing role for Rielly as Toronto sorts through its defensive combinations. With trade talk still lingering around his name, every shift and every setup choice matters a little more, and the way the Leafs handle him in the coming days will be watched closely as a sign of where he fits in the teams bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]