The Maple Leafs have built themselves into a far more complicated team than they were a few weeks ago, and that’s the price of adding real talent.
John Chayka and Toronto went into the offseason with a simple mission: make the roster better and get back to the postseason. Instead, the additions of first-overall pick Gavin McKenna and high-scoring defenseman Darren Raddysh have given new head coach Jim Hiller an early headache, especially when it comes to sorting out the top power-play unit.
That issue came into focus on a recent episode of TSN’s OverDrive, where Jeff O’Neill and Mike Johnson spent time unpacking the emotional fallout that could follow once Hiller starts making those calls. The debate started with Hiller’s choice to skate McKenna on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander, then quickly moved to the bigger question: does McKenna crack the first power-play group right away?
Johnson doesn’t think so.
In his view, the opening power-play five should be Darren Raddysh, Tavares, Nylander, captain Auston Matthews, and Matthew Knies. Johnson’s case was straightforward: with the training camp schedule more condensed than usual, and with fewer practices and games to sort everything out, he doesn’t believe Knies should be bumped off that first unit before the season even gets rolling.
He framed the situation plainly. If McKenna eventually pushes Knies aside after only a limited runway, Johnson said, "you feel a little bit miffed." His preference is to wait before making that kind of change.
O’Neill saw the other side of it. If McKenna starts making highlight-reel plays with the man advantage and earns the spot, then somebody is going to be disappointed. As he put it, if McKenna shines "and makes incredible plays on the power play, and he deserves to be out there, someone's going to get their feelings hurt."
That’s the reality Toronto is stepping into now. For years, the Maple Leafs didn’t have many choices.
This group does. O’Neill pointed out that Hiller can now react if someone isn’t performing, rather than simply running the same names out there again and again.
He also suggested that the competition could lead to different looks, including chances for newcomer Nick Paul to replace Tavares or for McKenna to take Knies’ spot.
There’s also a bigger roster wrinkle underneath all of it. The panel brought up Tavares’ declining effectiveness at even strength as he gets older, which makes his power-play role even more important.
Toronto still wants his net-front presence on the man advantage. Knies brings size and hands of his own, which only adds another layer to the decision.
So yes, it’s a good problem. The Maple Leafs have more firepower, more options, and more ways to hurt a penalty kill.
But the challenge for Hiller won’t just be designing the unit. He’ll have to manage the bruised feelings that come with leaving talented players out.
And when those final choices are made, somebody’s ice time is going to shrink.
In Other News...
Matthews Gave Leafs Fans One Reason To Exhale In Montreal
Auston Matthews gave Maple Leafs fans something to track in an otherwise rough split-squad preseason night in Montreal, where Toronto dropped both games and had to settle for smaller victories in the individual performances. Matthews looked closer to his usual self with noticeable speed and an assist, while Darren Raddysh provided the clubs lone goal and rookie Gavin McKenna flashed the sort of playmaking that can stand out even in a preseason setting.
For a Leafs team still sorting through early impressions, the point was less about the results than the signs underneath them. Matthews pace was the biggest takeaway, and McKennas creativity offered another encouraging note, even with a penalty mixed in. It was the kind of evaluative night that leaves the standings untouched but gives the coaching staff and the fan base a little more to chew on. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Fringe Forward Made An Early Statement In Montreal
Michael Pezzetta wasted little time making his presence felt in Montreal while skating with the Maple Leafs B-team. In a game featuring fringe players and prospects because Torontos main roster was elsewhere, Pezzetta dropped the gloves with Canadiens player Lucas Condotta and was ejected afterward, a flashpoint that fit the tone of a matchup built more on auditions and edge than star power.
The scuffling did not stop there, either. Shortly after Pezzettas fight, teammate Teddy Blueger also got into one in the same game, adding another layer of nastiness to a night that already had a distinctly old-school feel. For Leafs players trying to leave a mark with limited opportunities, these are the kinds of moments that can matter just as much as any shift in the offensive zone. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Hiller Saw Promise In The Leafs But One Clear Problem Too
After the Maple Leafs preseason loss to the Canadiens, Jim Hiller came away seeing both the kind of early signs a coach wants and the kind of issues that tend to linger if they are not cleaned up quickly. He pointed to Gavin McKennas good start and liked what he saw from Auston Matthews, especially his skating and the way he carried an offensive threat, which at least gave Toronto some encouraging takeaways from a game that did not go its way.
Still, Hiller sounded just as focused on the gaps as the positives, especially the teams skating without the puck, an area that can quietly decide preseason games and, later, more meaningful ones. He also addressed Sergei Bobrovskys playing-time management, another reminder that these exhibition games are about more than the final score as the Leafs sort through how their pieces fit and what needs sharpening before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]