The Maple Leafs are heading into training camp with a different kind of pressure this year. It’s not just about getting into shape and finding rhythm. Under John Chayka and Mats Sundin, the camp is shaping up as a straight-up competition, with more players chasing the same jobs and fewer spots feeling locked down.
That shift starts with the way Toronto built out its roster this offseason. The additions of Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime give the Leafs a cluster of bottom-six forwards who all do similar kinds of work: defend, bring energy and soak up the tougher minutes that would otherwise land on the stars.
The result is a camp where performance can’t be judged by numbers alone. Winning puck battles, bringing grit, showing determination and clicking quickly with new teammates all matter now.
That’s a real change from recent years, when the bottom six had a more obvious shape or at least a clearer set of specialists. This time, Toronto has four role players in the mix and far more genuine competition for depth spots than it had a year ago. Even Blueger, who might have been slotted into the fourth line in previous seasons the way David Kampf was, offers enough across the board that the decision is no longer that simple.
The coaching staff is part of that change too. Toronto’s new group brings a different lens to camp, and that could matter just as much as the roster moves. John Gruden arrives after helping lead the Marlies to a Calder Cup, Brad Werenka brings a background in player development and performance analytics, and Daniel Alfredsson adds another veteran NHL voice after three seasons on Ottawa’s bench.
Gruden already knows the organization’s prospects and has a long AHL résumé to go with a winning track record. Werenka, though not part of the NHL system before, is respected for his analytical approach and for the video work he did at the University of Calgary. Alfredsson gives Toronto a former captain and star with a different kind of offensive perspective, and that could help sort out which players fit together best.
For the players on the bubble, the message is pretty clear: understand what each coach values and make that your lane. If Paul is expected to be a defensive center and still chip in around 20 goals, then that two-way game has to show up in camp. That’s what Toronto invested in this summer, and now the proof has to come on the ice.
There are also Marlies names trying to force their way into the conversation, including Luke Haymes, Jacob Quillan and Bo Groulx. Gruden’s presence could matter there, given what he already accomplished with them. A coach who has seen their game up close can make a real difference when the decisions get tight.
The top six is much less of a mystery, at least when it comes to name value. Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, John Tavares, William Nylander and Gavin McKenna are the established pieces, even if there’s still some uncertainty around where Easton Cowan and Jack Roslovic fit. Gruden knows what Cowan can bring, but Roslovic is the more experienced and stable option, so that battle may not be settled quickly.
What makes this camp stand out is that Toronto doesn’t seem short on answers. It has too many.
Paul, Sissons, Blueger, Duhaime, Cowan and Roslovic all offer different mixes of offence, defence, physicality and role-specific value, and that gives Hiller more real choices than plug-and-play placeholders. That kind of depth is useful, especially if injuries or inconsistency show up.
It also makes for a much more competitive camp than the Maple Leafs have had in quite some time.
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Maple Leafs Power Play May Finally Have The Counter Fans Wanted
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With Auston Matthews and William Nylander already giving the Leafs high-end finishing talent, and a prospect like Gavin McKenna also in the mix, the group suddenly has more ways to stress defenders. The hope is that this turns the power play into something more versatile and harder to scout, instead of leaning on the same entries and same shot patterns that have made it easier to load up on Toronto in recent seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Fans Have Two New Reasons To Watch This Era Closely
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There is also a notable change coming on the airwaves, with Todd Crocker expected to become the new radio voice of the Maple Leafs after years as the play-by-play announcer for the Marlies. If the move goes through, he would follow Joe Bowen into one of the most recognizable jobs in the sport, giving Leafs fans a new soundtrack for an era that already feels like it is starting to shift in more than one way. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Still Have One Affordable Scoring Gamble Worth Watching
Alexander Holtz remains the kind of low-cost scoring swing that can at least make sense for a Maple Leafs team looking to add some punch to its bottom six without spending much to do it. The former New Jersey Devils first-round pick has had limited offensive opportunity in the Vegas Golden Knights system, with modest goal production and limited ice time, but his shot and age still give him a profile that could appeal to a club hunting for depth scoring.
For Toronto, the attraction is straightforward: a forward with some finishing ability and a manageable contract who might benefit from a bigger role than he has found in Vegas. Whether the Golden Knights would even consider moving him is the real question, especially if they still believe there is more to unlock in his game. For the Leafs, though, he looks like one of the few affordable gambles worth keeping on the radar. [Read more 🡒]