The Maple Leafs walk into training camp looking like a completely different outfit, and that alone makes them one of the NHL’s most fascinating teams to watch. After an ugly 78-point season and a missed playoff berth, Toronto has changed in the places that mattered most: the bench, the front office, and the roster.
James Mirtle of The Athletic captured the mood around the team when he wrote, “While there’s a fair debate to be had about just how good this Leafs team will be, what’s indisputable is Toronto is going to be interesting - perhaps even the most interesting team in the league…”
That’s the backdrop for the real question: are the Maple Leafs actually better than they were a year ago? There are at least three reasons to think the answer could be yes.
The first is simple enough. The people steering the ship are different now.
Craig Berube and Brad Treliving are out after being heavily criticized for the way they built and managed last season’s team. In their place are Jim Hiller behind the bench and John Chayka in the general manager’s chair.
Hiller is not expected to lean on the same possession-limiting approach, while Chayka, for all the questions still attached to him, has already shown he’s willing to make moves. The reaction to both hires was immediate: plenty of people were surprised Chayka got the job, and even fewer had Hiller pegged as the coach.
The roster changes give Toronto a stronger case, too. The biggest name among the additions is Sergei Bobrovsky, a new No. 1 goaltender with Stanley Cup and Vezina credentials.
Whether he becomes the answer remains to be seen, but the resume is there. Darren Raddysh is another meaningful pickup, coming off a strong season with Tampa Bay and a career year that convinced many he’s the real deal, even if repeating that level is another matter.
Then there’s Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick, which changes the conversation all by itself. Add in the possibility of better health for Auston Matthews and Chris Tanev, and there’s a legitimate path to improvement.
The numbers also leave room for optimism. Toronto finished 16th in the NHL in goals per game last season, and it sat near the bottom of the league in both shots and scoring chances against.
Even a natural bounce back toward the middle of the pack would help, and that’s before factoring in the personnel changes. Put it all together, and the idea that this team will be worse than last season feels like a tough sell.
Mirtle also made a point that sticks: “And regardless of how you feel about the Leafs’ chances, as a fan or a hater or something in-between, it’s probably fair to say this: You’re going to be watching them, whether they’re good or bad. Because they’re going to be intriguing - and there’s going to be an awful lot on the line.”
That’s the truth of this Maple Leafs team. Maybe it’s not a Stanley Cup contender. But with all the changes they’ve made, they’re built to be impossible to ignore, and there should be stretches this season when they look capable of being much more than last year’s version.
In Other News...
Gavin McKennas First Leafs Game Is Raising An Immediate Concern
Gavin McKenna is about to get his first preseason look with the Maple Leafs, and the early conversation around him has already moved beyond his skating and skill. The detail drawing attention is his listed weight, which comes in about 10 pounds below what was recorded at the NHL Draft Combine, a shift fans noticed right away as they started circling his first game in blue and white.
For Toronto, the question is less about a number on a chart and more about how his frame plays in actual NHL competition. The league has plenty of examples of smaller players finding success by leaning on pace, balance and quick decision-making, and McKenna fits that broader discussion as he begins his Leafs preseason path. There is no official sign of any health issue, but the size talk is going to follow him until he shows what he can do on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Matthews Gave Leafs Fans One Reason To Exhale In Montreal
A split-squad preseason night in Montreal did not provide the kind of clean result the Maple Leafs wanted, with Toronto dropping both games and leaning on a few individual performances to find any real positives. Auston Matthews offered the biggest one, flashing the kind of speed that had been missing at times last season and setting up a goal in a showing that suggested he is starting to look more like himself again.
Darren Raddysh scored Torontos lone goal, while rookie Gavin McKenna gave the club a glimpse of his playmaking touch even if the night included a penalty. For a Leafs team still sorting out its early preseason shape, the game was less about the scoreboard than the different levels of comfort shown by key veterans and younger pieces trying to carve out a role. [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 filled with fringe players and prospects. In the kind of preseason setting where jobs are being sorted out one shift at a time, he dropped the gloves with Canadiens forward Lucas Condotta and was ejected shortly after, a reminder that these games can still carry plenty of bite even without the regulars on the ice elsewhere.
The moment fit the tone of a roster battle more than a tune-up, with every involved player trying to leave an impression before camp decisions get tougher. Pezzettas early exit came before teammate Teddy Blueger also fought in the same game, adding another layer of edge to a matchup that had already turned physical and given the Leafs another bit of evidence about who is willing to make noise in a depth role. [Read more 🡒]