The Toronto Maple Leafs are through the preseason, and while the exhibition results themselves don’t carry much weight, the games still offered a pretty clear look at where this team is heading.
Toronto dropped both games against the Montreal Canadiens and beat the Ottawa Senators twice, but the real value came in the details. A few players stood out, the team’s style looked different in a few important ways, and one newcomer in particular already looks ready for a bigger role.
Gavin McKenna was the loudest storyline of the preseason.
In his first game, there were some nerves, but he still looked like he belonged. He kept pace with his linemates and, at times, drove it himself.
By his second outing, the difference was obvious. He was far more assertive, creating plays, setting the tone and using deception to make things happen.
The Maple Leafs will likely open the season with McKenna on the second line, and that makes sense. He already got some time next to captain Auston Matthews, and he liked what he saw from that group’s puck possession and offensive-zone control.
The question no longer feels like whether McKenna can reach the top line. It feels more like when.
The numbers from five-on-five play backed up the eye test. With McKenna on the ice, Toronto held a strong edge in expected goals at 76.03%, scoring chances at 75% and high danger chances at 73.33%.
He also didn’t allow a goal against. For a player who was already looking comfortable, that kind of impact only strengthens the case that he can handle more responsibility quickly.
Toronto also looked much more dangerous in transition.
The old dump-and-chase approach is fading, and the new setup under Jim Hiller is built around speed, cleaner breakouts and moving as a five-man unit. That showed up in the preseason. The Leafs were attacking quicker and with more purpose, trying to create offense with possession instead of just sending pucks behind the defense and hoping for a scramble.
McKenna was a big part of that, too. He led Toronto in several important offensive categories during the preseason, including zone entries with 17, offensive-zone possession at 2:13 and slot passes with eight.
That fits the bigger picture. The Maple Leafs looked more willing to strike in transition, and all four lines seemed to be getting in on it.
Matthews even flashed that gear early. In the first game, he reached a speed burst of 35 km/h as he drove from one end of the ice to the other. That kind of pace is exactly what this new approach seems designed to unlock.
The roster additions help explain why the style looks different. Jack Roslovic and Nick Paul have both shown they can help create rush chances and generate offense once the Leafs get moving. Even Zach MacEwen has shown more than just toughness, giving Toronto another player who can jump into the attack.
Not everything was clean, though.
Matthew Knies had a quieter preseason than expected. After another strong year that ended with 66 points in 79 games, he simply didn’t pop the way many thought he would. He had trouble with the puck, didn’t separate himself the way he usually does and didn’t look nearly as impactful as he normally is.
That said, it’s still preseason. Knies may have just been getting back up to speed, and he’ll have every chance to settle in once the games count.
He also spent the offseason dealing with constant trade rumours, so there’s at least some explanation for a player who looked a little off. Still, for a power forward who is supposed to be a major piece of this team, the quiet showing was noticeable.
Then there’s Sergei Bobrovsky, who has already given Toronto a strong first impression.
Bobrovsky has looked sharp in net, making big saves and showing the kind of form that reminds people why the Maple Leafs gave him a three-year contract. At 37, he’s still performing like one of the league’s top goaltenders.
His value isn’t limited to the crease, either. Bobrovsky’s presence in the room is already making an impression, and Hiller has pointed to the respect that comes with his veteran status. If he keeps bringing that mix of steadiness and leadership, it should only help the Maple Leafs as they head into the regular season.
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Maple Leafs Have A Waiver Chance That Could Heat Up Canadiens Rivalry
Ryan Suzuki landing on waivers gives the Maple Leafs an interesting depth option at a time when roster shuffling is already part of the daily grind around the league. Ottawa made the move as it adjusts its lineup, and Toronto, always looking for low-cost ways to bolster its organization, now has a brief window to decide whether it wants to get involved.
The wrinkle, of course, is the family tie to Montreal, where Nick Suzuki has become one of the Canadiens most important players. Any claim by Toronto would not just be about adding another body to the mix, it would also add a fresh layer to a rivalry that never needs much help getting hotter. For now, though, there has been no official claim or transaction reported. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs May Have To Risk A Core Young Piece Here
The Maple Leafs are once again circling a deal that would reshape the top end of their forward group, with Toronto and Columbus reportedly deep in discussions over Kirill Marchenko. Marchenko is still a restricted free agent and does not have an extension in place, which makes the timing of any move especially delicate for a Leafs team looking to upgrade without losing too much ground in the process.
Matthew Knies and draft picks have surfaced as the kind of assets that could be involved, which is exactly the sort of price Toronto has to weigh carefully when chasing a player with upside. Nothing has been finalized or officially confirmed, and the talks remain fluid, but this is the kind of trade conversation that forces a club to decide how much of its young core it is willing to risk for a potential swing. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fans Are Suddenly Watching A Strange Marchenko Trade Rumor
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Elsewhere in the hockey rumor mill, a much stranger Boston-related thread has started making the rounds after social media users noticed Bruins players and Kirill Marchenko following each other on Instagram. It is the kind of detail that can send fans into overdrive even when the most likely explanation is pure coincidence, but it has still been enough to get people wondering whether there is anything more to the chatter. [Read more 🡒]