The Maple Leafs are turning to their big summer addition in net for their preseason home opener, with Sergei Bobrovsky set to get the start Saturday against Montreal.
Toronto has been in camp long enough to start sorting out the roster picture, and with an accelerated preseason schedule, the early games are already carrying extra weight. The split-squad matchup with the Canadiens gives the club’s “A” group the first shot at the home crowd, and Bobrovsky will be in the crease for it.
Head coach Jim Hiller said both Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz will share the net on the night, though the exact split has not been finalized yet.
Bobrovsky arrived on a three-year, $21-million deal this summer after a strong run with the Florida Panthers that included back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Toronto made him part of its push to win now, and the reviews from coaches and teammates have been glowing since his arrival.
The lineup in front of him should look familiar. The “A” group is expected to feature regulars Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, William Nylander, and John Tavares. It will also be the first game action for Gavin McKenna in a Maple Leafs sweater, a moment plenty of people have been waiting to see.
For Bobrovsky, the opening preseason test is a chance to settle in quickly and show the kind of form that made him a Vezina winner. He’s coming into a shortened camp, so there’s time needed to get comfortable, but a sharp first outing would go a long way toward easing any nerves.
If he can bring poise and handle Montreal’s “B” group on Saturday, it would be a strong first step for a goalie Toronto is counting on. The attention will also be on Matthews, McKenna, and the team’s revamped bottom six, but Bobrovsky’s ability to steady the crease is a major part of the equation.
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