September is here, and the Maple Leafs are still juggling a few major questions before the puck drops on the regular season.
With less than 30 days to go before opening night, Toronto has a short runway left after a summer that brought changes from top to bottom, the arrival of Gavin McKenna, and a clear push to contend. The expectations are high, but there’s still unfinished business.
The biggest issue is the cap. Toronto can operate above the limit for now, but once the season starts, the team has to be at least breaking even.
That means a roster move is coming, and it could be an uncomfortable one. One or more players may need to be pushed out of the lineup or moved off the team entirely, especially with uncertainty around whether Max Domi will return this season and whether the club can count on his LTIR relief.
That cap squeeze also makes training camp one of the most important stretches of the fall. There’s a real chance the final roster spot turns into a battle, and the Maple Leafs may have to decide who fits best with the new group.
McKenna is another major storyline, and he has the ability to reshape the top six before the season even begins. If he turns in a strong Prospect Showcase and preseason, he could earn a spot there and keep it all year.
Nobody should expect triple-digit points right away or a franchise-saving arrival, but the talent is obvious, and his game could help lift the players around him, especially Auston Matthews. If that happens, McKenna looks like a lock on the first line, and the fight shifts to the final opening among Toronto’s top six.
One possible look at the forward group would be:
McKenna - Matthews - Knies
Cowan - Tavares - Nylander
That setup would give Toronto a mix of proven veterans and young players with room to grow into bigger roles.
Then there’s Matthews, who enters the final 28 days with the biggest spotlight on him. The captain has gone through two injury-disrupted seasons, and he needs to show that his shot, pace and confidence are back before the games count for real.
McKenna should help, and Matthews is looking to be healthy, but the preseason will tell the story. If his shot returns, if he becomes a bigger offensive threat, and if he produces at the level expected, Toronto’s outlook improves quickly. If not, or if he and McKenna never quite click, Jim Hiller will have to sort it out fast.
The clock is ticking. The first preseason game is less than three weeks away, and Matthews has only a short window left to prove he’s ready for a rebound.
In Other News...
Leafs Prospects Are Already Sending A Message Before Camp
Before training camp even opens, the Maple Leafs are already getting a look at the kind of work that can shape a season. Gavin McKenna and Ben Danford were spotted practicing in Muskoka alongside John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, Scott Laughton, and Mitch Marner, a summer setting that carries real significance for two prospects trying to make their way into Torontos long-term picture. For young players, those reps are about more than just staying sharp. They are a chance to see the pace, habits, and expectations that come with being around established NHL talent.
For Toronto, the setting is especially interesting because it gives McKenna and Danford a chance to start building chemistry with current Leafs while absorbing details from veterans who know what it takes to hold down a role in this market. Summer ice time does not decide anything on its own, but it can help a prospect stand out before the real competition begins. If either player is going to push into a bigger future role, moments like these are where the first impression starts to form. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Just Made A Goalie Bet That Could Haunt Matthews Window
The Maple Leafs have added another high-profile piece to their goaltending picture, signing veteran Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21 million contract with a $7 million average annual value. It is the kind of move that signals urgency, and it also comes with the sort of risk Toronto has tried to avoid in the past: a long-term commitment to an older goalie on a deal built to matter right away.
Because of NHL 35-plus contract rules and Bobrovskys full no-movement clause, the Leafs wont have much wiggle room if the fit goes sideways. The timing makes it more delicate, too, since the deal runs into Auston Matthews final contracted season and could tighten the clubs cap flexibility right when the front office needs it most. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Still Have One Quiet Roster Decision Before Camp
The Maple Leafs have already done plenty of their offseason reshaping, but there is still a subtle layer to sort out before camp opens. With the roster taking shape, the next moves look less about headline additions and more about padding the depth chart, especially if the club wants a little more insurance on the blue line and among its bottom-six forwards.
One path would be inviting a few familiar or useful veterans into camp on PTOs, giving Toronto a closer look without committing to a full-season answer too soon. A depth defenseman like Carson Soucy fits that idea, and so do possible forward reunions with James van Riemsdyk or Michael Bunting, but the bigger question is whether any of those names can make the Leafs more comfortable with the margins of the roster before opening night arrives. [Read more 🡒]