The Maple Leafs have questions, and a 12-day camp to answer them - Toronto Star
It starts with the health of team leaders like Chris Tanev and Auston Matthews.
Chris Tanev, battling with Ottawa’s Tim Stützle, is a calming presence on the Toronto blue line, and the Leafs’ best shot-blocker.
Are the Maple Leafs a playoff team? Or are they kidding themselves?
They don’t have much time to debate it. The Leafs are about to embark on their shortest training camp. They’ll have 12 days, with each player limited to two exhibition games, to prepare for the Sept. 29 opener against the Montreal Canadiens.
The goal is to re-establish themselves as playoff contenders after a disastrous 2025-26 season ended the eras of Brad Treliving as GM and Craig Berube as coach.
Here are the top questions new coach Jim Hiller and his staff will need to get answers to before the puck drops for real.
Injuries played a big role last season, led by the multiple departures of Chris Tanev and the late-season departure of Auston Matthews.
Tanev was injured three times, twice with head injuries and finally with a groin injury that required core surgery. The 36-year-old is the most important Leafs defenceman. His shot-blocking ability is unrivalled and his calming presence can’t be overstated.
Matthews was limited to 60 games due to a variety of lower-body issues. His biggest was a medial collateral ligament tear and a severe quadriceps contusion in his left leg that came from a knee-on-knee hit by Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas.
As the team’s most dangerous offensive player, Matthews’ health is paramount to the team’s success.
Matthews and Tanev are expected to receiver medical clearance Wednesday, but some believe Max Domi won’t. Domi played through a back injury last season and off-season surgery resulted in complications.
Domi is not as vital to the team’s success, but his skill and speed make him a versatile contributor as both a centre and winger.
Winger Dakota Joshua (upper body) and goalie Anthony Stolarz (upper body) finished the season on the injured list.
The decision to keep the No. 1 pick off the ice in the rookie tournament in Gatineau is a sure sign that the team believes McKenna is ready for prime time. His talent level suggests he’ll be a top-line winger over the course of his career but it might be a bit much to ask him to play with Matthews right away, where he’ll face the best defencemen the opposition can muster.
It might be in McKenna’s best interest to play a bit further down the lineup, perhaps on the second line with John Tavares or even on the third line. He’ll need a healthy dose of power-play opportunities where puck touches and easier-to-obtain offence can build confidence.
The Leafs have one elite right winger: William Nylander. Jack Roslovic is a right shot who could get a chance in a top-six role. If not, it will be up to one of McKenna, Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan or (if healthy) Domi — all left-handed shots with offensive upside —to switch to the right side. It’s not ideal as far as the way coaches like to map out lines, but it’s what the Leafs have.
Matthews, if healthy, is the No. 1 centre. There’s a case to be made that Tavares, who’ll turn 36 on Sunday, should probably switch to being a winger to let younger and faster legs handle the down-the-middle role so vital at both ends of the ice. Domi is an option.
The Leafs signed several depth forwards, most of whom play multiple positions. Colton Sissons is the most likely candidate to centre the third line, while Teddy Blueger is pencilled in as fourth-line centre. Nick Paul and Jack Roslovic also have experience at the position.
Anyone who peruses puckpedia.com or any other website that lays out depth charts knows the team is overloaded with players with NHL experience. There are already 12 forwards, six defencemen, two goalies and a handful of spares (forwards Steve Lorentz and Zack MacEwan, and defencemen Emil Andrae and Nick Blankenburg).
So is there room for a training camp surprise? Nineteen-year-old centre Tinus Koblar looks tantalizingly close after his year in Europe. Ben Danford, 20, had a solid playoff for the AHL Marlies, as did forward Vinni Lettieri. Centre Bo Groulx looked like he belonged in his late-season call-up.
A short camp probably limits their chances but it’s possible one of them breaks through, meaning a player or two could be moved via trade or waivers.
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Kevin McGran is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Bluesky @kevinmcgran
