2026 Training Camp Thread

[CarltonTheBear]

On-ice activities begin tomorrow in preparation for the first pre-season games on Saturday.

Physicals occurred today, which unsurprisingly came with this news:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100243404818890991

Also some news about Rielly and Villeneueve:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100243833250312509

And some good news about Tanev:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100246659619754216

 

[herman]

That's a tough break for Villeneuve, but also makes him basically waiver exempt for all intents and purposes (not that he has much runway left with the Leafs).

I'm fully expecting Domi to have to medically retire at this point.

 

[YYZ]

That's a tough break for Villeneuve, but also makes him basically waiver exempt for all intents and purposes (not that he has much runway left with the Leafs).

I'm fully expecting Domi to have to medically retire at this point.

So Tanev was just a formality.

I think you may be right about Max.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2099879330377597353

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100254296017076428

Are you guys ready for Brandon Duhaime?

 

[ZBBM]

TOO LATE IT'S ALREADY OVER

 

[YYZ]

Are you guys ready for Brandon Duhaime?

Florida Man.

 

[herman]

Chayka speaks

John Chayka on Auston Matthews’ future in Toronto: "One day, he won't be a Maple Leaf; hopefully, that ends with retirement"

Maple Leafs GM John Chayka addressed the team’s injury updates, Auston Matthews’ health and contract situation, Matthew Knies’ place in the organization amid incessant trade rumours, the importance of Mats Sundin’s leadership, and his approach to the NHL’s shifting financial landscape. Opening...

mapleleafshotstove.com

Hiller speaks

Jim Hiller: Gavin McKenna will “show us where he fits” in Maple Leafs' lineup

Head coach Jim Hiller discussed the team’s revamped roster, the plan for Gavin McKenna, his relationship with Auston Matthews, his coaching philosophy, and the excitement surrounding his first season behind the Leafs’ bench. What excites you most about the roster entering the season? Hiller...

mapleleafshotstove.com

Sundin speaks

Mats Sundin on the Toronto market: "Börje Salming told me when I came here that I was coming to the best place to be as a player, and he was right"

Senior executive advisor Mats Sundin discussed the importance of building a close-knit team, the support system surrounding Gavin McKenna, and his pride in returning to the organization in a management role. John Tavares recently credited you and John Chayka for helping bring together a roster...

mapleleafshotstove.com

Matthews speaks

Auston Matthews on his future in Toronto after the early offseason speculation: "My intent was always to be here"

Captain Auston Matthews discussed his future in Toronto, his motivation after a frustrating 2025-26 season, his relationship with Gavin McKenna, reuniting with Jack Roslovic, and the changes behind the bench under Jim Hiller. What has appealed to you about Jim Hiller’s communication style and...

mapleleafshotstove.com

Tavares speaks

John Tavares on living with Gavin McKenna in his rookie season as Leaf: "Hopefully, I can do him a lot of good, but I know it's going to do me a lot of good as well"

John Tavares discussed welcoming Gavin McKenna into his home, the star rookie’s maturity and character, and the responsibility Leafs’ veteran leaders must take on as a new coaching staff introduces fresh ideas. Gavin McKenna is not the first young player you’ve taken under your wing and shared a...

mapleleafshotstove.com

 

[herman]

So Tanev was just a formality.

Chayka knows full well he can’t just go measuring and medicalling people willy nilly outside of official NHL time.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100251031242248467

Does John Tavares have an arrest record too? Or does white collar stuff not count…

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100244049277952451

Now we have portfolio theory

 

[L K]

I know this is the time of year to be unreasonable optimistic because nothing has gone wrong and everything is new and shiny but the early vibes do seem much more upbeat. I enjoy listening to Chayka when he talks about the team. It does seem like we have more voices in the dressing room. Every year always felt like the Leafs added one guy to be the guy to "change the culture". It feels like this year we have a bunch of guys who are more willing to speak up. Granted they are mostly guys who will be playing in the bottom 6 but it does feel like the team isn't going to be sitting on the bench quiet if they go down 3-0 in a game.

 

[YYZ]

I know this is the time of year to be unreasonable optimistic because nothing has gone wrong and everything is new and shiny but the early vibes do seem much more upbeat. I enjoy listening to Chayka when he talks about the team. It does seem like we have more voices in the dressing room. Every year always felt like the Leafs added one guy to be the guy to "change the culture". It feels like this year we have a bunch of guys who are more willing to speak up. Granted they are mostly guys who will be playing in the bottom 6 but it does feel like the team isn't going to be sitting on the bench quiet if they go down 3-0 in a game.

Yes, I'm already at peak delusional.

 

[Arn]

If you can’t be delusionally overly optimistic at this point of the season, when can you be?

 

[herman]

The @MapleLeafs have returned the following players to their respective junior teams following the 2026 NHL Prospect Challenge:
Rylan Fellinger (Flint)
Brody Pepoy (Saginaw)
Patriks Plūmiņš (Chicoutimi)
Cooper Williams (Saskatoon)

The following players were also released from their Amateur Try-Out Agreements:
Sebastian Charvát
Matyas Man
Parker Vaughan
Nic Whitehead

The Marlies are obviously going to play a role in the split squad games. There are still some junior or loan players in Toronto: Bilecki, Nansi, and Koblar (more obviously) will be getting longer looks.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100334143905100178

Invites:
Adam Kydd (ECHL, Cyclones)
Max Smolinski (ECHL, Cyclones)
Kaiden Mbereko (ECHL, Cyclones)

All the other not readily recognized names are Marlies.

Joe Miller is an interesting one in that he was drafted by the Leafs a while ago (2020 6th rd), and is on an ECHL deal with the Cyclones as well.

 

[Arn]

I read this article, and the key word that comes up a few times is “fun”. I think last couple of years the Leafs weren’t fun. They didn’t seem to buy into fun. In fact, fun seemed to be a bad word. Then a lot of players seemed weighed down.

I think and hope this augurs well. Playing loose and with fun will hopefully get them confident and make it more enjoyable for the fan watching as well.

Sense of optimism alive and well as Maple Leafs get set to open training camp after trying season

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted their annual charity golf tournament in Milton, Ont., on Monday as they get set to open training camp later this week. TSN's Mark Masters has more.

www.tsn.ca

 

[YYZ]

I read this article, and the key word that comes up a few times is “fun”. I think last couple of years the Leafs weren’t fun. They didn’t seem to buy into fun. In fact, fun seemed to be a bad word. Then a lot of players seemed weighed down.

I think and hope this augurs well. Playing loose and with fun will hopefully get them confident and make it more enjoyable for the fan watching as well.

Sense of optimism alive and well as Maple Leafs get set to open training camp after trying season

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted their annual charity golf tournament in Milton, Ont., on Monday as they get set to open training camp later this week. TSN's Mark Masters has more.

www.tsn.ca

Berube had them playing the stupid dump and chase system that absolutely sucked the life out of them. How much fun is it to get the puck in the D-zone, skate it past center and dump it into the corner then go get it again? That's just meathead hockey.

 

[Frank E]

Berube had them playing the stupid dump and chase system that absolutely sucked the life out of them. How much fun is it to get the puck in the D-zone, skate it past center and dump it into the corner then go get it again? That's just meathead hockey.

I don't want to fall too far down the trap, but we had those free-wheeling seasons under Keefe, and then when the grindy hockey of the playoffs presented itself, the Leafs got pounded.

What I think might be different about this season is that Chayka went and built a bottom 6 that is grindy, and could actually play that kind of hockey.

 

[L K]

I don't want to fall too far down the trap, but we had those free-wheeling seasons under Keefe, and then when the grindy hockey of the playoffs presented itself, the Leafs got pounded.

What I think might be different about this season is that Chayka went and built a bottom 6 that is grindy, and could actually play that kind of hockey.

I feel like this is really the biggest thing. The league went fast and the Leafs decided to go slow. Dump and chase needs heavy play but it also needs speed to get in and pressure the attack. The Leafs did soft dump ins into the corners but they would be preceded by 2 minutes of being hemmed in their own zone because Berube wanted the net protected and conceded the blue line.

This team ironically is probably better suited to play Berube hockey than either team he had before.

At the same time, I don't think Berube hockey can win without cheating levels of clutch/grab/interference and this just has never been the MO for the Leafs.

This team does feel better built to play postseason hockey. If they can find a balance of playing more up-tempo offensively but being able to grind down games they could find a lot of success.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2100583268613509214

Short preseason means the Leafs aren't wasting time, they'll open training camp with a group that will almost certainly be the opening night roster (barring injuries of course). Danford holding Rielly's spot while he's unable to start camp.