The Toronto Maple Leafs play their second-to-last (or if you prefer, penultimate) pre-season game tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will then presumably make a round of final cuts, and play with their real lineup on Saturday in the last game of the pre-season (also against Detroit).
Until then, we are in a holding pattern.
The NHL pre-season is a funny thing. At first, you’re really excited about it. September rolls around, and sure, it’s a bummer that summer is over, but you’ve got Training Camp and Back to School etc.
It’s a fun time of year.
For like two days!
Then school reminds you why you loved the summer, and NHL training camps last forever.
Toronto Maple Leafs News and Training Camp Updates
The Leafs have a few more cuts to make, and everyone assumes one of them will be Nick Robertson, since he isn’t playing tonight (it seems).
The most likely scenario is that the Leafs send Robertson down while giving nine-games (hopefully more) to Fraser MInten.
Noah Gregor is likely going to be signed, and Calle Jarnkrok is back from injury. That means that the Leafs forwards are pretty much full. No room for Robertson.
The @MapleLeafs roster for tonight’s preseason game versus Detroit at @ScotiabankArena. pic.twitter.com/4f12iPO7NI
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 5, 2023
It also appears unlikely that the Toronto Maple Leafs will keep Easton Cowan. He has been a fun story during camp, and it would be amazing if they decided to go with a cheap group of kids at the bottom of the lineup, but they won’t.
Minten maybe. Robertson no, Cowan for sure no.
But, it’s impossible to know for sure because the team remains over the salary cap. They still have a garbage blue-line and William Nylander is still unsigned.
Though, speaking of Nylander, the experiment to play him at centre appears to be over. I read in the Athletic (I think) that Keefe never wanted to do it anyway, and that it was Brad Treliving’s idea.
It’s a good idea – especially if your only other options for 3C are a 19 year-old second-round pick and David Kampf – but if Nylander can’t be an effective NHL centre then it’s a non-starter.
Nylander is my favorite player, and even I think the time is probably nigh to trade him.
The Time Is Nigh!
The final news of the day is that John Klingberg is going to try and play on Saturday and is likely going to be ready for the regular season.
Hey, it’s better than using Simon Benoit!