Players to watch during the Toronto Maple Leafs preseason
Increased depth, youth, and new faces provide many interesting subplots to the Leafs preseason.
Training camp and the preseason are about to get underway for the Toronto Maple Leafs. With it, comes the battle for spots on the roster.
The last-minute signings of Nick Robertson, Jani Hakanpaa, and Max Pacioretty increased the number of players searching for a place in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup. The competition for spots on the left wing and defense are now more interesting.
The latest acquisitions of general manager Brad Treliving give new coach Craig Berube much to sort through and observe while the Maple Leafs work through training camp and prepare for the season.
The Leafs stars and many other veterans have their spots on the roster secured, so the most interesting stories to follow are of those players further down the depth chart. Here are some key players to watch as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
Players to watch during the Toronto Maple Leafs preseason
After last year's impressive training camp with the Maple Leafs, and their strong seasons in junior hockey, the fate of Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten is of great interest. The key for both will be showing they can handle the increased speed and strength of NHL players.
Handling their defensive responsibilities, limiting giveaways, and making good decisions with the puck must be their first priority. The Leafs have enough offense elsewhere in the lineup that offensive contributions can come later.
The Maple Leafs must also weigh what is best for the player and the team. It makes no sense to keep either in the NHL to play limited minutes. They'd be better off playing more and used in all situations with the Toronto Marlies (Minten) or London Knights (Cowan).
The dilemma is that Cowan has nothing left to prove at the junior level and is ineligible to play for the Marlies. He has his sights set on making the team but the road to that happening just became more difficult with the Robertson signing.
Minten or Cowan making the roster would allow the Leafs to move on from a higher-priced veteran such as David Kampf or Ryan Reaves. That's a gamble that team management is unlikely to make unless the prized prospects force their hand. Expect Minten to start the year with the Marlies and Cowan to be sent back to coach Dale Hunter and the Knights.
Both Leafs goalies have something to prove
The Leafs have revamped their goaltending. The biggest switch was replacing the departed Ilya Samsonov with free-agent signing Anthony Stolarz, formerly of the Florida Panthers.
Behind them, Matt Murray has returned as third-string insurance. His tenure in Toronto has been sidetracked by injuries.
The key for the goaltenders is health. Joseph Woll, a Leafs homegrown pick and projected starter, has flashed brilliance during his NHL appearances but has also fought the injury bug.
Woll, if healthy, has flashed the potential to be a top-ten NHL goaltender. His sample size is limited, but his past two postseason performances were the best goaltending the Leafs have had during the Auston Matthews era. Woll's durability and availability for 40-plus games will place the team near the top of the Eastern Conference.
Just as important will be Stolarz's performance with an increased workload. The Maple Leafs likely envision a 50-50 split between the netminders. That means Stolarz will be counted on to play many more games than his career-high of 28 played during the 2021-2022 season with the Anaheim Ducks.
The size of Stolarz is an added benefit and he played well last season for the Panthers as well as the 2021-2022 season with the Ducks.
How Stolarz handles more playing time in the spotlight of Toronto on a team with aspirations of a long playoff run will be an intriguing development to follow.
Bringing back Murray as insurance for the third-string role was an underrated quality move by Treliving. The Leafs are familiar with him and have overseen his rehabilitation from his assorted injuries.
Murray also brings experience as a starter and winning cup titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is only 30 years old and is a worthy candidate should the Leafs need his services for a handful of games this season.
Hakanpaa could help the PK
It took a while, but the Leafs finally officially announced the signing of Hakanpaa. The delay was related to health concerns around the big defenseman's knee.
Hakanpaa is a depth signing and won't crack the top four on defense, but getting him in the fold should help the Maple Leafs penalty-killing. The team's power play is consistently among the NHL's best, but the Leafs play while shorthanded has regressed in recent years.
During the 2023-2024 season, it ranked near the bottom of the league at 76.9%, although this was mostly a goaltending problem. If the Leafs want to be a top-tier team this must improve. Having the 6'7" Hakanpaa on a third pairing and playing while short-handed should help.
Watching Hakanpaa's movements throughout camp and the preseason will indicate if he is healthy enough to challenge for a job and help the Maple Leafs dreadful penalty-killing units.
Last chance for a couple of Leafs draft picks
The hiring of Berube is a fresh start for everyone. Two players, in particular, should relish the chance. Robertson and defenseman Timothy Liljegren will look to earn the new coach's trust.
Robertson was unhappy with his role last year and asked to be traded before realizing it wasn't in his best interests. He could not find a consistent role under former coach Sheldon Keefe.
The same can be said for Liljegren. Both players alternated between a regular spot in the lineup and being an occasional healthy scratch.
The time has come for both to prove there is more than what they have shown so far during their time with the Leafs. The 2024-2025 season is the last chance for both to show they can be important contributors to the team. Continued inconsistency will see both moved elsewhere.
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With the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp and preseason nearing, the plight of these players and others will soon be determined.