Maple Leafs News & Rumours: A Different Kind of Hockey in Toronto?

The preseason doesn’t usually tell us much about what a hockey team will look like when the games start counting. Too many lineups, too many players trying to make the team, and too many nights when half the regular lineup is in a split-squad matchup someplace else. So, you need a little caution when watching these Toronto Maple Leafs games.

Still, you can see something at times. What has stood out so far is that these Maple Leafs seem to be playing hockey a little differently. The emphasis appears to be on speed, puck movement and creativity rather than simply getting bigger bodies into straight lines and grinding away. At the same time, some roster decisions are starting to show what general manager John Chayka and head coach Jim Hiller want this team to become.

Maple Leafs Hockey Already Looks More Fun to Watch

We have to admit that watching the Maple Leafs last season could get downright painful, even on nights when they won. At times, the hockey seemed more about surviving shifts than creating something with the puck.

That has looked different in the preseason. Even with some of the smaller defensemen on the ice, the size issue hasn’t been nearly as noticeable as expected. The team has generally looked quicker to gain control of the puck and move it out of their own end.

Even some B-squad players seemed more comfortable making the first pass and moving the puck rather than spending long stretches chasing it around their own zone. That matters because speed isn’t necessarily about skating faster. It can be about making the next play quickly.

The Maple Leafs’ Newcomers Have Looked Decent

Darren Raddysh got caught badly on one preseason goal, but overall he looked pretty good. The interesting thing about having two offensively inclined defensemen on the same pair is that neither seemed to act as though he had to do everything himself. When one had the puck, another defenseman supported the play. That could become an important part of how Toronto moves the puck this season.

Then there is Gavin McKenna. The No. 1 overall pick looked like one of the best players on the ice in his second preseason game and certainly looked comfortable playing alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. He showed the kind of creativity that made him the first pick in the draft. If he keeps playing like that, watching him develop will be fun.

The Roster Decisions Are Starting to Tell a Story

There are still decisions to make on defence, but Troy Stecher looks like a reasonable choice for the sixth spot. He brings experience, can move the puck and already knows what the organization expects from him. Toronto re-signed him to a two-year contract in the summer after he played 58 games last season.

At forward, Steven Lorentz was placed on waivers Thursday as Toronto continues trimming the roster. He played 71 games for the Maple Leafs last season and had 18 points, so this isn’t a case of cutting someone who never contributed. It is more about the numbers game and the fact that Toronto has added several forwards who are competing for limited roster spots. Lorentz passed through waivers and will start the season with the American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies.

The decision had some salary-cap logic behind it. Lorentz carries a $1.35-million cap hit, but since he cleared waivers and was assigned to the Marlies, only $125,000 remains on Toronto’s cap because the 2026-27 buried threshold is $1.225 million.

It is also worth remembering that Lorentz was not brought in by Chayka. He originally arrived in Toronto before the current management and then signed his extension under the previous one. That doesn’t mean the new management is automatically right to send him down. It does mean Chayka is building his own roster, and players from the previous version of the team aren’t necessarily guaranteed a spot.

Not Every Decision Can Be Made Based Upon Preseason Games

The preseason remains the preseason. Nobody should be drawing playoff conclusions from a couple of September games. But some things are worth putting in the notebook.

So far, this is what we’ve been seeing. The Maple Leafs appear to be trying to play faster, move the puck sooner and give skilled players more freedom to create. That is a significant change from the way last season felt. When even the B-squad looks more comfortable getting the puck out of its own end, it suggests the system might be making a difference.

The other part is the roster. Stecher is making a case for that sixth defence spot. Raddysh is showing why Toronto invested so heavily in him. McKenna is giving everybody something to watch. Chayka is willing to make some uncomfortable decisions as he puts his stamp on the team.

None of that guarantees anything when the real games begin. But if the Maple Leafs are going to be more enjoyable to watch this season, that’s probably a pretty good place to start.

[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]