The Toronto Maple Leafs announced their opening night roster yesterday and while there weren’t many surprises, there were a few that raised some eyebrows, including accidentally leaving John Tavares off the roster at first.
Nevertheless, a few names were a nice surprise to see listed. As for other moves, the Maple Leafs claimed both Sammy Blais and Cayden Primeau off waivers. They also re-assigned Ben Danford to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and sent Easton Cowan to the American Hockey League (AHL) to join their affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
Now, on to the opening night roster.
Forwards:
Starting with the forwards, this is where some questions were answered. As mentioned above, Cowan will not start the year with the Maple Leafs, which should help his development, but it opened the door for another forward.
The group will consist of 14 forwards, with the usual suspects included. Below is a opening night roster projection:
Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Matias Maccelli
Bobby McMann – John Tavares – William Nylander
Dakota Joshua – Max Domi – Nicholas Robertson
Steven Lorentz – Nicolas Roy – Calle Järnkrok
Extras: Sammy Blais and Jacob Quillan
As mentioned above, there were a couple of surprises, Nicholas Robertson and Jacob Quillan both earned a spot on the opening night roster. Up until today, when the Maple Leafs practiced, it looked like Robertson might be dealt to clear room for Cowan. However, that’s not the case, and he’ll start the season with the club, likely on the third line.
As for Quillan, NHL insider Chris Johnston reported that his addition was a cap move, but it’s worth noting that he played well in the preseason. He’ll help fill in for Scott Laughton, who’s going to miss time with an injury. It gives a younger forward a chance to make a name for himself and maybe solidify his spot as the first call-up if he returns to the AHL.
Defensemen
Next up, the blue line. The Maple Leafs elected to carry seven defensemen to start the season. There aren’t any major surprises here. At the halfway point of the preseason, it looked like Ben Danford might get a look, but with Simon Benoit returning from injury, it makes sense that Danford will return to junior to continue his development.
Below is a opening night roster projection:
Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Simon Benoit
Extra: Philippe Myers
Related: Maple Leafs Make Lineup Changes Ahead of Season Opener
The six who start the season will be the same six who finished the 2024-25 season. McCabe and Tanev will form the top pairing, with Rielly and Carlo as the second. The third pairing is where things get interesting. Ekman-Larsson and Benoit, who played together last season, will be back for another run but they’re switching sides. Benoit will play on his off side (right), which could bring some early growing pains. Myers will serve as the seventh defenseman and draw into the lineup when needed.
Goaltenders
Finally, the crease. With Joseph Woll still on a leave of absence and no timeline for his return, the Maple Leafs brought in James Reimer on a professional tryout. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out, and he’s been released while he searches for another opportunity.
The Maple Leafs’ goaltending duo:
Starter: Anthony Stolarz
Backup: Cayden Primeau
Anthony Stolarz will be the opening night starter and should carry most of the workload this season. As for the backup role, until Woll returns, the Maple Leafs will go with Primeau, who they claimed off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. This duo gives Stolarz a chance to run with the starting job and show what he can do. The Maple Leafs have three back-to-backs within the first five weeks of the season, so the need for both Primeau and Dennis Hildeby, who will start the year in the AHL is important. The goaltending situation is one to watch, especially once Woll returns.
The Maple Leafs open the season against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7:00. After that, they play a home-and-home against the Detroit Red Wings. Buckle up, Leafs Nation, hockey is back.
