4 takeaways from Maple Leafs-Senators preseason opener

Easton Cowan and Ben Danford held off scoresheet, but the little details matter

Easton Cowan and Ben Danford headlined Toronto’s roster entering Sunday’s contest and did well against a real NHL roster. Cowan and Danford were both held off the scoresheet, but they can continue to build off momentum generated from the 4-3 victory. Cowan was initially placed on a line alongside Nick Robertson and David Kampf, and was hunting for offence. During the first period, Cowan irritated Senators veteran David Perron with a check along the boards, and Perron was lucky to avoid a penalty for retaliating.

Cowan was looking to get behind the Senators’ defence, but he didn’t cheat the game. During the first week of camp, Cowan was glued to a line featuring Dakota Joshua, but the veteran winger wasn’t included in Sunday’s lineup. We’ll definitely want to get another look at Cowan, who has impressed the incumbent Maple Leafs throughout training camp.

“He looks bigger, he looks stronger,” Matthews said of Cowan following Friday’s practice. “He’s always had confidence in his ability and who he is, to me it just looks like an evolved version of him. It’s been good to see.”

Danford made his preseason debut, after missing training camp last year due to a concussion. He constantly made smart plays, tying up Drake Batherson at the side of the net early in the first period. And though he’s known for his defensive acumen, Danford will need to improve his offensive profile before he makes a real impact at the professional level.

Exiting the penalty box, Danford sprung free for a breakaway but he missed the net. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means but he played to his strengths and looked to create chances within the flow of the game.

“I thought Ben Danford played a good, solid hockey game,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said post-game. “It is not a flashy game by any means, but it is just about the first pass, defending well, and playing a hard game. He was pretty much mistake-free. It was impressive.”

Nick Robertson could be in line for training camp MVP once again

Nick Robertson scored both goals in Saturday’s scrimmage and followed up with a stellar game Sunday, where he was Toronto’s best player in the winning effort. Robertson took a feed from David Kampf in the first period and ripped the puck past Linus Ullmark to extend the lead.

Robertson drew praise from Craig Berube during Wednesday’s press conference and for the umpteenth time, he’s fighting for a place in the lineup, but he can clearly score in September, and another strong camp could cement his spot on opening night. You’ve probably heard some version of this before, but then again, Toronto signed Robertson to a one-year deal worth $1.825 million, which could both serve as an opportunity for himself to establish himself as a lineup regular once and for all, or re-establish some trade value down the line. Throughout the week, Robertson has been on a mission.

“He is a worker, right? And he can shoot the puck in the net,” Berube said post-game. “That is what he did tonight. Nick worked extremely hard. He shot pucks. That is what he does. He played his game tonight. He was highly competitive.”

Calle Jarnkrok is off to great start as he prepares for resurgent year

Calle Jarnkrok spent the majority of last year recovering from groin and sports hernia surgery, and when he returned to the lineup, he wasn’t nearly as effective as he’d been in previous years for the Maple Leafs. Jarnkrok has been shooting with real velocity and pop in his shot during the opening week of training camp and he set the tone by scoring on the first shot of the game Sunday.

There will be a number of players vying for a spot on Toronto’s fourth line but when he’s at his best, Jarnkrok can be deployed throughout the lineup, with some secondary scoring touch and defensive acumen. It may be too early to place lofty expectations on Jarnkrok, but if he can return back to his Mr. Consistency form of two years ago, it will go a long away for the Maple Leafs.

Artur Akhtyamov submits quiet, stellar start for Maple Leafs

Toronto’s goaltending rotation is set, but Artur Akhtyamov proved why he’s rising through the organization and will get plenty of looks at the AHL level this season. Akhtyamov made two point-blank saves early in the first period, and was stellar through his 30 minutes. Here’s another look at his larcenous save on Claude Giroux.

There are no plans for Akhtyamov to unseat the incumbents, but another stellar year at the AHL level could see him push for an NHL spot in 2026-2027. Toronto’s goaltending rotation has rarely been deeper, and they have another potential NHL goaltender rapidly improving in the system.