5 Maple Leafs who need to seize their opportunity during training camp

The Toronto Maple Leafs head into the 2025-26 season with loads of depth throughout their lineup. While Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll are set as the team’s goaltending tandem, the same can’t be said for the rest of their roster, as there’s going to be a ton of internal competition for Craig Berube and the coaching staff to decipher through.

Expect to see Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews attached at the hip this season, and the same can likely be said for John Tavares and William Nylander, along with Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Here’s five Maple Leafs who need to seize their opportunity throughout training camp:

Max Domi

Good bye Mitch Marner, hello Max Domi? The veteran forward has a massive opportunity in front of him to win a spot on the Maple Leafs’ top line and prove to Berube and the coaching staff that he can be trusted in a first-line role. Domi’s shown he’s one of the best facilitators in the league when he’s on, and he’s proven to have chemistry with Matthews on the ice, which is also backed by their strong friendship off of it.

Domi’s likely to compete for the first line right-wing slot, or the Leafs’ third-line centre role, and it’s quite obvious where he’d rather be coming puck drop opening night. He needs to find the back of the net in the preseason, and see one go in, something he couldn’t say for the beginning of last regular season. Domi got off to an awful start in 2024-25, and he’ll have to do whatever he can to not have history repeat itself this year, as it could cost him a ton of ice time with Matthews.

Domi’s at his best when he’s playing with an edge, and if he’s riding shotgun to the Maple Leafs’ captain, don’t be surprised if he jumps in and drops the gloves when needed. Domi will also have to worry about his attention to details when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick, and showcase to Berube that he’s capable of playing a full 200-foot game, because that’s going to be the one thing that the Maple Leafs’ coach is paying extra attention to. Marner was one of the Leafs best defensive forwards, and while Domi’s game is built different, he’ll need to ensure to limit the neutral-zone turnovers, and get back to help Toronto’s defence on the rush. With three years left on his contract, now is the time for Domi in Toronto, and he has a massive opportunity in front of him to play alongside the team’s best player for the foreseeable future.

Nick Robertson

Doesn’t it feel like the same ol’ story every training camp for Nick Robertson? The shifty winger signed a one-year deal this summer, and looks to take advantage of his opportunity at training camp, assuming he’s going to get a look among the Maple Leafs’ middle six.

Robertson is coming off a career high 15-goal season in 69 games, and while he had flashes of brilliance throughout the regular season, mostly with Domi and Bobby McMann, Robertson dressed in just three Stanley Cup Playoff games, and chipped in with two points. It was a bit of a love/hate relationship with Berube, but give Robertson credit because he put in serious effort to shape his game to be more defensive sound, and more physical. The 23-year-0ld landed a career high 79 hits last season and had more of a bulldog mentality, which he’ll need to have on full display at training camp to grab Berube’s attention.

If Robertson doesn’t win a spot among the Maple Leafs middle six at training camp, there’s a very good chance the team facilitates a trade, and gives him a chance to play more with another franchise. The best case scenario, however, is Robertson lights up the preseason, much like he did last year, and finds a way to carve himself out a role among Toronto’s second or third line.

Matias Maccelli

The Maple Leafs have a ton of competition on the wing, and one of the reasons is because of an offseason trade that brought in Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth. He’s only two years removed from a career best 57-point season, and at 24 years old, there’s still plenty of untapped potential in his game, which is one of the many reasons Brad Treliving acquired him.

Maccelli has a golden opportunity to showcase his facilitation abilities and secure a spot for himself within the Maple Leafs’ top six, and with his experience playing both sides of the wing, the lineup is his oyster considering both top lines have spots he could occupy.

At 5-foot-11 and not necessarily the most aggressive physically, it’s going to be important for Maccelli to showcase to Berube that he’s willing to take the body when needed, and pay close attention to his game without the puck. Berube will see early and often the offensive IQ and abilities passing the puck, but the Maple Leafs’ head coach will be more focused on what Maccelli’s doing without the puck. It’s going to take a strong camp and preseason for Maccelli to win a role among the Leafs’ top six, considering there’s plenty of options to play with Knies, Matthews, Tavares and Nylander, but there’s no denying he has a golden opportunity in front of him to not only win a spot, but also land a long-term contract extension with the Maple Leafs.

Dakota Joshua

Joshua and Berube know each other from their days in St. Louis, and the 6-foot-3 forward was brought into the Maple Leafs to help change the DNA, now it’s on him to make an impression at camp. Joshua has a great chance to push David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok down the Leafs’ depth chart and out of Toronto entirely, so we’ll have to wait and see how things play out over the course of the next few weeks.

Joshua’s a big body, he’s very physical, and he’s shown in the past he can chip in with secondary scoring, potting 18 goals in 63 games just two years ago. With three years left on his deal at $3.2 million AAV, there’s no doubt the Maple Leafs want to see Joshua flourish at training camp and solidify himself a role among the team’s bottom six for the foreseeable future.

Berube is going to be keeping an eye on if Joshua can simplify his game and win over the dirty areas of the ice, along the walls and in front of the net. Joshua needs to make is life easy throughout training camp and the preseason, and find the back of the net the easy way by parking himself in front of the crease.

Another element of his game that allows him to beat out the Robertson’s and Cowan’s of the world is his size, and more specifically, his physicality. Joshua landed 193 hits last season, and 244 the year before, and with the team wanting a different look and feel to their lineup in 2025-26, it’s the perfect recipe for him to flourish.

Easton Cowan

Lastly, Easton Cowan rounds out the list for Maple Leafs who need to seize the moment. The Leafs’ top prospect didn’t have a strong camp last year, but then went out to absolutely dominate every facet of junior hockey. Heading into this year, Cowan’s stronger and smarter, and feels even more ready for the moment.

“My mindset right now is to make the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Cowan said Sep.6. “That’s my goal. We’re at an NHL camp and that’s where I’m at until further notice. This is definitely the most confident I’ve ever felt — faster, stronger, bigger. So that’s going to help me out a lot. I’ve put in the work this summer. Now, it’s just go out there and prove I can play.”

There’s no shortage of depth wingers on this Maple Leafs roster, so it will be on Cowan to win Berube over with the little things. Limit the turnovers, be physical when it calls for it, and showcase a work ethic that is going to help put opposing team’s bluelines on their heels.

Cowan has all the offensive tools to be a successful NHLer, but like more high-end prospects, it’s going to come down to his play without the puck that determines when the clock starts on his career. Ideally, Cowan has a strong training camp and preseason and forces Treliving to make a trade to open up a spot in Toronto’s lineup.

There’s a spot alongside Tavares and Nylander that Cowan should have his eye on, as that would be a dream scenario for the former first-round pick to solidify himself as a top-six winger in Toronto immediately. It’s hard to say if Berube and Treliving would consider keeping Cowan on the Leafs if it’s a fourth-line role, so let’s hope for everyone’s case, he wins himself a spot on the team’s second line for the season opener.