Craig Berube Teases Maple Leafs Decision for Season Opener

Per Fox, attending Toronto's practices at camp, the Maple Leafs will use the following lines for their season opener in early October:

• 1st-Line Forwards: Knies - Matthews - Domi
• 2nd-Line Forwards: McMann - Tavares - Nylander
• 3rd-Line Forwards: Joshua - Roy - Maccelli
• 4th-Line Forwards: Lorentz - Laughton - Cowan
• 1st Defensive Pairing: McCabe - Tanev
• 2nd Defensive Pairing: Carlo - Rielly
• 3rd Defensive Pairing: OEL - Benoit (if cleared)
• Goalie: Stolarz

The most notable inclusion is 19-year-old forward Easton Cowan. The rookie skated on the fourth line with veterans Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz, positioning him ahead of more experienced forwards such as David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok, and Nicholas Robertson.

For Cowan, who has yet to appear in an NHL game after joining the Leafs organization as the No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 draft, it'd mark the culmination of a strong camp where he seized one of the last available forward spots.

Elsewhere in the lineup, Max Domi was used alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies after recovering from a minor injury. Matias Maccelli slotted next to Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy, while Bobby McMann joined John Tavares and William Nylander.

In goal, Anthony Stolarz returned to full practice after a weekend scare against Montreal, practicing as the starter. Dennis Hildeby backed him up, while veteran James Reimer, who recently signed a PTO, was absent.

With only two preseason games remaining, Berube’s moves leave little mystery. As Fox noted, the “best bet” is that Toronto ends up lining up as they do in their dress rehearsal on Thursday before resting all presumptive starters in the preseason finale.