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Maple Leafs submit opening night roster, Easton Cowan left off team

Originally posted on TheLeafsnation | By Arun Srinivasan | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 5:47 PM ET

There are a few surprises, as the Toronto Maple Leafs submitted their opening day roster ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Easton Cowan was left off the team and will head to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Cowan was widely thought to have secured his spot on the team, but the calculus changed when Scott Laughton suffered a lower-body injury Thursday, rendering him week-to-week. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube asserted that Cowan was NHL-ready, following Saturday’s preseason loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

“We got decisions to make, but I think he showed us enough that he is ready. I mean, he’s got a motor on him. Like, he’s just constantly working and he’s got a high IQ. I like him a lot,” Berube said of Cowan via TSN’s Mark Masters, following Saturday’s game.

Toronto claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau and forward Sammy Blais off waivers on Monday. Primeau and Blais are both part of the team’s opening night roster. James Reimer was released from his professional tryout on Monday. Dennis Hildeby has been returned to the Marlies and doesn’t require waivers.

Anthony Stolarz will almost certainly start Wednesday’s opener against the Montreal Canadiens. Stolarz recently signed a four-year extension worth $3.75 million annually.

This amounted to some clever cap management from Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, as the team is currently $19,721 under the cap.

Here is the full roster:

Forwards: Sammy Blais, Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok, Dakota Joshua, Matthew Knies, Matias Maccelli Auston Matthews, Bobby McMann, William Nylander, Jacob Quillan, Nick Robertson, Nicolas Roy, John Tavares

Defence: Simon Benoit, Brandon Carlo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe, Philippe Myers, Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev

Goaltenders: Cayden Primeau, Anthony Stolarz