The Maple Leafs held a practice at Ford Performance Centre on Monday.
—
The Leafs capped training camp with a team-bonding trip to the Blue Jays playoff game on Sunday afternoon.
“It was unreal,” said centre John Tavares. “It was an unbelievable atmosphere.”
Leafs players were among the 44,764 fans that saw the Jays beat the New York Yankees 13-7 to seize a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.
Watching first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a grand slam and rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage strikeout 11 batters got Tavares excited about the start of the Leafs season and the possibilities that lie ahead.
“Some of those moments, they give you goosebumps,” the 35-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. said. “Just that reminder [about] that feeling of getting that opportunity again, and the long journey to get back to the playoffs and, you know, try to build something special.”
Max Domi flashed back to when he accompanied his dad, former Leafs enforcer Tie Domi, onto the field before a Jays game.
“I used to go to the Jays games when it was 15 bucks for a ticket,” the Leafs forward said with a grin. “You’d go there and they weren’t doing so hot, so it was pretty easy to get a seat. Now, I mean, just being there yesterday, looking around, seeing a sold-out SkyDome, it’s pretty amazing.”
Wednesday night the Leafs will open their regular season against the Montreal Canadiens in front of a sold-out Scotiabank Arena. Did watching the Jays get Domi extra amped?
“Yeah, for sure,” the 30-year-old said. “Wouldn’t it for you? Yeah, 100 per cent.”
Cheering on a fellow Toronto team helped the Leafs build chemistry at the end of a grueling training camp. Tavares noted that these moments are rare when the team is at home and players have their own families and personal commitments to attend to.
“Whether you’re younger or you’re older, a lot of experience, not much experience, just a great way to come together and to enjoy the city and enjoy how much Torontonians love their teams,” Tavares said.
Although not everyone made it out to the ballpark.
“Well, I had tickets, but I gave them to the kids to go because I’m a good dad,” said head coach Craig Berube with a chuckle. “I stayed on the couch and watched it. But, yeah, Go Jays! They’re looking great, and it was a great game to watch. I was glad all our guys went. It’s always good for them. Yeah, we’re all proud of the Jays and cheering for them.”
‘Gives you goosebumps: Team-bonding trip to Jays game inspires Leafs The Blue Jays have electrified the Toronto fan base with their first two impressive ALDS wins against the Yankees and the Maple Leafs were able to soak in the experience in Game 2 first-hand. The players spoke about the unreal atmosphere they witnessed during the team-bonding outing. Head coach Craig Berube made the ultimate sacrifice as a father.
—
Easton Cowan received a message on Sunday morning inviting him to the Jays game with the Leafs group.
“It was fun,” the 20-year-old winger said. “Great experience. Got really loud when Vladdy hit the grand slam, so definitely cool. It was a fun day for sure.”
Cowan fit in well on a line with Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz for most of training camp. But after Laughton sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday’s penultimate pre-season game, Berube’s approach to his forward group changed. And Cowan, who skated as the 13th forward at Monday’s practice, did not crack the opening-day roster the Leafs submitted to the NHL.
Cowan, who produced two assists in five pre-season games, earned praise from Berube throughout training camp. After Saturday’s final pre-season game, the coach said that Cowan had showed he is ready for the NHL level.
“I’ve never felt that good as an all-around player,” Cowan said on Monday before the roster decision was made.
The Leafs claimed left winger Sammy Blais, who played for Berube in St. Louis when the Blues won the Stanley Cup, off waivers from the Canadiens on Monday. That move bumped Cowan further down the depth chart.
Cowan, the Leafs 2023 first round pick, is now destined to start the season with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League.
Blais, who stands 6-foot-2, 206 pounds, did not play in the NHL last season, but helped the Abbotsford Canucks win the Calder Cup.
The Talking Point: Is Cowan ready to make an impact for the Leafs? Easton Cowan has drawn some rave reviews out of camp so far from head coach Craig Berube but is the young forward ready to make an impact for the Leafs? TSN Hockey analyst Frankie Corrado shares his thoughts.
—
Is there any update on the status of goalie Joseph Woll?
“Well, there is,” Berube said. “You know, that’s all personal stuff and private, but it’s not like we’re not in contact with him.”
Woll has been on a personal leave from the team since Sept. 23 and there is no timeline for his return.
In a bid to shore up the team’s goaltending depth, general manager Brad Treliving claimed 26-year-old Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. Primeau posted a 2-3-1 record with an .836 save percentage last season with the Canadiens.
After skating with the Marlies on Monday morning, James Reimer was released from his professional tryout in the afternoon. He allowed four goals on 28 shots while logging just over 30 minutes of action in Saturday’s pre-season loss in Detroit. The 37-year-old had been hoping to earn a contract to play in the city where he started his NHL career.
James Reimer is being released from his PTO with the Leafs. He wants to see if other opportunities surface.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 6, 2025
Dennis Hildeby, who led the Leafs with a .920 save percentage in three pre-season appearances, will join Cowan in the AHL. The 24-year-old Swede possesses plenty of potential, but has only played in six NHL games.
Leafs Ice Chips: Primeau claimed as crease gets more crowded The goaltending situation in Toronto is getting more crowded after the Leafs claimed Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Hurricanes on Monday, as Joseph Woll remains away from the team for personal reasons. TSN’s Mark Masters has more.
—
The Leafs tried William Nylander at centre last season, but Berube quickly aborted that experiment and opted to move Domi to the middle.
With Laughton sidelined, Domi is now moving back to centre.
“I’m comfortable with it,” said Berube, who likes how the position accentuates Domi’s speed and playmaking. “He’s comfortable with it, and he’s been there a lot for us.”
Domi’s emergence as a centre option in the NHL is surprising when you consider he never really played the position during his junior days. It was during Domi’s third season with the Arizona Coyotes that coach Rick Tocchet decided to give him a look down the middle with the Pittsburgh Penguins in town.
“I’d played wing for the last, like, four years in junior and then first two and a half years or two years in AZ in the NHL, and all of a sudden, [Sidney] Crosby’s coming in, and I show up to morning skate and he goes, ‘Hey, you ever play centre?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, when I was, like, 14’. He goes, ‘Alright. Just curious.’ And then I showed up for the game and he goes, ‘Yeah, you’re going to play centre tonight.’ I remember taking a faceoff against Sid and I actually got a picture of it on my phone.”
Domi recalls winning that first faceoff against Crosby, his childhood idol, before getting cleaned out the rest of the game by the Penguins captain.
“And from there, I played a handful of games that year in the middle of the ice, and then sort of training camp in Montreal [in 2018] was in the middle of the ice,” Domi said.
Domi skated between Nick Robertson and Dakota Joshua at Monday’s practice. Domi and Robertson played 350 minutes together at 5-on-5 last season, while Joshua is a newcomer to the team this year.
“He’s a sick athlete,” Domi said of the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Joshua. “He moves so well out there.”
Domi compares Joshua to 20-goal scorer Bobby McMann, who is lining up on the second line beside Tavares and Nylander.
“Very north-south,” Domi noted. “Gets a lot of pucks on net, beats a lot of guys with wide speed and unbelievable on the forecheck. Can make those little plays too, but definitely a shooter that can create a lot of turnovers. So, a guy that I’d love to play with for sure.”
Back at centre with Leafs, Domi recalls surprising first assignment against Crosby Max Domi centred a line with Nick Robertson and Dakota Joshua during Monday’s practice but it’s not the first time he has made the move from winger to centre, or vice versa. Domi called it a privilege to be entrusted with that role and shared his memories about the first time playing the position in the NHL, against non other than Sidney Crosby.
—
Lines at Monday’s practice:
Knies – Matthews – Maccelli
McMann – Tavares – Nylander
Joshua – Domi – Robertson
Lorentz – Roy – Jarnkrok
Cowan
McCabe – Tanev
Rielly – Carlo
Ekman-Larsson – Benoit
Thrun – Myers
Stolarz
Hildeby
Jacob Quillan, 23, was also included in the Leafs opening-day roster submission. The Quinnipiac University product made his NHL debut last season getting into one game with the Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs today announced their opening day roster submission.
Forwards
Sammy Blais
Max Domi
Calle Järnkrok
Dakota Joshua
Matthew Knies
Steven Lorentz
Matias Maccelli
Auston Matthews
Bobby McMann
William Nylander
Jacob Quillan
Nicholas Robertson
Nicolas Roy
John…
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 6, 2025