The Maple Leafs held a practice at Ford Performance Centre on Monday.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
The Leafs capped training camp with a team-bonding trip to the Blue Jays playoff game on Sunday afternoon. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was unreal,\u201d said centre John Tavares<\/a>. \u201cIt was an unbelievable atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n \u201cSome of those moments, they give you goosebumps,\u201d the 35-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. said. \u201cJust 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Max Domi<\/a> flashed back<\/a> to when he accompanied his dad, former Leafs enforcer Tie Domi<\/a>, onto the field before a Jays game. <\/p>\n \u201cI used to go to the Jays games when it was 15 bucks for a ticket,\u201d the Leafs forward said with a grin. \u201cYou\u2019d go there and they weren\u2019t 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\u2019s pretty amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Wednesday night the Leafs will open their regular season against the Montreal Canadiens<\/a> in front of a sold-out Scotiabank Arena. Did watching the Jays get Domi extra amped? <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, for sure,\u201d the 30-year-old said. \u201cWouldn\u2019t it for you? Yeah, 100 per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n \u201cWhether you\u2019re younger or you\u2019re 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,\u201d Tavares said.<\/p>\n Although not everyone made it out to the ballpark. <\/p>\n \u201cWell, I had tickets, but I gave them to the kids to go because I\u2019m a good dad,\u201d said head coach Craig Berube<\/a> with a chuckle. \u201cI stayed on the couch and watched it. But, yeah, Go Jays! They\u2019re looking great, and it was a great game to watch. I was glad all our guys went. It\u2019s always good for them. Yeah, we\u2019re all proud of the Jays and cheering for them.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘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. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Easton Cowan<\/a> received a message on Sunday morning inviting him to the Jays game with the Leafs group. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was fun,\u201d the 20-year-old winger said. \u201cGreat experience. Got really loud when Vladdy hit the grand slam, so definitely cool. It was a fun day for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Cowan fit in well on a line with Scott Laughton<\/a> and Steven Lorentz<\/a> for most of training camp. But after Laughton sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday\u2019s penultimate pre-season game, Berube\u2019s approach to his forward group changed. And Cowan, who skated as the 13th forward at Monday\u2019s practice, did not crack the opening-day roster the Leafs submitted to the NHL. <\/p>\n Cowan, who produced two assists in five pre-season games, earned praise from Berube throughout training camp. After Saturday\u2019s final pre-season game, the coach said that Cowan had showed he is ready for the NHL level<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never felt that good as an all-around player,\u201d Cowan said on Monday before the roster decision was made. <\/p>\n The Leafs claimed left winger Sammy Blais<\/a>, 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. <\/p>\n Cowan, the Leafs 2023 first round pick, is now destined to start the season with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League. <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Is there any update on the status of goalie Joseph Woll<\/a>? <\/p>\n \u201cWell, there is,\u201d Berube said. \u201cYou know, that\u2019s all personal stuff and private, but it\u2019s not like we\u2019re not in contact with him.\u201d<\/p>\n Woll has been on a personal leave from the team since Sept. 23 and there is no timeline for his return. <\/p>\n In a bid to shore up the team\u2019s goaltending depth, general manager Brad Treliving claimed 26-year-old Cayden Primeau<\/a> off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> on Monday. Primeau posted a 2-3-1 record with an .836 save percentage last season with the Canadiens. <\/p>\n After skating with the Marlies on Monday morning, James Reimer<\/a> 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\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n James Reimer is being released from his PTO with the Leafs. He wants to see if other opportunities surface.<\/p>\n \u2014 Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Dennis Hildeby<\/a>, 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. <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n The Leafs tried William Nylander<\/a> at centre last season, but Berube quickly aborted that experiment and opted to move Domi to the middle. <\/p>\n With Laughton sidelined, Domi is now moving back to centre. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m comfortable with it,\u201d said Berube, who likes how the position accentuates Domi\u2019s speed and playmaking. \u201cHe\u2019s comfortable with it, and he\u2019s been there a lot for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Domi\u2019s 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\u2019s third season with the Arizona Coyotes<\/a> that coach Rick Tocchet<\/a> decided to give him a look down the middle with the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> in town. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d 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\u2019s coming in, and I show up to morning skate and he goes, \u2018Hey, you ever play centre?\u2019 I\u2019m like, \u2018Yeah, when I was, like, 14\u2019. He goes, \u2018Alright. Just curious.\u2019 And then I showed up for the game and he goes, \u2018Yeah, you\u2019re going to play centre tonight.\u2019 I remember taking a faceoff against Sid and I actually got a picture of it on my phone.\u201d<\/p>\n Domi recalls winning that first faceoff against Crosby, his childhood idol, before getting cleaned out the rest of the game by the Penguins captain. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd 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,\u201d Domi said.<\/p>\n Domi skated between Nick Robertson and Dakota Joshua<\/a> at Monday\u2019s practice. Domi and Robertson played 350 minutes together at 5-on-5 last season, while Joshua is a newcomer to the team this year. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a sick athlete,\u201d Domi said of the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Joshua. \u201cHe moves so well out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Domi compares Joshua to 20-goal scorer Bobby McMann<\/a>, who is lining up on the second line beside Tavares and Nylander. <\/p>\n \u201cVery north-south,\u201d Domi noted. \u201cGets 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\u2019d love to play with for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Lines at Monday\u2019s practice: <\/p>\n Knies – Matthews – Maccelli<\/p>\n McMann – Tavares – Nylander<\/p>\n Joshua – Domi – Robertson<\/p>\n Lorentz – Roy – Jarnkrok<\/p>\n Cowan<\/p>\n McCabe – Tanev<\/p>\n Rielly – Carlo<\/p>\n Ekman-Larsson – Benoit<\/p>\n Thrun – Myers<\/p>\n Stolarz <\/p>\n Hildeby <\/p>\n Jacob Quillan<\/a>, 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. <\/p>\n The Toronto Maple Leafs today announced their opening day roster submission.\u00a0 \u2014 Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n
\u00a0
Forwards
Sammy Blais
Max Domi
Calle J\u00e4rnkrok
Dakota Joshua
Matthew Knies
Steven Lorentz
Matias Maccelli
Auston Matthews
Bobby McMann
William Nylander
Jacob Quillan
Nicholas Robertson
Nicolas Roy
John\u2026<\/p>\n