NHL training camp has started, which means the season is just around the corner.
But before the players actually hit the ice, the biggest news items come from media availabilities. Brad Treliving, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and others spoke to the media yesterday, providing Leafs fans with some juicy information heading into 2024–25.
So let’s recap Toronto’s first day of training camp, and break down the biggest pieces of news we got yesterday.
Nylander at centre
It’s been rumoured William Nylander would get another shot at playing centre for a few weeks, and new head coach Craig Berube confirmed that idea on Wednesday.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this heading into camp, but this time seems different. Before, Sheldon Keefe would give Nylander about two days lining up in the middle before moving him back to John Tavares’ wing, but Berube is handling things differently.
And according to the head coach, Nylander will be playing with Max Domi on his wing.
The idea of Nylander at centre has been extremely attractive for a while now. A trio of centres featuring Auston Matthews, Nylander, and Tavares is top of the line, and allows the Leafs to roll three lines that can consistently score, something they haven’t been able to do in a long time.
As we all know, the Leafs have had zero production from their bottom six recently, and can’t score in the playoffs. Forming three lines, with three scoring centres, would (hopefully) solve those problems.
Domi is an interesting choice beside Nylander, especially because of the chemistry he seemed to build with Matthews at the end of last year. This likely means Marner will be paired back up with Matthews, where he’s played the best hockey of his career. Whether putting the duo back together is the most efficient way to build the lineup is still a question, but there’s no doubt they are electric together.
If Nylander sticks at centre, the forward group will look the best it has in the Auston Matthews era. There’s no point in not trying, and Berube knows it. Hopefully, he gives Nylander more than 15 minutes before switching him back.
No Marner contract talk
A shock to no one, Marner opened his availability by stating he won’t be talking about his contract status with the Leafs.
As he heads into the final year of his deal, all eyes are on the star winger. A contract extension isn’t expected anytime soon, but with the way Marner’s negotiations have gone before, Leaf Nation doesn’t have much patience for any negativity from his camp.
His agent, Darren Ferris, hinted that contract talks are ongoing, but the expectation is Marner will be asking for a lot of money, as he did last time.
Marner has used up just about all his goodwill in Toronto, and any more snobby comments to the media will light up the entire fanbase. But if he decides he wants to stay, and gives the Leafs even a tiny discount, he could earn all of it back.
It’ll also be interesting to see how (or if) this affects Marner. His standoffishness with the media suggests these negotiations do get to him, but he’s been a very consistent regular season player his whole career.
Maybe, he uses the contract year as motivation to put on a career best performance. Maybe, he lets the negativity get to him and shows it on the ice.
Whatever happens, we won’t be hearing about it. Both Marner and Treliving made that very clear, which is probably for the best.
Lots of injuries
Unfortunately for Toronto, there are a few guys who will be getting late starts to their seasons.
Connor Dewar is one of them, as he got shoulder surgery at the end of last season and won’t start camp with the team.
There’s no real timetable, but Treliving didn’t make it seem like he’d be out for too long. The Leafs have enough forward depth that they can allow Dewar time to fully heal and ease him back without much issue.
Another injured forward, Fraser Minten, will be out for weeks with a high-ankle sprain. It’s pretty crushing news for the 20-year-old, who would be battling for a spot with the big club if not for the injury.
Minten made the team out of camp last year before being sent back to the CHL, and looked great in the Prospect Showdown when he was on the ice.
Without a chance to make the NHL right out of training camp, Minten will now start the season with the Toronto Marlies.
On the back end, Ben Danford is battling through a concussion he suffered during rookie practice, but could be back soon. It sounds like he’ll get some training camp reps, just not at the very beginning.
Danford wasn’t going to make the team anyway, but concussions are scary, so hopefully he can recover quickly and put it behind him.
Lastly, Ryan Tverberg also underwent shoulder surgery, and could return shortly. Tverberg is a great story, becoming a Marlies staple and NHL hopeful after being taken in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Tavares wants to stay
Our last piece of news isn’t a surprise, either, but Tavares repeatedly said he wants to stay in Toronto long-term yesterday.
Locking the centre up for cheap would be fantastic for the Leafs, as he could command the 3C role for the next few seasons, with much less weight on his shoulders, while the next generation of forwards battle their way up to the NHL.
It’ll come down to price, of course, but Treliving should be trying to extend Tavares for say, $4M a year, as soon as he can. Tavares can still score, play responsibly in his own end, and is a great mentor for any young player coming up with the team.
