It’s never too early to be thinking about hockey as the Toronto Maple Leafs released its preseason schedule for the 2025-26 season.
Toronto will start the preseason with a home-and-home against the Ottawa Senators, travelling to the Canadian Tire Centre on September 21 for its preseason opener, before squaring off against the provincial rival at home on September 23.
Following a renewed Battle of Ontario, the Maple Leafs will take on the Montreal Canadiens in another home-and-home series, heading to the Bell Centre on September 25, before returning to Scotiabank Arena on September 27 for a home date.
Toronto will conclude the preseason with yet another home-and-home series against the Detroit Red Wings on October 2, concluding the preseason on the road on October 4.
Countdown to preseason
Sign up for presale accesshttps://t.co/X52NQoZQb0 pic.twitter.com/z3OxoBdniY
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 25, 2025
The six preseason games will provide Maple Leafs fans with their first chance to take a look at what’s promised to be a new roster, as several key players are heading to free agency. It’s also a chance to see top prospects Easton Cowan, Ben Danford and Artur Akhtyamov make thei cases for roster spots, providing a window into an uncertain future for the Maple Leafs.
Toronto posted a 4-2-0 record during the 2024-25 preseason, winning the latter four contests. Nick Robertson and Dennis Hildeby were among the preseason standouts, Philippe Myers, Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz earned their roster spots, while the Maple Leafs continued to implement the principles of Craig Berube’s pragmatic, north-south approach. It will be compelling to see which players take a step during this year’s preseason and make a case for further playing time, as the Maple Leafs return seven defencemen under NHL contract, while Auston Matthews and William Nylander are now responsible for carrying the bulk of the offence.
Which of these games are you looking most forward to? The 2024-25 season may have just concluded, but we can’t wait for the puck to drop once again.
Tune in for The Sheet Draft Special, streaming live on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel on Friday, June 27th at 7 PM EST. Hosted by Jeff Marek, this live special will cover all the action from the 2025 Draft, including expert analysis of top prospects, team-by-team breakdowns, and real-time reactions to every pick. Whether you’re tracking your team’s future stars or just love the drama of draft night, this is your go-to destination for all things Draft.
It’s safe to say that Day 2 of the this year’s entry draft has been much more eventful for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were forced to sit on the sidelines through Round 1. And with their first of their two fifth-round picks on Saturday, they grabbed William Belle, an 18-year-old forward from the United States National Team Development Program.
Belle had 16 points with the USNTDP this past season, including 10 points in 28 games in the USHL. Speaking to media via Zoom after he was drafted, Belle shared how excited he is to get a chance of donning the blue and white sweater.
“I didn’t really watch the draft, I felt that it would stress me out too much, and then my phone started blowing up,” Belle said. “When I heard it was the Maple Leafs, I was pumped. Great organization, can’t wait to get started, and I just thank them for this opportunity.”
At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, the young winger describes his style of play in simple terms, but teased the physicality he can bring.
“My game it’s simple, it’s north, south, fast 200-foot hockey. Forechecking, backchecking, playing physical,” Belle said. “A player right now that I play a lot like would be Miles Wood, but somebody I think I could turn into would be a Tom Wilson type of player.”
As the Leafs continue to work on becoming a tougher team to play, they’ve been looking to bring in more guys who contribute just that. The Tom Wilson comparison in particular will stand out to fans in Toronto who’ve wanted see that kind of edge from their team every spring, and Belle is confident he can bring it in the future.
“Just the power forward hockey that he can play, the simplicity of it,” Belle said, expanding on the Wilson comparison. “Just the physicality and that edge he has to him, the meanness. I feel like I can bring that.”
A later pick in the draft, it’s likely a few years before we see Belle play his way to a major role on this team, especially on a Cup-chasing roster. Nevertheless, it’s clear he’s excited, energetic, and hungry to bring the boom to Toronto as soon as he can.
Get ready for wall-to-wall coverage of one of the biggest days in the calendar — the Daily Faceoff Live Free Agency Special goes live on July 1st at 11 AM EST. Host Tyler Yaremchuk is joined by Carter Hutton, Matthew Barnaby, Jeff Marek, Hart Levine, Colby Cohen, Jonny Lazarus, and insiders from across the Network for three hours of in-depth analysis, live reactions, and real-time updates on every major signing and trade. From blockbuster deals to under-the-radar moves, we’re breaking it all down as it happens. Don’t miss a minute — catch the full special live on DailyFaceoff.com and Daily Faceoff’s YouTube.
Matthew Knies and John Tavares clearly have loyalty in their DNA, and it’s a quality that significantly brightens both the short and long-term outlook for the Toronto Maple Leafs, upon signing new extensions before July 1.
Knies reportedly signed a six-year extension worth $7.75 million, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report. This constitutes a massive win for both Knies and the Maple Leafs, as general manager Brad Treliving is off to a tremendous start during a summer that promised seismic change. Knies is a modern power forward that is just 22 years old and he ascended into a breakout star during the 2024-25 season, playing on both special teams units, where his size and ability to easily box out defenders near the net-front helped the Maple Leafs’ five-forward power play find its optimal rhythm after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. He’s becoming a more reliable penalty killer as well, and you can envision him turning into a lockdown player that can finally get the new, promising and uncertain vision of the Maple Leafs over the wall.
This piece from November encapsulates Knies’ ability to drive the net, win in transition and how he benefits from the gravity effect that Matthews commands, at least when he’s shooting in all-world form. And it’s clear that the next wave of the Maple Leafs may be built in Knies’ visage. Treliving and Maple Leafs scouting director Mark Leach both emphasized that size, tenacity and physicality were core elements they were looking for during the 2025 NHL Draft, and you have to figure these qualities will inform their strategies when evaluating players who fit the team’s short and long-term prognosis. In many respects, Knies provides different qualities than any other star forward during the Maple Leafs’ core era, and after signing a team-friendly deal while playing a relentless, unfazed style of game, he ought to receive a standing ovation during the home opener this fall.
After spending two full seasons stapled to Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on Toronto’s first line, Knies emerged as arguably the team’s second-best forward during the playoffs, he’s the bridge between the team’s uncertain future and the current, hyper-localized contention window. He’s now a future pillar of the Maple Leafs, a building block the franchise can look to after Matthews and William Nylander begin to age out of their primes, and his contract ought to age very well as the salary cap is set to rise expeditiously.
Tavares signed a four-year deal worth $4.38 million per year and now it’s just a matter of selecting which moment they’re going to use for his statue on Legends Row. When Tavares inked his original seven-year, $11-million deal with the Maple Leafs on Canada Day 2018, it was the catalyst for the Core Four era in earnest. There’s been almost a hagiographic attempt to frame the deal as a team-friendly contract, but Tavares exercised his right as the best free agent of the 2018 class to come home, and became arguably the most important free agent signing the Maple Leafs landed in the 21st century, spurning the New York Islanders among other suitors.
This time around, Tavares could’ve easily taken more money elsewhere, but it was clear from the outset of the season that he had no intention of leaving home. He graciously passed the captaincy over to Matthews after five seasons, and after recording 38 goals and 74 points last season, he could’ve commanded up to $8 million per year on the open market. It’s possible this may be Tavares’ final contract of his carer and in the short-term, he’s still a very useful No. 2 centre, with a potential idea looming that he could be the best No. 3 centre in the league (depending on how you look at the rising stardom of Florida’s Anton Lundell) which would be a role that certainly benefits the Leafs’ long-term outlook as well. Tavares’ game has always been predicated on his innate scoring touch and ability to dominate in the slot since he was a prodigy, while his hockey intelligence and faceoff abilities remain elite, so it stands to reason that his game ought to age well during his mid-to-late 30s.
And to be clear, we’re not trying to be anti-labour here! Players should exercise their rights to command as much money as possible, but it’s also a refrain that Leafs fans certainly don’t want to hear after former general manager Kyle Dubas and departed president Brendan Shanahan fenced the team into several inflexible positions. Tavares perhaps knows this all too well and he’s arguably embodied the historical ethos of what it means to be a Maple Leaf more than any player on the team during the last decade.
Knies is now paid handsomely, with his term expiring just as he’s set to entire his prime. You don’t necessarily envision an 102-point season six years down the line, but you can see Knies graduating firmly into an 85-point player with physicality, increased defensive awareness, a willingness to bully smaller defenders while getting to high-danger areas with skill: I often think of a play where Knies didn’t score, where he pulled the puck between-the-legs and almost dangled Igor Shesterkin for a goal-of-the-year candidate before Braden Schneider stopped him at the last gasp on October 19.
The aggregate sum of Knies and Tavares’ average annual values now amount to $12.13 million per year, which may be less than what Marner commands on the open market. This isn’t meant to artificially drum up another pre-free agency referendum on Marner’s character, only to suggest that the Leafs have $13.57 million in cap space to operate with ahead of July 1, via David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. It’s been reported that if the Maple Leafs execute a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, while Nicolas Roy and Nicolas Hague could be the return package. It’s not the return many envisioned if Marner were dealt last summer, but Roy is a cost-effective third-line centre with above-average defensive metrics, while Hague is a towering 26-year-old defenceman that perfectly fits Treliving, Leach and head coach Craig Berube’s vision.
We’re not suggesting that you should start planning the parade, but the Maple Leafs’ short and long-term outlook are brighter than it appeared a week ago. Knies and Tavares have loyalty in their DNA, and that may be as strong as an internal provocation for this revamped Leafs team heading into July and beyond.
Get ready for wall-to-wall coverage of one of the biggest days in the calendar — the Daily Faceoff Live Free Agency Special goes live on July 1st at 11 AM EST. Host Tyler Yaremchuk is joined by Carter Hutton, Matthew Barnaby, Jeff Marek, Hart Levine, Colby Cohen, Jonny Lazarus, and insiders from across the Network for three hours of in-depth analysis, live reactions, and real-time updates on every major signing and trade. From blockbuster deals to under-the-radar moves, we’re breaking it all down as it happens. Don’t miss a minute — catch the full special live on DailyFaceoff.com and Daily Faceoff’s YouTube.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have lost one hometown kid on Monday in Mitch Marner, but another fan favourite local is here to stay.
Steven Lorentz signed a three-year extension with the Maple Leafs, carrying an average annual value (AAV) of $1.35 million. After signing the extension, Lorentz spoke to media. Lorentz acknowledged the possibility that he could have hit the market, but said ultimately his desire was to stay with his hometown team.
“In my heart, I knew I wanted to come back,” Lorentz said. “Talking to [Treliving] and all the guys in management, we made it work. Tomorrow was definitely a possibility, but in my heart of hearts, I knew I wanted to stay and I’m just so proud we were able to get it done.”
Lorentz originally signed with the Leafs on a one-year, $775,000 contract in September of last year. At the time he said that he left money on the table in order to join his childhood team. Now he’s got a slight raise, but still comes in as a low-cost depth piece for Toronto, saying his priority was the term not the amount.
“Honestly, that’s what I wanted more than anything, the longevity,” Lorentz said. “I would love to play my whole career here in Toronto.”
With his contract locked in for a few years, the 29-year-old can now focus on his game and the team heading into next season. And despite some major roster changes, Lorentz denied that this team will be fundamentally different from the Craig Berube-led tough group he played with last year.
“We’ve got a great group of guys there still,” Lorentz said. “No matter the moves you make, I think the DNA hasn’t changed, you know, with our coaching staff up to management. We still have that goal that we want to be the hardest-working team, we want to be the best team, we want to be the team that comes out on top.”
Already back in Waterloo working out and training on the ice, Lorentz has a busy summer ahead of him. But before too much focus shifts to next season, he has one major event on the calendar first.
“I’m getting married at the end of July,” Lorentz shared. “That’s kind of the next step for me, that’s a big thing I’m looking forward to. After that, it’s time to put the pedal down.”
Get ready for wall-to-wall coverage of one of the biggest days in the calendar — the Daily Faceoff Live Free Agency Special goes live on July 1st at 11 AM EST. Host Tyler Yaremchuk is joined by Carter Hutton, Matthew Barnaby, Jeff Marek, Hart Levine, Colby Cohen, Jonny Lazarus, and insiders from across the Network for three hours of in-depth analysis, live reactions, and real-time updates on every major signing and trade. From blockbuster deals to under-the-radar moves, we’re breaking it all down as it happens. Don’t miss a minute — catch the full special live on DailyFaceoff.com and Daily Faceoff’s YouTube.
