‘Sloppy’ Maple Leafs have issues to fix before opening night

TORONTO — The good news is, itâ€s only exhibition. Nothing matters but health.

The bad news is, in their first and only real dress rehearsal for opening night, the 2025-26 Toronto Maple Leafs left several issues to clean up before their debut.

“Lots, obviously,†Morgan Rielly said Thursday, following a 3-1 defeat at Scotiabank Arena to the Detroit Red Wings. “If you look at our game tonight, I thought it was just sloppy.

“We turned it over too many times, and they were able to come through with speed and control. So, thereâ€s lots of areas to work on.â€

The scoreboard was gentle to the home team. So was the scheduling of the Yankees–Red Sox rubber match, which distracted Toronto sports fans still in the throes of baseball fever.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz — who mixed a couple 10-bellers into his 40-save performance and played the puck with confidence — was easily the Leafs†best player on the night. But youâ€d be hard-pressed to name the second-best man in blue.

Decision-making and quickness with the puck were lacking. Careless penalties were committed. And odd-man rushes were surrendered.

Torontoâ€s only goal, by Auston Matthews, came on a quick power-play strike. Even-strength offence was a slog and yielded nothing.

In dropping all three exhibition games in this building, the Leafs have often looked slow, sometimes scrambly, and generally uninspired.

Again, none of this matters. Yet.

What does the goalie think is missing?

“The intensity,†Stolarz said. “We just got to get pucks in. I know theyâ€re pre-season games, and youâ€ve got the feeling-out process, but we’ve got less than a week here until opening night. Chief has the bar set pretty high for us, and weâ€re falling just short of that right now.â€

If the coaches†aim was to solidify four lines that click over the course of camp, well, the experimenting will surely continue through October — probably beyond.

“Itâ€s still a work in progress, to be honest with you, but there were guys tonight working on lines and doing good things. But it wasn’t the whole line,†coach Craig Berube said. “You’ve got to have three guys on the same page working and doing the right things.â€

Berube liked Bobby McMannâ€s net-driving Thursday, and a strong first period by his new-look top unit of Matthews, Matthew Knies, and Max Domi. Last week saw an impressive road show in Montreal by his fourth line of Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Easton Cowan.

Generally, though, the top nine will wrap camp seeking chemistry and consistency. Cowanâ€s spot is far from secure. Add the lingering absence of 1B goaltender Jospeh Woll and a third pair toying with a flip (more on that below), and the Leafs will raise the curtain Wednesday with question marks.

“We still have time to work stuff out,†Rielly reminded, “so I donâ€t think thereâ€s any reason to be too worried about it.â€

Benoitâ€s off-side experiment begins

Eager to generate more offence from the back end, the Maple Leafs are circling Oliver Ekman-Larsson as a candidate capable of producing more.

A five-time 40-point blue-liner, the veteran Swede posted four goals and 29 points last season, his first in Toronto, while spending a chunk of time patrolling his unnatural right side.

The coachâ€s bet: Flipping Ekman-Larsson to the left and putting partner Simon Benoit on the unnatural side could unlock a few more gOELs.

“OEL has got some good offensive abilities, right?†Berube said. 

“Itâ€s more so in the offensive zone, where itâ€s a little tougher for a D to get the puck off the wall and things like that to create more offence. So, thatâ€s really the only thing we’re looking at. If it doesnâ€t work, itâ€s an easy switch.â€

If it doesnâ€t work, Ekman-Larsson could flip to the right. Or Berube could insert righty Philippe Myers on the third pair.

If it does work, itâ€ll be because lefty Benoit adapts smoothly to life on his backhand.

“Our game is simple. O is a great puck mover, so my job is to get him the puck,†Benoit said. “Retrieving those pucks, being physical, getting those pucks to him, so he can create some offence.â€

Right-side Benoit made his pre-season debut Thursday as he was set back in camp due to an upper-body injury.

“Itâ€s tough playing your off side,†Rielly said. “I thought he did a good job, and Oâ€s very good at it, too. Itâ€s just about handling passes and turning, trying to get your eyes up ice. Itâ€s a little bit uncomfortable at first, but I think heâ€ll be fine.â€

At the clubâ€s bonding adventure in Muskoka this week, Max Domi and Scott Laughton coaxed the lone rookie, Cowan, into some karaoke.

The farm kid they call “Cowboy†prefers him some Morgan Wallen, but the lads pushed Cowan to belt out “Shallow,†by Lady Gaga.

“He should just stick to hockey,†Berube quipped. “I gotta give him credit for getting up there, though. If they asked me, I wouldâ€ve said no.â€

“Definitely wonâ€t be singing again,†Cowan says. “Wasnâ€t too good at the high notes.â€

One-Timers: The Leafs†two-night trip up north featured two rounds of golf, the second being a Ryder Cup–style tournament in which the Canadians took on the Americans and Europeans. The result? A hard-fought tie. “Shouldâ€ve done overtime,†smiles Quebecker Nicolas Roy… Knies: “Stolie has the best chipping ability Iâ€ve ever seen, but canâ€t drive a ball to save his life.â€â€¦ The Leafs will honour soon-to-retire play-by-play man Joe Bowen during their Dec. 16 home game against Chicago, the same opponent that Bowen made his broadcast debut for the team in 1982. Says Bowen: “I am very much looking forward to this final season and hoping that maybe, just maybe, this is the one!â€â€¦ The Maple Leafs remain the NHLâ€s most valuable team at $4.25 billion, according to Sportico, and the league average is up to $2.1 billion. Thatâ€s a 108 per cent jump over the past three years.

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