Maple Leafs training camp notebook: Knies, Robertson headline bright future

TORONTO — We’re entering year eight of the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner era as the Toronto Maple Leafs conclude training camp, firmly focused on competing for an elusive Stanley Cup.

Here’s what you need to know from training camp, as the Maple Leafs prepare to host the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 11 at Scotiabank Arena to open their season.

William Nylander impresses at center, Nick Robertson is here to stay

William Nylander’s emergence at center was initially the top storyline at training camp, and he’s done everything to assure Sheldon Keefe that he's made the correct decision. Nylander has been stapled to Max Domi throughout training camp as his blistering speed and shot-creation have stood out through a series of exhibition games.

Nick Robertson has often been paired on this line as well, although the Maple Leafs have since reverted back to John Tavares centering a line with Nylander and Domi, while camp standout Fraser Minten gets a look with Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok.

Nylander led the team with five shots during Toronto’s preseason opener on Sept. 24 and has played selectively in games since, but he’s displayed that he’s more than capable of playing centre in a pinch if need be. He’s also been a mentor in practice during routine drills to some of the first-time entrants.

There’s been much consternation about whether Nylander could offset Domi and Robertson’s defensive liabilities, and that’s still a valid concern, but this group can generate chances with the best of them, while Domi and Jarnkrok — who missed most of camp with a neck injury — are also capable of slotting in at centre at a moment’s notice.

Robertson’s relentlessness also continues to stand out. Robertson is tied for the Leafs preseason lead with 11 shots at 5-on-5 (per Natural Stat Trick) and he plays at one speed: all-out aggression. Much has been made of Robertson’s short-term prospectus, but he’s earned one of the 13 forward spots at camp and it would be a shock if he’s not in the top-nine on opening night.

Jake McCabe is the safety valve

Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie are entrenched as the Maple Leafs’ top pairing, but Jake McCabe’s heightened responsibilities have been on display throughout camp. McCabe is a defensively sound player who excelled after joining the Maple Leafs in a deadline trade. Now, ahead of his first full season in Blue and White, he’ll have to act as a safety valve, whether he’s paired with Timothy Liljegren or John Klingberg.

It’s a perfect marriage of strengths and weaknesses when McCabe is paired with Klingberg, an offensive-minded defenseman who was the worst defender in the NHL last season. Klingberg in many ways is playing the Justin Holl role — though he’s a much better power play quarterback and has higher offensive upside to be sure — but McCabe will now have to be aware of his partner pinching well up the ice in search of instant offense. It’s a role he can manage and the Maple Leafs need.

Last season, Mark Giordano was the team’s safety valve and he helped facilitate some of the best stretches of Holl and Liljegren’s careers. This year, Giordano is being used more selectively with a particular goal in mind: keep him fresh enough so that the regular season version of the veteran shows come playoff time, which is easier said than done given the rigors of the regular season. Rielly is the headliner of the defense corps, but McCabe may be the most important player on the blueline this season.

Knies is ready for top-six minutes, Fraser Minten may get nine-game tryout

Matthew Knies may speak humbly about needing to earn his spot in training camp, but he should already be a fixture in the top-six. He's also constantly been paired with Tavares and Sam Lafferty throughout training camp, his probable linemates on opening night, which speaks to his performance so far. Knies continues to use his unique combination of speed and size throughout the preseason and he's put on a clinic alongside fellow rookie Minten, scoring in consecutive games against the Canadiens.

Knies has earned occasional penalty kill minutes as well and in many respects has been given the responsibilities of a trusted veteran — even if he’s still eligible for the Calder Trophy. He was one of Toronto’s best players during the postseason and has continued to show tenacity, scoring ability, and the ability to win puck battles. He also displays a strong propensity to use his frame to shield off defenders, further demonstrating his pro-ready style. Knies not only looks like a future leader for the Maple Leafs, he's also a major component in their win-now timeline.

One of the criticisms of Kyle Dubas’s regime is that he failed to stockpile the Maple Leafs’ prospect system with a spotty draft record, but he may garner some retroactive praise. For the first time in several years, Toronto boasts two bonafide stud prospects — three if you count Knies, given that he's already made his debut — in Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan.

To be clear, neither Minten nor Cowan were expected to crack the opening night roster. Cowan was the best player on the ice during a Sept. 25 loss to the Senators and Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe surprised reporters by assuring Cowan another week in camp post-game.

“Every minute that he was out there, he was making something happen,” Keefe said of Cowan on September 25. “I stopped talking myself out of it and started playing him more.”

Minten, meanwhile, may have earned himself a nine-game tryout before he's sent back to junior. The 19-year-old was invited by Keefe to the team’s off-ice retreat to Gravenhurst, ON, while Cowan hung back in Toronto, an indication that he may be part of the team’s A-group, so to speak.

"We were excited about him when we got him in the draft, but from what I have seen of his development from last year until now, it has been remarkable," Keefe said of Minten post-game Monday.

Minten’s goal was to make Canada’s World Juniors team this winter. Now, it seems more than possible that he’ll have greater ambitions ahead in the near future as the 38th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft could be getting an extended look in the NHL.

Noah Gregor is the favourite for the 13th forward spot

Minten’s ascendance may have erased some of the penciled lineups for opening night, but Gregor is an entirely different player and may have earned his own spot on the team’s fourth line alongside fixtures David Kampf and Ryan Reaves. Toronto is very high internally on Bobby McMann, but Gregor has seemingly raced past him for a bottom-six spot.

Gregor, much like Zach Aston-Reese a year ago, has made the most of his PTO, and his blazing speed stands out on every shift. He scored the opening goal Monday against the Canadiens from an opportunistic shot at the top of the circle.

It's also worth noting that Gregor isn't exactly a totally anonymous option; the 25-year-old played 178 NHL games with the Sharks before signing his PTO in Toronto. Gregor’s speed and opportunism bring a different element to the fourth line, and it’s now up to the Maple Leafs to decide whether signing him to a one-year deal in the ballpark of $850,000 is worth it, or if they prefer to promote McMann or slide the speedy Sam Lafferty down to the fourth line instead.