We have less than 20 days until the Toronto Maple Leafs start training camp, and now it is officially hockey season. The Maple Leafs had a fascinating offseason with the signings of Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Ryan Reaves, which brings an element to the team that Leafs Nation hasn’t seen in a long time. Those signings come with some very interesting positional battles that put pressure on the players involved to be the best version of themselves to ensure that they get the desired spot. So let’s take a look at two of the most notable positional battles ahead of the Maple Leafs preseason.
Martin Jones vs. Joseph Woll
When the Maple Leafs signed Martin Jones to a one-year contract worth $875,000, it left a lot of fans wondering what that would mean for their youngster, Joseph Woll. After his performance during the 2023 NHL playoffs, he came into the series down and gave the Maple Leafs a chance to come back down. But ultimately, it was cut short in game five when the Florida Panthers scored in overtime to send the Maple Leafs home. This left fans wondering if he would be a mainstay in the crease this season, but that could not be the case. Jones, as mentioned, inked a one-year deal, which could be used as insurance; however, he also could force Woll to start the year in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Last season, Jones helped lead the Seattle Kraken to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a great season. In 48 games, he had 27 wins, 13 losses, and 3 overtime losses. His 27 wins are the same amount that Ilya Samsonov had last season. If he can play at the same level as last year, it can make the Maple Leafs stronger in the crease. Nevertheless, Woll is NHL-ready and needs to continue his development as a backup before he inevitably takes over as the starter down the road. This is where the positional battle will become interesting. If Woll wins the job, the Maple Leafs will most likely need to waive Jones due to the team’s cap situation.
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This is the same as Woll. He now requires waivers in the 2023–24 season, meaning if Jones wins the backup role and the team can’t find a way to keep Woll on the NHL roster, he will need to clear them to be sent down to the AHL. Due to this, there is a very low chance that it will happen. Whoever the team picks, it needs to be very well thought out due to the waiver implications.
Max Domi vs. Matthew Knies
This positional battle could depend on another roster player, captain John Tavares. Last season, head coach Sheldon Keefe tried Tavares on the wing when the Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. When the Maple Leafs signed Max Domi, it gave the club the same option. Although Domi isn’t as good of a center as O’Reilly is, he can still play down the middle, which can allow Keefe to play Tavares on the wing. As for Matthew Knies, he enters his rookie season for the Maple Leafs and can have a big impact on the lineup. He showed in the playoffs last season that he could compete at the NHL level and play a power forward-type game, complimenting both Mitch Marner and the aforementioned Tavares. This positional battle is the best one because no matter where either of these guys plays, their impact will be felt enormously.
This battle could also be influenced by Domi’s experience playing with Marner back in their junior days with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The Maple Leafs could capitalize on that familiarity and start the preseason and potentially the regular season with Domi-Tavares-Marner as the team’s second line. This would also allow Knies the opportunity to lead his line, most likely alongside David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok, to see if he can drive a line. In terms of play styles, both of these players fit on the second line. Knies’ strength appears to be around the net, where he can set up his linemates or keep the pressure on.
Domi’s role on that line would be similar to that of Michael Bunting last season. He will contribute offensively but will be used as the physical presence who goes into the corners and the dirty areas to keep the play going. It wouldn’t be shocking if Keefe used both of these line combinations to see which was better in terms of production, scoring chances, and defensive and offensive zone play. This could be the first year of Keefe’s tenure that he has to make a tough decision out of camp when it comes to the second line.
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There are going to be other positional battles during training camp. Players like Bobby McMann, Nick Aburzesse, and Alex Steeves could push for a spot on the fourth line. There are also some minor battles on the backend to determine who plays alongside Morgan Reilly. However, the battles between Jones and Woll as well as Domi and Knies are by far the most notable ones that all members of Leafs Nation will be keeping an eye on throughout training camp.
