See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source Gavin McKenna will lead a team of Maple Leafs rookies into battle this weekend. Taken first overall by Toronto in the 2026 National Hockey League draft, McKenna will wear the blue and white for the first time at the Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau, Que., where the Leafs will take part in the prospect challenge with the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets.
The Leafs will play Ottawa on Saturday at 6 p.m., followed by a game against Winnipeg on Sunday at 1 p.m. Toronto Marlies coach Steve Sullivan and his staff will oversee the team of Leafs hopefuls, which includes 15 forwards, eight defencemen and three goalies.
Joining McKenna are four other 2026 Leafs picks — goalie Patriks Plumins, defenceman Alexander Bilecki and forwards Brody Pepoy and Cooper Williams. Four 2025 draft picks, including forwards Tinus Luc Koblar, Tyler Hopkins and Harry Nansi and defenceman Rylan Fellinger are on the Leafs roster, as well as three 2024 selections — defenceman Ben Danford, forward Miroslav Holinka and goalie Timofei Obvintsev.
Defenceman Noah Chadwick, a Leafs pick in 2023, also will take part. Seven players signed to an NHL contract — defencemen Vinny Borgesi, Blake Smith and Hayes Hundley and forwards Luke Haymes, Brandon Buhr, Landon Sim and Borya Valis will take part.
They will be joined by forwards Sawyer Boulton and Ryan Kirwan, both signed to AHL contracts, as well as four free agents — goalie Sebastian Charvat, defenceman Matyas Man and forwards Parker Vaughan and Nic Whitehead. The group will practise at the Ford Performance Centre on Friday before heading east for the tournament.
The Marlies, meanwhile, will have two pre-season games, the American Hockey League announced on Thursday. On Sept.
26, the Marlies will meet Rochester in Buffalo, followed by a game on Sept. 27 in Hamilton against the Hammers.
Who are six players to watch this weekend? Gavin McKenna, F This one is rather obvious, eh?
Reports from the informal skates leading up to training camp indicate that the 18-year-old McKenna has looked sharp with his new Leafs teammates. Already, the Yukon native has been setting himself apart with his vision and playmaking.
The key for McKenna: Stay healthy this weekend and use the competition as a springboard once main camp starts next week. Ben Danford, D Danford shone last spring when he was inserted into the Marlies lineup during the playoffs.
He wound up playing in 16 games on the way to the Calder Cup championship and quietly was a defensive stalwart as the Marlies won their second title. Danford has helped put to rest the notion (which was true) that the Leafs don’t have much coming.
Harry Nansi, F After doubling his point total in his third full season with the Owen Sound Attack last season, Nansi, who turned 19 on Thursday, is expected to continue to break out in 2026-27. Once Nansi gets a handle on game-in, game-out consistency, he could be a force.
He had 56 points in 67 games last season after recording 23 in 67 in ’24-’25. Tinus Luc Koblar, F Before turning 19 this summer, Koblar shone for Norway at the world championship in May, recording nine points in 10 games to help the Norwegians win bronze.
A second-round pick by the Leafs in 2025, Koblar’s next steps will be to put his fine offensive skills to use with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League. HAVE YOUR SAY: What do you think of Maple Leafs off-season changes ahead of training camp?
SIMMONS: The bumpy road that brought Maple Leafs’ Darren Raddysh home Alexander Bilecki, D A solid, puck-moving defenceman, Bilecki brought plenty of confidence to the Leafs development camp in July after he was chosen 60th overall in the ’26 draft. Considering Bilecki helped the Kitchener Rangers win the Memorial Cup in May, the swagger was well-earned.
There’s some physical maturing that has to happen, but the Mississauga native already appears to be a keeper. Landon Sim, F A teammate of Easton Cowan on two Ontario Hockey League championship teams with the London Knights, Sim’s scrappy play won over Marlies fans in the playoffs.
He’s a long shot, but the Nova Scotia native is fun to watch. After spending some time in the ECHL last year, he should be Marlies regular this coming season.
tkoshan@postmedia.com X: @koshtorontosun
