See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source The burning Maple Leafs question has an answer. At the team’s first on-ice session to kick off training camp on Thursday, Gavin McKenna was on the left wing on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander.

At the Ford Performance Centre, captain Auston Matthews was flanked by his regular left winger, Matthew Knies, and former U.S. national development teammate Jack Roslovic.

At some point, we figure, McKenna will make his way to the top line with Matthews. His skills and creativity should mesh well with Matthews’ ability to put the puck in the net.

It’s not a mystery why McKenna was picked first overall by the Leafs in June. It’s on Roslovic, too, to prove that he is worthy of being a No. 1 winger in the National Hockey League.

Regarding the McKenna question, new coach Jim Hiller on Wednesday stressed that he was not just picking numbers out of a hat when he and his staff were putting lines together. “We always know it’s a team and he’s going to be an important part of the team,” Hiller said.

“You’d be surprised at how much goes into a decision on where a player starts, a player of (McKenna’s) stature starts. “We’re just going to try to be wise.

We’re not setting any ceiling on him at all. We’re going to let him dictate where he falls.” With a short camp, including just two pre-season games in which the players can get accustomed to each other, Hiller immediately had his Leafs roster together in one group.

The other lines featured Nick Paul between Easton Cowan and Colton Sissons, while Teddy Blueger centred the fourth line with Brandon Duhaime and Dakota Joshua on his wings. Steven Lorentz was the 13th forward.

How does the defence corps look? On defence, the veteran pair of Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev, not surprisingly, has been reunited.

SIMMONS: Why coach Jim Hiller is the Maple Leafs' biggest question as training camp opens Why Gavin McKenna is set for the spotlight as his Maple Leafs career starts Newcomer Darren Raddysh has Oliver Ekman-Larsson to his left, while fellow new Leaf Emil Andrae was paired with Ben Danford. A fourth pair featured Troy Stecher and Nick Blankenburg, who is in camp on a professional tryout.

The camp debut of Morgan Rielly has been delayed as the veteran defenceman battles a viral issue. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, meanwhile, was sporting a white mask as he awaits, presumably, the delivery of new Leafs-themed head gear.

More to come

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