Unbelievably, it’s been 24 years since a day that changed the world forever.
Understandably so, we kicked off the latest edition of Leafs Morning Take by discussing September 11th, 2001, and the magnitude of that dark, dark day. We broke down where we were when it happened, something that will surely stick with us for the rest of our lives.
After that, we got into some Leafs talk. Rookie camp is officially underway, and on top of that, training camp is now just one week away from kicking off. Hockey’s back, baby!
So, the annual Prospects Showdown will take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal this weekend. Without question, all eyes will be on Easton Cowan. We outlined what we want to see from Toronto’s top prospect ahead of camp next week. Indisputably, the Leafs will give him a shot to crack the team, the rest will be up to the 20-year-old winger. In addition to Cowan, Ben Danford, Noah Chadwick, and Russian netminder Artur Akhtyamov will be a few other names to monitor. We’ll see if these guys can stand out. Without question, they can set the tone for big camp next week.
Then, Ryan Leslie, the Leafs’ new team host, dropped by the show to discuss his new gig. We broke down how it came to be, what it’s been liking reuniting with Brad Treliving – who he covered for years in Calgary – and what Ryan thinks of the team heading into the season. Most importantly, Leslie outlined his new role and what we can expect from it.
After that, we attempted to dive into Craig Berube’s mind. What will the lines look like to start the season? For what it’s worth, we both think Max Domi will get the first shot to play with Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews. Additionally, it wouldn’t surprise us to see newcomer Matias Maccelli get a look with John Tavares and William Nylander. It’s important not to put much stock in line configurations. As we’ve learned time and time again, they change rather frequently —not just in Toronto, but around the league, too. In short order, we’ll get an idea of what Berube and his coaching staff are thinking here.
Leafs Morning Take will return next Tuesday, September 16th at 11 AM ET. Talk then!
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