Maple Leafs training camp, Day 1: Top-6 opportunities, young defenders put to test and Auston Matthews' status... - The Athletic

We’ll start today with a reminder: Take everything that goes on early in training camp with a grain of salt.

Some of what you’ll see is meaningful. Much of it, less so.

With that in mind, here’s what stuck out from the Maple Leafs’ first day on the ice at camp:

Ritchie and Bunting will get first cracks in the top six

This was about what we expected, with Nick Ritchie joining Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews-stand-in Adam Brooks while Michael Bunting hooks up on a prospective second line with John Tavares. (Note: Wayne Simmonds was absent for personal reasons on Thursday.)

Notable forward combos

It’s conceivable that at some point this season, maybe even at camp, the two trade places. But for now, it’s Ritchie who gets the first crack at the spot left open by Zach Hyman and Bunting who nabs an opportunity in the hole left by Alex Galchenyuk.

There’s no better forward job to land on the Leafs than the one next to Matthews and Marner. That player gets an opportunity to cook in the offensive zone alongside maybe the best shooter alive and one of the 10-20 best passers going.

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2021-09-24 01:20:07Z
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