Leafs vs. Canadiens live: Toronto falls in home opener despite two goals from Nylander; Habs fans chant at Scotiabank Arena

“We want to have the puck,” said Matthews. “He (Hiller) has put a lot of the emphasis on skating and the freedom to make plays, utilize our skill. When you see something, try to make the play.

“If you make a mistake or turn the puck over, just get back on defence, work hard, skate.”

The message seems simple enough, but it means the Leafs will play a different version of hockey from last season’s plodding dump-and-chase brand.

“We’ve got lots of speed on this team and you want to utilize that,” said Matthews. “Play smart as well. Have structure. But don’t be afraid to make those plays.”

It doesn’t mean they won’t play defence.

“There’s a commitment to play without the puck that everybody has to make,” said Hiller. “It doesn’t matter what your talent level is. But when you have the puck and you have that type of elite offence, we’re going to give them some freedom and creativity to use those skills.

“So I hope we strike a balance. I hope we’re hard to play against without the puck. But I hope when we have it, we see some of that dynamism.”

Here’s a closer look at the 2026-27 Maple Leafs:

Vitals: 29 years old, six-foot-three, 215 pounds.

Contract: Third season of a four-year extension. Cap hit: $13.25 million (U.S.). Full no-movement clause.

Last year: Injuries limited him to 60 games and a career-low 27 goals, though he was healthy enough to captain Team USA to gold at the Winter Olympics. His 3.89 blocked shots per 60 minutes was 15th among forwards, the other 14 of whom aren’t in the same galaxy in terms of star power.

Storylines: How will his overall health hold up? Can he be the Matthews of his MVP seasons? Will Hiller give him more offensive zone starts than the previous regime?

X-factor: It’s a make-or-break year for Matthews.

Vitals: 30 years old, six feet, 200 pounds.

Contract: Third season of an eight-year, $92-million deal. Cap hit: $11.5 million. Full no-movement clause.

Last year: Injuries kept him to 65 games, and dropped him to 30 goals, his lowest total since scoring 17 times in 51 games in a COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

Storylines: How will he get on with the new coaching staff after an up-and-down relationship with Berube? Sits eighth in all-time points as a Leaf (691) and should easily pass Frank Mahovlich (713) and Mitch Marner (741).

X-factor: He marches to the beat of his own drum.

Vitals: 36 years old, six-foot-one, 217 pounds.

Contract: Second season of a four-year deal worth $17.56 million. Cap hit: $4.39 million. Full no-movement clause this year. Limited no-trade (five-team list) for final two years of deal.

Last year: No complaints about his ability to produce, with another 30-plus goal, 70-plus point season. The minuses (-28) piled up.

Storylines: His fitness regimen is legendary. Will he hold up again at his age? Will he convert to left wing? Has taken Gavin McKenna into his home.

Vitals: 32 years old, six-foot-one, 200 pounds.

Contract: First year of a two-year deal. Cap hit: $4.25 million.

Last year: The long-time Nashville Predator earned a trip to the Stanley Cup final last year, his only season in Vegas. His speed bursts put him in the top 16 per cent of skaters in the league.

Storylines: A defence-first right winger (can play centre) who promises to lead the penalty kill. He’s not here to score.

X-factor: Plays simple and straightforward.

Vitals: 29 years old, six-foot-one, 198 pounds.

Contract: First year of a two-year deal. Cap hit: $4 million.

Last year: With the Oilers, got to the 20-goal mark (21) for the second year in a row and for the third time in a 10-year career.

Storylines: Passing and speed are his strengths, and he should play with Matthews until Gavin McKenna is ready. He and Matthews were teammates at the U.S. National Development program. He was among the top 25 per cent of players in terms of speed, as measured by NHL Edge stats.

X-factor: Seems to be getting better with age.

Vitals: 26 years old, six-foot-three, 201 pounds.

Contract: Third season of a three-year deal that pays him $3.85 million a year. Would have become a restricted free agent on July 1 without an extension.

Last year: Had 27 goals in 76 games, down a touch from his career-high 31 the season prior.

Storylines: Was unable to come to terms with Columbus on the contract extension he was able to get from the Leafs (six years, $75 million with $12.5 million AAV). Traded for Matthew Knies, a very popular player among fans. His hardest shot (142.75 km/h) is in the top 25 per cent of the league. His maximum skating speed (37.6 km/h) has him in the top 10 per cent.

X-factor: Speed and skill.

Vitals: 31 years old, five-foot-10, 208 pounds.

Contract: Third season of a four-year, $15-million deal with a cap hit of $3.75 million. Has a 13-team no-trade list.

Last year: Managed 12 goals — up from eight — following a directive to shoot more. Took far too many penalties.

Storylines: A season-opening back injury could be his demise. He’s out indefinitely due to complications from off-season surgery.

X-factor: He bleeds blue and white.

Vitals: 30 years old, six-foot-three, 218 pounds.

Contract: Third season of a four-year, $13-million deal. Cap hit: $3.25 million. A 12-team no-trade clause.

Last year: Ten goals in 55 games in another injury-filled season. Never did get quite comfortable in a role.

Storylines: One of the few bottom-six survivors on a team with a lot of turnover. But a lingering injury could hamper his start to the season.

X-factor: A power forward with soft hands.

Vitals: 31 years old, six-foot-four, 234 pounds.

Contract: Fifth season of a seven-year, $20.5-million deal. Cap hit: $3.15 million. Has a 16-team no-trade list.

Last year: Hit close to career lows in goals (seven), assists (eight) and games played (55). But he led Tampa with a 53 per cent success rate in the faceoff circle.

Storylines: Made a career of killing the Leafs (in Ottawa and Tampa). Coming to his hometown team. Wants to show last season was an aberration.

X-factor: Size matters down the middle.

Vitals: 29 years old, six-foot-two, 209 pounds.

Contract: First season of a three-year, $7.8-million deal. Cap hit: $2.6 million. A full no-trade clause this season, a 10-team no-trade list for the final two years of the deal.

Last year: Four goals, five assists in 82 games in Washington. Hit a max skating speed of 37.5 km/h, putting him in the 92nd percentile in the league.

Storylines: Part of the reinvented bottom-six. Takes lots of penalties, but draws plenty too.

X-factor: A meat-and-potatoes player with speed.

Vitals: 32 years old, six feet, 185 pounds.

Contract: First season of a two-year, $5-million deal. Cap hit: $2.5 million.

Last year: Nine goals, eight assists in 35 games in Vancouver. Had a leg injury and a fractured jaw.

Storylines: Reunited on the fourth line (possibly) with ex-Canuck Dakota Joshua.

X-factor: Has the grit the Leafs lacked from depth centres.

Vitals: 18 years old, five-foot-11, 170 pounds.

Contract: First season of a three-year, $3.23-million entry-level deal. Cap hit: $1.075 million. Does not require waivers.

Last year: Had 15 goals, 36 assists in 35 games at Penn State.

Storylines: The kid from Whitehorse has a chance to become Mr. Maple Leaf. Will have to watch his shins playing ministicks with John Tavares’ kids.

X-factor: Can he be a left-handed Mitch Marner?

Vitals: 21 years old, six feet, 190 pounds.

Contract: Second season of three-year, $2.67-million entry-level deal. Cap hit: $900,000. Does not require waivers.

Last year: Won the Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies after putting up 11 goals, 18 assists in 66 games as a rookie with the Leafs.

Storylines: That’s two championships in two consecutive years. Should be a third-line regular.

X-factor: The second coming of Darcy Tucker?

Vitals: 31 years old, six-foot-two, 209 pounds.

Contract: In the fourth year of a six-year, $15-million contract with an AAV of $2.5 million.

Last year: Had a hot start but got hobbled by a leg injury that limited him to eight goals in 54 games.

Storylines: The Buffalo native is a classic hard-checking bottom-six forward.

X-factor: Likes to crash and bang.

Vitals: 26 years old, six-foot-two, 204 pounds.

Contract: Second year of a two-year $1.625-million contract with a cap hit of $812,500. Requires waivers.

Last year: Three goals, two assists in a 13-game end-of-season call-up stint, looking like he belonged. Key part of the Marlies’ Calder Cup success.

Storylines: Injuries held back the centre’s progression as a young forward in both Anaheim and New York. Feels like he’s in a make-or-break season. Having his Marlies coach, John Gruden, now as a Leafs assistant could help.

X-factor: Responsible defensively.

Vitals: 30 years old, six-foot-four, 226 pounds.

Contract: First season of a two-year, $1.75-million deal. Cap hit: $875,000.

Last year: Got just three games last year thanks to multiple injuries with knee surgery ending his season early.

Storylines: A physical bottom-six forward now on his sixth team in nine years.

Vitals: 30 years old, six-foot-one, 202 pounds.

Contract: First year of an eight-year, $68-million deal. Cap hit: $8.5 million. Full no-movement clause for the first six years. Reduces to 16-team no-trade list for final two seasons.

Last year: Broke out with a 22-goal season from the blue line, largely filling in for oft-injured Tampa captain Victor Hedman. His shot was among the hardest in the league, maxing out at 161.14 km/h. 

Storylines: Another returning to his hometown team. Leafs need more than just offence from Raddysh to help its beleaguered blue line.

Vitals: 33 years old, six-foot-one, 219 pounds.

Contract: Fifth season of an eight-year, $60-million deal. Cap hit: $7.5 million. Full no-movement clause this year and next. Reduces to a 10-team no-trade list for the final two seasons.

Last year: With 11 goals, 25 assists Rielly was kind of, well, meh. Still, second on the team in time on ice (21:08) and tied for second in blocked shots (114).

Storylines: The longest-serving Leaf survived the trade chatter. Seventh on the franchise list in games played (951, 30 behind Mats Sundin), second in points by a defenceman (541). Darren Raddysh’s arrival removes the No. 1 defenceman title from his bio.

X-factor: He can still move the puck.

Vitals: 32 years old, six-foot-one, 210 pounds.

Contract: Second season of a five-year, $22.57-million deal. Cap hit: $4.51 million. No-trade clause this year. Partial no-trade clause kicks in to start 2027-28 season.

Last year: Led the league with 190 blocked shots. Led the team in averaging 22:24 minutes a game and was among the league leaders in averaging 2:48 a game short-handed.

Storylines: He took heat, but gives it his all. Reuniting with a healthy Chris Tanev should help.

X-factor: Plays hard-nosed hockey.

Vitals: 36 years old, six-foot-two, 200 pounds.

Contract: Third season of a six-year, $27-million deal. Cap hit: $4.5 million. Full no-movement clause.

Last year: Two assists in 11 games due to multiple injuries.

Storylines: A fan favourite for his self-sacrificial play. Starting to feel like he’s one injury away from having his career ended.

X-factor: His selflessness.

Vitals: 35 years old, six-foot-two, 190 pounds.

Contract: Third season of a four-year, $14-million deal. Cap hit: $3.5 million with 16-team no-trade list.

Last year: Eight goals and 31 assists. An all-rounder in terms of defence and offence.

Storylines: At times, he was Toronto’s most reliable blueliner. Made Sweden’s Olympic team. Survived the trade deadline last year. Can he do it again?

X-factor: Impacts the game in big and small ways.

Vitals: 32 years old, five-foot-10, 185 pounds.

Contract: First season of a two-year, $2.7-million deal. Cap hit: $1.35 million.

Last year: Three goals, 11 assists in 58 games in Toronto. His arrival via waivers helped spark some brief upward mobility in the standings.

Storylines: On his eighth team, the journeyman is happy to have found a home.

X-factor: Plays every game as if it could be his last. Because it really could be.

Vitals: 28 years old, five-foot-nine, 177 pounds. 

Last year: Traded to Colorado from Nashville at the trade deadline.

Storylines: An undersized defenceman with leadership ability.

X-factor: A darling of the analytics world.

Vitals: 38 years old, six-foot-two, 183 pounds.

Contract: First season of a three-year, $21-million deal. Cap hit: $7 million. Full no-movement clause.

Last year: A porous season with a 3.07 GAA and .877 save percentage, well off his career averages (2.61, .912).

Storylines: Two-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Vezina winner, entering his 17th season.

X-factor: Out to prove Florida wrong for letting him go.

Vitals: 32 years old, six-foot-six, 243 pounds.

Contract: First season of a four-year, $15-million extension. Cap hit: $3.75 million.

Last year: Like Bobrovsky, a big drop in GAA (3.28) and save percentage (.893) compared to career averages. Got injured again.

Storylines: He’s back to being Bobrovsky’s backup after failing to prove himself as a bona fide No. 1 in Toronto.

X-factor: That chip on his shoulder.

Vitals: 24 years old, six-foot-two, 176 pounds.

Contract: First season of a three-year, $2.7-million deal. Cap hit: $900,000.

Last year: Finally cracked the NHL, getting three games, but it was a remarkable Calder Cup run with the Marlies that showed he’s ready, making Dennis Hildeby redundant.

Storylines: Proved to be a popular teammate. Can he duplicate his success with the Marlies?

X-factor: He knows how to win.

Vitals: 32 years old, six-foot-three, 190 pounds.

Contract: Final year of a five-year deal that pays him $5.4 million a season. Can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Last year: Lost his starting job to Jet Greaves.

Storylines: Coming off shoulder surgery. Has not played in the pre-season. His sole playoff win came at the expense of the Leafs when Columbus beat Toronto in the five-game qualifying round in the summertime COVID bubble in 2020.

X-factor: Runs hot and cold.

Vitals: 24 years old, six feet, 205 pounds.

Contract: One-year, $850,000. A restricted free agent July 1.

Last year: A goal and two assists in 23 games, but a leader on the Marlies’ Calder Cup championship team.

Storylines: Seemed snakebit at the NHL level, sapping the forward of some confidence.

X-factor: Has to prove he belongs.

Vitals: 29 years old, six-foot-five, 221 pounds.

Contract: Final season of a two-year, $1.7-million deal. Cap hit: $850,000.

Last year: Two assists in 39 games.

Storylines: You’d love to see the defenceman figure it out, given his size. Loves to shoot the puck, but he really looked lost last season.

X-factor: Running out of chances.