Mitch Marner’s departure from Toronto looms large as Auston Matthews speaks for the first time since the trade chatter intensified. Matthews praised Marner as a friend and teammate, stressing that the move is part of hockey’s business side, yet he remains optimistic about the Leafs’ chances. He highlighted the job for Toronto now—new teammates, a growing core, and Matthew Knies taking a meaningful step forward. Toronto’s leadership has shifted, but Matthews insists the focus is on staying grounded, pushing through training camp, and taking it one day at a time.

The sign-and-trade to Vegas, a blockbuster eight-year, $96 million deal for Marner, reshapes the Leafs’ offensive landscape and tests Toronto’s depth. Matthews remains confident in the new roster, while Knies, coming off a career-best 58-point season, has drawn praise from his captain and earned an Olympic orientation camp invite, signaling a brighter horizon for Leafs fans and fantasy managers.

Knies’ development is central to Toronto’s immediate future, with Matthews noting he’s still “coming into his own” and poised to grow with more responsibility. As camp approaches, the Leafs will lean on their leadership core, blend in new faces, and aim to recapture playoff momentum. In Vegas, Marner adds a dynamic forward to a deep Knights lineup, potentially elevating the VGK top-six and complicating fantasy projections across the rivalry.

Auston Matthews enters a pivotal season in Toronto, tasked with carrying more of the scoring load after Mitch Marner’s blockbuster move to Vegas signaled a new Leafs era. Nicolas Roy returns to the lineup, giving Toronto added depth as Matthews pursues Mats Sundin’s all‑time Leafs goal mark in a season that starts Oct. 8 against Montreal. The club leans on leadership and a refreshed supporting cast, with John Tavares and Max Domi among those stepping into mentorship and on-ice roles during a transitional year.

Toronto’s nine straight playoff appearances remain the backdrop, but the on-ice chemistry will be under a microscope as players adapt to a different top six and new line combos. Brampton’s charity game highlighted a culture of accountability and community, underscoring how this Leafs group blends veteran guidance with youthful opportunity as fantasy managers scan for breakout values in a season ripe with change.

In short, Matthews’ goal pace, the quiet addition of Roy, and the reshuffled depth chart could redefine who benefits in fantasy leagues, especially in multi-category formats where two-way play and PP1 time carry extra weight. The Oct. 8 opener against Montreal doubles as a test of how Toronto’s new pieces gel with its marquee captain.

Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger were named to USA Hockey’s Olympic Orientation Camp in Plymouth, Michigan (Aug. 26-27), joining 42 other invitees from 24 NHL teams as Team USA gears up for 2026 Milano Cortina. The two-day camp is administrative and team-building, with no on-ice sessions. The selection marks an early step toward finalizing the Olympic roster, which already included six players announced in June: Eichel, Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Hughes and McAvoy.

The U.S. sits atop the IIHF rankings and is chasing its first Olympic gold since 1980, after a 4 Nations final loss to Canada earlier in 2025 and a World Championship gold in May. A full invitee list was released by USA Hockey, underscoring the depth and ambition of this roster-building phase.

USA Hockey invited 44 NHL players to a two day orientation in Plymouth, Michigan on Aug 26 27 as an early peek at the 2026 Olympic roster. The event is mainly administrative and team building with no on ice work, and attendance does not guarantee a spot on the final 25 man team, which will be announced in early January ahead of the Games in February 2026.

Among those invited are 23 players who played in the 4 Nations Face Off, 12 world championship gold medalists, and a mix of current stars and former Olympians such as Patrick Kane, Ryan McDonagh, Brock Faber, Matthew Knies and Jake Sanderson. The roster snapshot spans goaltenders, defensemen and forwards including top names like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin, Jason Robertson, Kyle Connor, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk and Vincent Trocheck. Noteworthy caveats include Matthews potential pace and Kane’s possible role given evolving surgery considerations for Tkachuk. The final 25 roster is due in January, with Olympic hockey scheduled for 2026.

Brady Tkachuk’s praise of Auston Matthews runs beyond camaraderie, underscoring a decade-long respect that has grown through national-team leadership. Matthews, USA captain at 4 Nations, showed the professional, even-keeled craft Tkachuk admires—leadership by example, relentless work, and a radar that quietly powers offense. Their bond anchors a narrative that blends friendship with high-level competition and a clear sense of how Matthews drives a team even when injuries test him.

The two met again in the Battle of Ontario, where Matthews’ triumphant season pace (33 goals, 78 points in 67 games) and Tkachuk’s 55 points in 72 games framed a six-game playoff duel that ended with Toronto advancing. Across their six finals battles, they tied seven points apiece, with Tkachuk scoring four goals to Matthews’ two. The profile that emerges is Matthews as a durable, multi-faceted driver and Tkachuk as a relentless, complementary creator whose respect hints at continued high-level production for fantasy rosters.

For fantasy managers, Matthews remains a high-floor, high-ceiling anchor—the kind of captain who can buoy your team through slumps, while Tkachuk’s steady admiration suggests continued top-line relevance and opportunity. Their dynamic illustrates how leadership and chemistry can sharpen both players’ impact, not just in real games but in fantasy value as well.