The Las Vegas bookmakers are apparently big fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. After signing John Tavares on July 1, Bovada made the Leafs one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup to 7/1. Last month, when they set a betting line for the favorites to win the Hart Trophy, they had centers Auston Matthews and Tavares ranked third at 10/1 for winning the NHL’s Most Valuable Player award.
On Tuesday, the sports betting site Bodog lowered Toronto’s odds slightly to 13/2, just ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning (15/2), Winnipeg Jets(19/2) and a group of three that includes the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals, the Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights and the Nashville Predators (11/1).
The Leafs went through a full scrimmage on Tuesday in preparation for the opening of training camp, with most players in attendance. Veteran Rich Clune took the place of the absent William Nylander on a line with Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau, John Tavares skated with Mitch Marner and Zach Hyman, and new addition Igor Ozhiganov skated alongside Travis Dermott
The club will hold medicals on Thursday and GM Kyle Dubas and head coach Mike Babcock will speak to the media at Mastercard Centre before they head down the QEW to Niagara Falls, ON for three days of on-ice work at Gale Centre Arena.
Full practices and scrimmages will be held from 9:30am to 1pm on Friday, September 14 thru Sunday, September 16. The Leafs are expected to release their training camp roster on Wednesday or early Thursday.
Unlike the division rival Boston Bruins, who have invited four players (Marcel Noebels, Mark Fayne, Daniel Winnik and Lee Stempniak) on professional tryouts, the Leafs have not revealed if they will add anyone on a PTO.
If Dubas does invite a veteran to the camp roster, it will likely be a center to take part in the battle for a spot on the fourth line (between Frederik Gauthier, Josh Jooris and Par Lindholm) or for a spot on the bottom pairing or as a reserve.
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