Maple Leafs unveil split-squad lineups against the Senators

The Toronto Maple Leafs have dropped their lineup for their last preseason split-squad game against the Ottawa Senators, with some pretty big changes.

Wednesday marks the final preseason split-squad game for the Maple Leafs, and they are putting out a strong lineup from their 'A' squad that will be playing in Toronto. Daniel Alfredsson is joining Jim Hiller behind the bench and he'll have his hands full with the current group:

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The Maple Leafs shifted their groupings considerably from their first tilt against Montreal, and this lineup looks very similar to one that we are likely going to see come the first game of the 2026-27 season.

The 'B' squad is mainly comprised of bottom-six and Toronto Marlies players, though there are some familiar faces like Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, Brendan Brisson and Steven Lorentz.

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Toronto brings in a new lineup after split-squad losses to the Canadiens

Sergei Bobrovsky and Artur Akhtyamov will tend the net for the Maple Leafs in Toronto as part of the 'A' squad, giving us a sneak peek at a potential duo that the team could employ down the line, especially if there's an issue with Anthony Stolarz.

Speaking of Stolarz, he will be the likely starter for the 'B' squad at least for a portion of the game, but he'll also have both Samuel Hlavaj and Ken Appleby backing him up, so look to see one or even both of them get some playing time.

It's a stark contrast though to what we saw last Saturday against Montreal. Easton Cowan, Nick Paul, Michael Pezzetta, and Colton Sissons are all new additions to the 'A' side, and the defensive side looks like the group you're going to see come season's open.

On the 'B' side however it becomes interesting. There are new names like Landon Sim, Miroslav Holinka, Blake Smith and Philippe Myers who are finding a spot as well.

This group is definitely the 'fringe' players, though there are mainstays like Lorentz, Blueger, and Duhaime. With little time to impress, the newcomers are going to need to prove their merit with less than a week until we start the regular season.

What to look out for in Toronto's split-squad games vs. Ottawa

Well the main story is how the offensive firepower of the 'A' squad will respond after a dismal showing against Montreal. Auston Matthews and Gavin McKenna need to set the tone, and there needs to be signs of Morgan Rielly being the player of old.

Also be on the lookout for the power-play, which will have a lot of help with Daniel Alfredsson behind the bench helping Hiller dictate things. Toronto had several chances against Montreal but only capitalized on one, and they need to be better.

For the 'B' squad, keep an eye on Tinus Luc Koblar after his rough showing in Group 'A' demoted him. There are discussions about him getting a spot with the Marlies this season, however another silent game will likely push him to Sweden for another season of preparation.

And finally, much like the Montreal game, expect some fireworks from both sides as the Battle of Ontario gets kicked off early, especially with the return of Zack MacEwen; adding another layer to the heated rivalry.

Toronto's preseason games will be available to watch on Sportsnet One ('A' Squad) and TSN4 ('B' Squad) with both games slated to start at 7pm ET.

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