Maple Leafs Make Change With Middle-Six Forwards In Preparation For Golden Knights Clash In Vegas

October 8, 2026

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered their first road trip of the season with a lineup shuffle ahead of their Tuesday night matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. After a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators, head coach Jim Hiller adjusted his forward group, notably moving rookie Gavin McKenna from the third line to the second, pairing him with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic.

Easton Cowan, who had shown strong early-season form with a goal and three points in his first two games, earned a promotion to the second line alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, while Kirill Marchenko dropped to the third unit with Nick Paul and Colton Sissons. Hiller praised the team’s late-game performance against Nashville, calling it a strong finish, and indicated he would build on that momentum in Vegas, where Toronto arrives with a 2-2-0 record to Vegas’s 3-1-0 start.

The defensive pairings and fourth line remained unchanged, while Anthony Stolarz will start in net for the Maple Leafs, following a rotation plan outlined by Hiller before the Predators game.