Maple Leafs Head to Scottsdale for Preseason Bonding Trip
Toronto flies west after Thursday's skate for golf, dinners and a Saturday open practice at Mullett Arena before Tuesday's home opener against Montreal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are spending the last long weekend before the 2026-27 season in the Arizona desert, Sportsnet reported Thursday.
Toronto's NHL group, along with coaches and executives, flies to Scottsdale after Thursday's skate in Toronto, with an open practice slated for Saturday at Arizona State's Mullett Arena between rounds of golf and team dinners. The Leafs return home Saturday night, rest Sunday and are back on Toronto ice Monday.
The idea came from MLSE CEO Keith Pelley, general manager John Chayka said, as a change from the club's recent Muskoka detours.
"A new year, fresh start. Wanted to do something different," Chayka said. "It's less about time away and more about time with the people, and trying to find the right spot at the right time."
Head of travel Brad Lynn floated a few options, including Wisconsin, which Chayka said Jake McCabe lobbied for. Scottsdale won out in part because it is captain Auston Matthews' hometown. Matthews is hosting teammates at his off season home one night, and Chayka, a former Coyotes GM who still keeps a residence in the area, has the staff over at his.
"It's meaningful to Auston: hometown," Chayka said. "This is all about getting to know each other better and spending meaningful time together."
The timing works because the Leafs have five days between Wednesday's split squad pre season games against Ottawa and Tuesday's home opener against the Canadiens. Toronto took both halves of the split, winning 6-1 at Scotiabank Arena behind a goal and two assists each from John Tavares and Matthews, and 4-2 in Ottawa on Ryan Tverberg's late third period goal.
Colton Sissons, one of 11 new Leafs making the trip, said the timing matters as much as the destination.
"The sooner, the better for all that stuff," Sissons said. "Getting everybody comfortable and building those relationships is a big part of this journey."
Troy Stecher was unbothered by crossing three time zones days before puck drop. "It's just one extra flight," he said. "It's not like you're going down there to play a back to back."
