The Toronto Marlies Upcoming Season Overview
The Toronto Marlies are set to play a total of three matches at Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, during the upcoming season. The American Hockey League (AHL) unveiled its 2025-26 schedule for all 32 teams on Thursday afternoon. Opening their season on October 10, the Marlies will face off against the Rochester Americans in their first game before inviting the same opponents to the Coca-Cola Coliseum for a rematch on October 11.
Season Changes and New Opponents
Interestingly, the upcoming season will see one less game at the NHL arena compared to last year, which featured four games in Scotiabank Arena. The Marlies previously participated in two doubleheader events with the Leafs on November 16 and March 15, although such occurrences seem unlikely this season. The only potential overlap may be during their St. Patrick’s Day game slated for 1:30 PM.
The Marlies will introduce new opponents including the Chicago Wolves, Hartford Wolfpack, Grand Rapids Griffins, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Iowa Wild—an opponent they haven’t faced since the 2014-15 season. The regular season will come to a close for Toronto at home on April 19 against the Laval Rocket.
Key Dates and Schedule Highlights
January will see the Marlies embark on their longest home stretch with five consecutive games, from January 1 to January 9, and again from March 14 to March 25. In contrast, they will contend with their most extensive road trip spanning eight games between November 1 and November 19. Notably, the months of November and March will be particularly hectic, as the Marlies are scheduled to engage in 13 matches each month. Throughout the season, they will play 23 games on Saturdays.
Player Movements and Contracts
Meanwhile, Andrew Mangiapane, who was under consideration for the Maple Leafs as they sought to bolster their forward lineup, opted to sign a two-year contract worth $7.2 million with the Edmonton Oilers instead of his hometown team. This decision comes just days after the Marlies secured agreements for new players, signing Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, Ben King, and Nick Rheaume to one-year contracts. Veteran players Marko Sikic and Ryan McCleary were also re-signed for another season.
Rheaume just wrapped up his college career and participated in the latest Maple Leafs development camp. Four out of the five newly signed players have prior experience with the organization’s developmental programs. In a separate move, the Marlies welcomed back former player Marc Johnstone, entering a two-year deal after a brief stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Johnstone made his NHL debut with the Penguins in December 2023.
Retirements and New Signings
Furthermore, Riley Nash, a former Maple Leafs player, announced his retirement from professional hockey after a noteworthy career with 63 goals and 113 assists over 628 games.
Ken Appleby has joined Toronto on a one-year contract, having recently played for the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, where he boasted a respectable save percentage of .910 and six shutouts, ranking him second in the league. Also signed was Reese Johnson, who spent time both with the Minnesota Wild and their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, last season.
Player Departures and Future Prospects
Ryan Reaves of the Maple Leafs shared his thoughts on Mitch Marner’s exit, expressing his hope to achieve 1,000 games before retiring. The Marlies experienced several player departures this summer, including Topi Niemela, Roni Hirvonen, and Zach Solow heading to Europe, as well as others like Matt Murray, Alex Steeves, and Kyle Clifford leaving the team, with Clifford potentially concluding his playing career after his recent coaching role. The Marlies’ previous season ended following two consecutive losses to the Cleveland Monsters in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs in the North Division.
