Hockey is back at Ricoh Coliseum today through Sunday.  The Toronto Maple Leafs rookies take on their counterparts from the Ottawa Senators and the Montréal Canadiens.

2017 Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament Schedule

DayTimeTeams
Friday, Sept. 87:00 p.m.Montréal v Toronto
Saturday, Sept. 97:00 p.m.Ottawa v Montréal
Sunday, Spet. 104:00 p.m.Toronto v Ottawa

Tickets are still available, and single tickets as well as packages are on offer.  Single ticket prices range between $13 and $38.

The Leafs roster includes most of the current draftees.  Missing are Russian players whose season is already beginning (such as Lokomotiv forward Yegor Korshkov) and NCAA players (like Boston College goaltender Joseph Woll.)

The Leafs roster includes two goalies, one in Kasimir Kaskisuo who is no rookie to professional hockey.  That alone should give them the edge against the Senators and the Canadiens.  The point of a tournament like this is not really to win it.  It’s to be seen and to be remembered by the coaching staff.

Expect to see all players rotated into the lineups to get a chance to perform. That will be a difficult task, given that each team only plays twice, so a sharp eye might be needed to catch your favourite in action.

For players like Carl Grundström and Timothy Liljegren, this tournament is much less meaningful than training camp itself.  For junior players like Eemeli Räsänen and Nicolas Mattinen, it’s a chance for the Leafs to benchmark their development.

For the players already on track to join the Marlies like JJ Piccinich and Jeremy Bracco, this is their leg up on getting a feel for the coaches and the staff.  The free agent invitees have a lot more to gain from the tournament itself.

2017 Leafs Rookie Tournament Roster

NAMEPOS.2016-17 CLUB(S)ACQUIRED
Bobylev, VladimirFMoscow (KHL) / Victoria (WHL) / Khimik Voskresensk ( VHL)2016 Draft (122nd overall)
Bracco, JeremyFKitchener (OHL) / Windsor (OHL)2015 Draft (61st overall)
Brooks, AdamFRegina (WHL)2016 Draft (92nd overall)
Coskey, ColeFSaginaw (OHL)Free Agent Invite
Dermott, TravisDToronto (AHL)2015 Draft (34th overall)
Duquette, Marc-OlivierDDrummondville (QMJHL)Free Agent Invite
Dupuy, JeanFRochester (AHL)Signed to AHL Contract
Dzierkals, MartinsFRouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)2015 Draft (68th overall)
Gordeev, FedorDFlint (OHL) / Hamilton (OHL)2017 Draft (141st Overall)
Grundstrom, CarlFToronto (AHL) / Frolunda (SHL)2016 Draft (57th Overall)
Kaskisuo, KasimirGToronto (AHL) / Orlando (ECHL)Signed to NHL Contract
Korostelev, NikitaFPeterborough (OHL) / Sarnia (OHL)2015 Draft (185th overall)
Liljegren, TimothyDRogel BK (SHL) / Timra IK (Allsvenskan) / Rogel BK J20 (SuperElit) / Rogel BK J18 (J18 Allsvenskan)2017 Draft (17th overall)
Lindberg, TobiasFToronto (AHL)Trade with OTT (2/9/16)
Marchment, MasonFToronto (AHL) / Orlando (ECHL)Signed to AHL Contract
Mattinen, NicolasDLondon (OHL)2016 Draft (179th overall)
McGregor, RyanFSarnia (OHL)2017 Draft (172nd overall)
Middleton, KeatonDSaginaw (OHL)2016 Draft (101st overall)
Moore, TrevorFToronto (AHL)Signed to NHL contract
Nielsen, AndrewDToronto (AHL)2015 Draft (65th overall)
Piccinich, J.J.FLondon (OHL)2014 Draft (103rd overall)
Pospisil, KristianFSioux City (USHL)Signed to AHL Contract
Rasanen, EemeliDKingston (OHL)2017 Draft (59th overall)
Scott, IanGPrince Albert (WHL)2017 Draft (110th overall)
Smart, JonathanDKelowna (WHL) / Regina (WHL)Free Agent Invite
Timashov, DmytroFToronto (AHL)2015 Draft (125th overall)

One opponent is revealed: Senators rookie camp roster is set
Montréal Canadiens rookie tournament roster: Our last foe is revealed


The games will be carried live on Leafs TV and also repeated at various times over the next few days.

The two games involving the Leafs will be streamed on NHL.com, and it’s likely the other game will be too if you’re into the Habs against the Sens.

If you can’t watch live, the Leafs will put up a highlight package and interviews on their video page.

Check out one from last year to get you in the mood for it.