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Ice Chips: McKenna with Tavares, Habs’ Kreider, Sens’ Burakovsky on top lines to start camp

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Toronto Maple Leafs

First-overall pick Gavin McKenna opened Maple Leafs camp on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander.

Newly-added winger Jack Roslovic was on the team’s top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.

Easton Cowan opened the first skate of his sophomore season on a third line with Nick Paul and Colton Sissons. Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime made up the fourth line with Steven Lorentz skating as an extra.

Morgan Rielly remained off the ice on defence as he continues to deal with a viral illness. Oliver Ekman-Larsson paired with Darren Raddysh on defence, while Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev were reunited and Emil Andrae skated with Ben Danford. Nick Blankenburg, who is on a PTO, skated with Troy Stetcher in the extra pairing with the main group.

Montreal Canadiens

Newly added winger Chris Kreider was on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield as the Montreal Canadiens held their first skate of training camp on Thursday.

Kreider joined the Canadiens over the weekend after mutually terminating his contract with the Anaheim Ducks, which had one season left. He inked a one-year deal with Montreal with with $2.15 million guaranteed and another $3.25 million available in potential bonuses.

The 35-year-old played 75 games last season with the Ducks, scoring 22 goals and 50 points in his only season with the club, adding two goals and seven points in 12 playoff games.

Juraj Slafkovsky skated with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov on an apparent second line for Montreal.

Winnipeg Jets

Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti skated on the top line of Group A at the first day of Winnipeg Jets camp.

The top defensive pairing was Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo.

Meanwhile, the top goaltender was Stuart Skinner, with 23-year-old Thomas Milic his backup. The Jets are without Connor Hellebuyck, who formally requested a trade on Aug. 27 and was subsequently suspended by the team for failing for report to camp on Wednesday.

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff spoke to reporters on Thursday and confirmed that the team is going to continue to seek a trade for their disgruntled goaltender. He also told reporters that Hellebuyck requested the trade in his exit meeting with the team at the end of the season, but asked for team management to keep the request quiet at the time.

Cole Koepke, Noah Gregor and Vladislav Namestnikov formed the second line for Winnipeg, while Danil Zhilkin centered the third line alongside Nikita Chibrikov and Parker Ford for a youthful look on the third line.

Colby Barlow, Jacob Julien and Davis Burnside skated on the fourth line in the session.

Edmonton Oilers

Superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl skated on the same line together in the first practice for the Edmonton Oilers, alongside Vasily Podkolzin.

The session marked the first practice for the team under new head coach Mike Babcock.

Throughout their illustrious careers, Draisaitl and McDavid have alternated skating together and skating on separate lines as different Oilers coaches have tried to figure out how best to use the two impressive playmakers.

Draisaitl notched 35 goals and 97 points in 65 games last season, while McDavid scored 48 goals with a league-leading 138 points in 82 games.

Ottawa Senators

It appears Andre Burakovsky will also get the chance to open his time with a new team on the top line.

Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks this summer, Burakovsky skated with Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson as the Senators opened their training camp.

The 31-year-old winger posted 11 goals and 33 points in 75 games in Chicago last season, his first with the club.

On defence, Jake Sanderson paired with Carter Yakemchuk as Artem Zub remains sidelined for the next week or so.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild skated Blake Coleman, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy on the top line in their Group A session on Thursday.

Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber skated as the top defensive pairing in the session, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo.

A potential contract extension for Hughes has been one of the top storylines of the off-season for the Wild.

The superstar who won the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 with the Vancouver Canucks is slated to become a free agent next summer. While Wild general manager Bill Guerin has been working hard to sign Hughes long term, Hughes told reporters that he is comfortable taking his time.

“I don’t feel backed up against a wall,” Hughes said last week. “I’m very thoughtful. I want to make sure I’m taking my time on everything and make sure I’m making a decision that is going to be good for everyone. That’s kind of where my head has been at.”

The Wild paid a significant price to acquire Hughes during the 2025-26 season, sending top prospects Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and Marco Rossi along with a first-round draft pick to Vancouver for Hughes.

More to come.