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The majority of NHL teams have kicked off their pre-season this past weekend, including the Toronto Maple Leafs. Training camp and pre-season are opportunities for younger players in the system to impress coaches and management and make a name for themselves. 

We could say that is exactly what former London Knights forward Landon Sim is doing in Toronto. 

The Toronto Marlies signed the agitating forward to a one-year AHL contract in early May, briefly after the Knights swept the Kitchener Rangers in the Western Conference Finals to advance to their third consecutive OHL Finals. He factored in massively in that series, scoring four goals in that four-game series. 

Additionally, Sim was a goal-scoring threat all throughout the 2025 playoffs for the Knights, scoring 12 goals in 17 games, 10 of which were at even strength, and three were game-winners. He can be described as a nasty player who loves to get under his opponent’s skin, as evidenced by his 33 penalty minutes, which were the third-most in the 2025 playoffs. 

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This isn’t Sim’s first opportunity to attend an NHL training camp. The New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, native was drafted 184th overall in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues. 

St. Louis never extended an entry-level contract offer his way, although the organization appreciated his game and had him attend their training camp last year as a free agent invite. 

A year goes by, and after scoring a combined 43 goals in 76 games across the OHL regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup tournament, the Maple Leafs organization snatched him up via their farm team, and Sim’s physical presence, chippiness, and competitiveness have started to raise eyes in Leafs nation. 

Landon Sim is no stranger to dropping the gloves. In fact, I think it’s something he really enjoys doing. He recorded 18 fighting majors in his OHL career, with a career high of eight last regular season. So, it was no surprise when Sim dropped the gloves in Toronto’s first game of their rookie tournament showcase against Ottawa Senators’ prospect, Matthew Andonovski, who was the Kitchener Rangers captain last season.

Landon Sim drops the gloves early in the game, trying to make an impression. 👀👊#leafsforeverpic.twitter.com/k2T32L4ViF

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) September 13, 2025

Fighting one Kitchener Ranger wasn’t enough for Sim. Toronto’s next game was against the Montreal Canadiens, and guess who was playing: Rangers defenseman Andrew MacNeil. It was a spirited bout between the two. 

Landon Sim and Andrew MacNiel go at it.

Two fights in less than five minutes between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens' prospects. pic.twitter.com/dOwzFkvz2N

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) September 14, 2025

Now, MacNeill and Sim have a previous history. The two fought each other in the OHL last season on Mar. 18, where MacNeill was sending some heavy blows to Sim. 

Sim was in Toronto’s lineup for their first pre-season game against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. The Hockey News Toronto Maple Leafs reporter David Alter jokingly tweeted out at the start of the game that his prediction for the game was that Sim would get into a fight. 

To much of everyone’s surprise, Sim did not get into a fight, however he did finish the game tied for the most hits on the team with four, despite logging the lowest ice time at 9:56. The two-time OHL champion played on a line with Jacob Quillan and Matthew Barbolini, two players he’ll have an opportunity to develop some chemistry with on the Marlies this season. 

Lastly, a clip of Sim during Maple Leafs practice went viral over the past week, as he had a spirited battle with his former London teammate Easton Cowan. 

Easton Cowan and Landon Sim with a nice, friendly battle during Group 2’s practice. 👀

— @markhmasters#LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/1EXicBjTvn

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) September 18, 2025

It seems that Landon Sim is doing everything possible to make a strong impression not only on the Maple Leafs organization but also on the fanbase, who greatly appreciate that blue-collar, hard-nosed style of play.

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Preseason hockey is usually about shaking off rust, breaking in new systems, and giving prospects a chance to show if they can handle NHL pace.

But sometimes, a coach stumbles onto something that makes the entire building lean forward in its seat. That happened in the Philadelphia Flyers’ first preseason matchup against the Islanders, when Rick Tocchet rolled out a line of Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras, and Nikita Grebenkin.

On paper, the appeal of Michkov and Zegras together is obvious. Both are high-skill, high-vision players who thrive in the creative pockets of the game. Michkov sees plays that don’t exist yet; Zegras has the flair and precision to execute them.

It’s the kind of pairing that fans dream about because it hints at highlight-reel chemistry. But the real intrigue came with the third piece of the line—Grebenkin, a prospect who has been making noise at camp and suddenly found himself flanking two of the Flyers’ brightest stars.

And he didn’t look out of place.

Grebenkin's chemistry with Zegras and Michkov was seamless, natural. He skated with pace, retrieved pucks, and found smart ways to keep plays alive, whether by extending possession along the wall or making the small, quick passes that let Michkov and Zegras do what they do best. (Not to mention, Grebenkin kept the game interesting by stirring the pot with the Islanders multiple times.) The chemistry was surprising not because the top two meshed—that was expected—but because Grebenkin elevated the line instead of weighing it down.

Snowden describes Nikita Grebenkin as a player with “a lot of bite” and described him as “highly-skilled.” Praised how involved he gets and how difficult he is to play against.

— Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) September 13, 2025

That detail matters in a camp like this, where internal competition has been one of the dominant themes. Tocchet and the Flyers’ veterans have been clear: jobs aren’t guaranteed. Prospects are pushing. Roster spots are being earned, not handed out. In that context, Grebenkin’s ability to keep stride with Michkov and Zegras was more than just a good shift or two in a preseason game—it was a tangible step forward in his case to make the Flyers' NHL roster.

It’s also telling about the type of player Grebenkin could become at this level. He has some NHL experience from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but this is a prime opportunity for him to really show what he's capable of.

With Michkov and Zegras, Grebenkin doesn’t need to be the line’s driver, nor does he need to reinvent himself as a grinding specialist. Instead, his value lies in being the facilitator who can adapt to different situations and elevate the talent around him. That’s not always easy for a young player still acclimating to NHL pace and physicality, but Grebenkin managed to strike that balance in his first showcase alongside two of the team’s most gifted offensive minds.

Of course, one preseason look doesn’t write the story. The Flyers have other forwards making strong pushes for roster spots—Alex Bump, Jett Luchanko, to name a couple—and the competition will only intensify as camp goes on. Tocchet will continue to shuffle combinations, searching for both balance and sparks. But what the Michkov-Zegras-Grebenkin line offered was a glimpse of possibility, and possibility is exactly what camps like this are meant to reveal.

For Michkov and Zegras, there’s no question the organization wants to see if they can form something lasting. For Grebenkin, the question is whether he can insert himself into that picture for more than just a trial run. Nights like this help make the case.

In the end, one game of preseason hockey isn't a big enough sample size to determine if this line can truly work. However, it's a promising start in the journey to identify pieces that fit—building the scaffolding of chemistry, giving players chances to prove where they belong. For one night, Michkov and Zegras did what they were supposed to do—and Grebenkin showed that maybe, just maybe, he belongs right there with them.