Young prospects vying for a position on the main roster are producing electric content. To the letter.
Although the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators were playing a preseason game on Wednesday night, it became quite serious when two former OHL opponents squared off at center ice.
Leafs prospect Landon Sim battled Matthew Andonovski, a Senators defenseman, just over five minutes into the first period. The match ended about as quickly as it started.
The combat instantly became one of Andonovski’s most memorable moments of the evening when Sim delivered a clean punch that sent Andonovski crashing to the ice.
The two players had some history together. Andonovski played his five-year OHL career with the Kitchener Rangers, while Sim spent four seasons with the London Knights. Among the many clubs they faced off against were Kitchener and London, who defeated them in four games in the unforgettable 2025 Western Conference Final.
In 2026, Andonovski won the OHL’s Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award, capping off his junior career as a tough, hard-nosed defenseman. Sim was recognized for bringing a lot of physicality to London, registering 18 fighting majors throughout his OHL career.
The newest chapter of their quest to establish themselves in the NHL started with a rather unforgettable first punch.
