TORONTO —

The Maple Leafs have begun assembling for summer conditioning workouts in advance of training camp at various arenas around North America.

They realize they’ll be under a new coach and general manager with no previous allegiance to them, either as draft picks or one-time pals.

It’s a team that’s missed the playoffs nine of the past 10 years committed to change in no uncertain terms, with a whole new hockey office out in force to watch next month.

For surviving players of the past regime, there will be at least six newcomers with NHL experience challenging on the main roster and any number of Marlies, graduating juniors or newly minted draft picks pushing from behind.

Which is why those such as winger Matt Frattin have already been toiling at the team’s practice facility. Entering the last phase of a two-year contract and placed with the Marlies by the end of last season, he’s one of those with the steepest hill to climb.

“This will be a big camp,” Frattin said Monday after a power skating session with coach Barb Underhill. “You’re looking at a lot of young guys trying to make the team and a lot trying to keep jobs.

“With the Marlies last year it was a positive thing (he helped the team make the AHL playoffs). But I have to transfer that to the Leafs at camp.”

Frattin was traded and then retained by former GM Dave Nonis, who gambled that many Leafs who had been on the 2013 playoff team would find their old form. Frattin had nine pointless games with the Leafs, but amassed 54 in 64 appearances on the farm. He did get a brief meet-and-greet with coach Mike Babcock this summer, but it’s his play that will determine if there’s still a future here.

“I’m a little old (27) to be changing my game, but you want to be more accountable with some of the plays you make. I like being physical and battling for pucks. When I’m physical, that’s a good sign I’m on my game. You can’t play scared and not make the team.

“They definitely wanted to change the culture in the organization. I’ve been with the Leafs three or four years and change is going to be good to bring the team back to playoffs.”

In the stew

Former first-round pick Stu Percy also hopes to catch Babcock’s eye next month.

“You never what is going to happen (with a new coach), but a young player has to prove himself every day,” the 22-year-old Percy said. “It’s an exciting time to be back on the ice.”

Percy put in the required homework last summer, came to camp on a mission and made the team as a polished first-pass defenceman. But he was demoted by the end of October as team fortunes waned. It seemed to take a while for him to get past the disappointment of the demotion, but he finished strong with the Marlies.

“You have to prepare yourself. It obviously worked out well last September and I got a bit of a reward,” Percy said. “Summers are the same for me, skating with Barb, working on my stride and doing skills work. Skating has come a long way in this game and it’s more important now with 3-on-3 in overtime. There’s a lot of room to move out there so guys have to be able to work on that, especially young players.”

Rookies ready to roll

Toronto’s roster for the rookie tournament in London, Sept. 11-13, will include four first rounders: William Nylander, Frederik Gauthier, Kasperi Kapanen and Mitch Marner. The Leafs will be taking on freshmen teams from Pittsburgh, Montreal, and Ottawa and going with a couple of undrafted OHLers in net, moving Antoine Bibeau, Garret Sparks and Chris Gibson to the main camp.

Loose Leafs

Tracking various ex-Leafs and Marlies this summer, former assistant GM Claude Loiselle is now a hockey operations consultant with the Arizona Coyotes. Departed Marlies assistant Derek King has joined the staff of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack. Defenceman Andrew MacWilliam signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Jets. Centre Trevor Smith is now with Bern in Switzerland. Forward Carter Ashton, traded late last season, signed with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL. Forward Spencer Abbott, who had more than 100 points in a long stint with the Marlies and brief look by the Leafs before his trade, has gone to Frolunda in Sweden ... The WHA Toronto Toros are holding a 40-year reunion later this month. Former players and staff can contact john.bassett.iv@gmail.com.