2024-25
Record: 52-26-4, 1st in Atlantic Division
Playoffs: Lost in Eastern Conference Second Round
Key Losses
Mitch Marner (F – Trade with VGK), Pontus Holmberg (F – Signed with TB), Max Pacioretty (F – UFA), Ryan Reaves (F – Trade with SJ), and Brendan Shanahan (President – Contract Expired)
Key Additions
Mattias Maccelli (F – Trade with UTH), Dakota Joshua (F – Trade with VAN), Nicolas Roy (F – Trade with VGK), Michael Pezzetta (F – Signed via FA), and Henry Thrun (D – Trade with SJ)
2025-26 Preview
Getting Over the Hump
The Toronto Maple Leafs achieved playoff success they haven’t had in years when they advanced to the second round for the second time in three years. However, once they made it to the second round, they faced off with the defending, and eventual, Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The Leafs started strong wining the first two games, but once the Panthers got rolling, they took the last four of five from the Leafs to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. After falling to the Panthers, the Leafs have every right to be proud for making it to the second round and getting within one win away from the Conference Finals, but the Leafs still need to find that next gear to get themselves over the hump, and get over their Game 7 woes to guarantee a very deep playoff run.
Needing a Response
With that said about needing to get over the hump in the playoffs, the Maple Leafs need to respond to get over that hump. the Leafs ended up making two major moves. One in the locker room and one in the front office. Starting with the front office, the Leafs decided to let Brendan Shanahan’s contract as president to expire. The decision to move on from Shanahan made sense for the Leafs. While the “ShanaPlan” worked in rebuilding the Leafs, and making them playoff contenders again, but the playoff success was never truly there. So, for the Leafs moving on from Shanahan makes perfect sense.
Then, the next major move the Leafs did, and maybe with some controversy… maybe*, was trade forward Mitch Marner to Vegas. The Golden Knights and the Leafs agreed to a sign and trade for Marner that saw the Leafs acquire forward Nicolas Roy from Vegas. Now, Roy is no Marner, but Roy is a solid depth player that will add more grit to the lineup and down the center.
*Note – It should be noted that Marner was an impending free agent, and there were rumors that the Leafs were possibly going to claim that Vegas was tampering with Marner while still technically under contract to the Leafs.
Then the Leafs acquired forwards Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua from Utah and Vancouver respectively to add more options on offense with these younger guys looking to establish themselves in the NHL. The only true question for the Leafs will be with Nick Robertson and how they get along this season. Could this finally be the season the Leafs give him a chance to show what he’s got, or do they finally trade him and move on and allow him a fresh start with a new team.
Projected Lineup
Offense
Matthew Knies — Auston Matthews — Max Domi
Matias Maccelli — John Tavares — William Nylander
Bobby McMann – Nicolas Roy – Dakota Joshua
Steven Lorentz — Scott Laughton — Calle Jarnkrok
Defense
Morgan Rielly — Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe — Chris Tanev
Simon Benoit — Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Goalies
Anthony Stolarz
Joseph Woll
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