The Toronto Maple Leafs have intriguing bounce-back candidates in various lineup spots for the 2025-26 season. A pair of veteran fixtures and two newcomers to the fold figure prominently.
If they all return to form, it will go a long way toward maintaining a balanced offensive attack for the team, despite the offseason loss of Mitch Marner, who was sent to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal at the end of June.
Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews accounted for 33 goals and 78 points in 67 appearances last campaign. He led the team in shots on goal (261), even though he battled an upper-body issue for the majority of the season. The 27-year-old superstar still earned solid numbers, but it was a step backward after he erupted for a league-leading 69 goals and registered a career-high 107 points across 81 outings in 2023-24. He showed flashes of it last season, including a run of nine tallies and 22 points in 16 contests from Jan. 4 to Feb. 8 and 10 markers and 22 points in the final 17 games of the regular season. However, he wasn’t the same goal-scoring machine he was in previous showings.
Matthews can light the lamp from anywhere on the ice, and his wrist shot has been prolific. Since 2019-20, he has led the NHL with 290 goals, including 165 wristers. Due to his lingering injury, he didn’t have the same zip on his shot last campaign. He was still productive when he was in the lineup, but a healthier Maple Leafs captain would be far more noticeable and would make a much bigger impact on the scoresheet. He has the play-driving ability to thrive with any linemate, and it helps that Matthew Knies has developed nicely as a finisher. The playmaking skills of Marner will be missed, but puck distributors like Max Domi or Matias Maccelli should fill in admirably until an upgrade at right wing arrives.
Related: Maple Leafs 2025-26 Roster Projection 2.0: Post Free Agency
If he is healthier in 2025-26, which will be one of the more compelling storylines to watch as training camp approaches, Matthews has a wealth of bounce-back appeal. He is too talented and too natural a scorer not to return to the 50-60 goal range if an injury is not holding him back.
Matias Maccelli
Maccelli was an interesting pickup by the Maple Leafs during the offseason. He was acquired from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in 2027, which becomes a second-round selection in 2029 if Toronto qualifies for the playoffs and he supplies at least 51 points in 2025-26. The 24-year-old forward had 17 goals and 57 points in 2023-24 before dropping to eight markers and a mere 18 points across 55 matches last campaign.
His role was reduced in 2024-25, dropping from 16:14 of ice time per game to 13:44, and he ended up being a healthy scratch for extended stretches. He logged the fifth-most power-play time on the team in 2023-24 but fell to eighth last season. While he may not land a spot on the first man-advantage unit of the Maple Leafs, he should receive ample opportunities in the club’s talented top six. Whether he sees playing time alongside Matthews and Knies or John Tavares and William Nylander, Maccelli will be placed in great positions to succeed, and a bounce-back performance offensively should be in the cards for the 24-year-old Finn.
Maccelli will likely be playing with a chip on his shoulder after falling out of favour with the Mammoth. He has some additional motivation in the form of an expiring contract. He is eligible for restricted free agency and has arbitration rights next summer. He is an intriguing gamble who could become a long-term fit in Toronto.
Morgan Rielly
Morgan Rielly didn’t make much of a dent on the scoresheet in 2024-25, providing seven goals and 41 points in 82 games. He didn’t string together many point sprees, posting a four-game streak on only two occasions. His shots per 60 minutes in all situations were also the worst of his career. Despite his struggles with consistency and the team’s decision to drop him from the top power-play combination in favour of a five-forward setup, he led Toronto’s defence corps in scoring for a fifth straight season.
The Maple Leafs needed more out of him offensively. He was more productive in the postseason, collecting four goals and seven points in the first nine games. Unfortunately, he didn’t find the scoresheet in four consecutive games at the end of Toronto’s playoff run, but he wasn’t alone in that regard, as the team’s offence dried up completely. However, he did show that he is still capable of being a productive defender.
He still has defensive shortcomings and a no-movement clause for another five seasons at a $7.5 million cap hit. However, he’s the best offensive blueliner on a team that desperately needs more production from its back end. He amassed 51 assists and 58 points over 72 appearances in 2023-24. A potential return to the top power play should help him get back on track in the 2025-26 campaign.
Dakota Joshua
The Maple Leafs acquired Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth-round pick in 2028. He has three more seasons remaining on his contract and carries a $3.25 million cap hit. The 29-year-old forward reached career highs in 2023-24 with 18 goals, 32 points, 84 shots, 40 blocks, 245 hits, and 14:23 of ice time per game over 63 outings. However, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer last summer and didn’t make his season debut in 2024-25 until Nov. 14 against the New York Islanders.
After missing the first 14 games, he also sat out 11 more contests from Jan. 6 to Jan. 27 because of a leg injury. He concluded the campaign with seven goals, 14 points, 52 shots, 29 blocks, and 193 hits while averaging 12:58 of ice time over 57 contests. He admitted afterward that the mental wear and tear of being out of the lineup took its toll, but he’s focused on bouncing back with a fresh start in Toronto. He was a fifth-round choice of the Maple Leafs in 2014 but never played for the organization. Still, he should benefit from the familiarity of being reunited with head coach Craig Berube. They were together with the St. Louis Blues when Joshua began his professional career.
Joshua should add some production and physicality to the bottom six. He could land a spot on the third line with Nicolas Roy and Bobby McMann or skate alongside Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz on the fourth unit. In any case, Joshua’s size and ability to chip in offensively while playing lower in the lineup could provide a meaningful boost to the depth of the Maple Leafs if he rebounds efficiently.
Maple Leafs Counting on Bounce-Back Performers
The Maple Leafs still have work to do to improve offensively in the 2025-26 campaign. The team ranked 24th in the league in expected goals and 20th in scoring chances for percentage last season. The goaltending was outstanding, and the skaters made the most of their opportunities. It is a formula that could work again in the upcoming season, but creating a deeper team that can come at opponents in waves must be the ultimate goal. A return to form from Matthews is crucial, but he can’t do it all himself.
Analytics courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey Reference.
