Note: I want to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions made by Jim Parsons Sr. to this article. Thank you, Old Prof!
For the past seven NHL seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have opened training camp with the knowledge that they would be anchored by four main pillars up front (the “Core Four”, as it came to be called) – Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Mitch Marner. This past summer, those four pillars became three, as Marner joined the Vegas Golden Knights on a sign-and-trade.
While there remains plenty of familiarity with many holdovers from last season’s Atlantic Division-winning squad, Marner’s departure creates some uncertainty. How do the Maple Leafs fill the void left by the player who led the team in scoring a season ago? Who might step up to offset some of that lost production? Will the club take a step back now that their homegrown superstar has flown the coop to Sin City?
Marner’s absence aside, there is also the typical launch of new personal journeys for players, whether they are embracing fresh starts after tough, tumultuous seasons or looking to carry momentum over. This is, after all, a time when optimism reigns supreme and everyone seems to either be in the best shape of their life or ready to take the next step in their hockey careers.
With all of that in mind, The Old Prof and I put our heads together to outline a few Maple Leafs we are keeping an eye on this season:
Ben Fisher – Auston Matthews
Obvious? Yes. Worth keeping an eye on? Most certainly.
Matthews was probably going to be the central focus for this Maple Leafs’ season regardless of if Marner was back in blue and white or not. The fact he isn’t means there’s that much more pressure on the team captain. An improved season from number 34 would go a long way toward offsetting some of the lost production from his now-departed long-time teammate.
It’s not that Matthews’ injury-marred 2024-25 campaign was bad per se, but a newfound emphasis on both leadership and enhanced two-way play, coupled with only seeing action in 67 games, mitigated some of his typically-otherworldly scoring. In terms of sheer production, Matthews’ 36-goal decrease from the season prior was by far the largest drop league-wide, even if he still managed to finish in the top-30 in NHL scoring.
Logically, losing one the presence of one of the league’s best distributors on your wing would seem to foretell a downturn in production. It’s possible, though, that Matthews will find himself more offensively-focused amidst a stronger need for Maple Leaf players who can put the puck in the net. While last season saw the likes of Nylander (45) and Matthew Knies (29) set new career benchmarks in goals scored, we’ve seen Matthews approach 70 goals so we know he’s capable of more.
The Old Prof – David Kämpf
David Kämpf’s 2024–25 season was a grind. The 30-year-old centre missed the final seven games of the regular season with an upper-body injury, finishing with just five goals and eight assists in 59 appearances. It was his lowest-scoring full campaign in four years with Toronto, and he spent most of it locked into a fourth-line role. Kämpf still brought his usual attention to detail – 50 hits, 26 blocked shots, and steady penalty-kill work – but his offensive game never really found traction. He returned in time to be cleared for the playoffs, though head coach Craig Berube made him a healthy scratch, a reminder of how narrow his margin has become in Toronto’s lineup.
Looking ahead to camp, Kämpf could be a player to watch. He’s likely to return to his defensive-first, reliable play, and while some predict he might be moved, he’s far from expendable. Kämpf takes a lot of defensive-zone draws, rarely makes mistakes, and gives the team versatility at centre. He’s also one of the fittest players on the roster and an outstanding athlete—tough, smart, and capable of more offense than his numbers suggest, even if he chooses a conservative, defensive approach. If he nails that role, Kämpf could be a quietly vital piece of the Maple Leafs’ success this season, and fans shouldn’t be surprised if he turns in a strong, understated performance.
Ben Fisher – Nicolas Roy
The end of the ‘Core Four’ signalled a balancing of both the Maple Leafs’ cap sheet and their lineup. That’s good news for the club’s financial flexibility moving forward, but it remains to be seen if the fallout can also be as positive when it comes to immediate on-ice results.
In recent seasons, the lineup imbalance in Toronto has generally led to a disproportionate reliance on the top two lines to deliver offensively. Theoretically, that means a more balanced roster should see more scoring disseminated further down among the line combinations. Much of that will fall to the third line, which is expected to be anchored by newcomer Nicolas Roy. Already facing the pressure of being the guy acquired for Marner (even if that was never going to be an even-value trade), now the 28-year-old will be expected to centre a line tasked with putting more pucks in the back of the net.
At first glance, this is a big ask for Roy. Although he’s been a perfectly consistent, serviceable goal scorer (he’s potted between 13 and 15 goals in each of his past four seasons in Vegas), driving the offence simply hasn’t been his role with the Golden Knights. Instead, he has served as a reliable two-way force typically deployed in a fourth-line role between the likes of William Carrier and Keegan Kolesar, two tough, physical players who are hardly Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy candidates.
However, life in Toronto could be different for Roy. Instead of fourth-line grinders, he is expected to be flanked by the likes of Bobby McMann, fresh off a 20-goal campaign, and perhaps two-time 20-goal scorer Max Domi. In fact, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy alluded to Roy’s capacity for a more offence-minded role, saying, “[Roy’s] got skill for a guy who plays down in the lineup, and depending on who you play him with he can adapt his game.”
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The Old Prof – Dakota Joshua
Dakota Joshua’s first season with the Maple Leafs will be one to watch. Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2028 fourth-round pick, Joshua is coming off a 2024–25 campaign disrupted by recovery from cancer treatment and a slow start as he regained his form. He played just 57 games and didn’t reach the 20-point mark, but the flashes of his skill and physicality were there. Over his last seven outings with the Canucks, he collected two multi-point games, scored goals in key moments, and showed the kind of offensive touch that can complement a gritty, defensive-minded lineup.
Maple Leafs fans are likely to appreciate Joshua immediately. He’s a physical presence who isn’t afraid to get in front of the net or throw his weight around along the boards, and he fits the team’s DNA perfectly. He’s more offensive than many realize, capable of scoring while playing a rugged, hard-nosed game. If he can stay healthy and regain full form this season, Joshua could lock down a middle-six role, occasionally bumping up to key situations or providing a jolt of energy. He’s the kind of player who can quietly become a difference-maker, a banger who surprises fans with both grit and skill.
Though they face a broad spectrum of expectations, Matthews, Kampf, Roy, and Joshua all enter camp with something to prove and plenty of intangibles that breed optimism for success this season. Whether you are the team captain, a veteran depth player or a new addition looking to fit in, the 2025-26 season represents a new beginning. That type of opportunity is certainly something worth keeping an eye on.
