Even though some of it came down to decisions they had no control over, the Toronto Maple Leafs finally made some big changes this offseason. After yet another disappointing playoff exit, the Maple Leafs chose to move on from president Brendan Shanahan, a decision which was well received by the fan base. The other big move, one in which they didn’t have as much say over, was their decision to trade pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights.
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As Maple Leafs fans are well aware, this team has been a very good one for several years, at least in the regular season. Playoffs have been an entirely different story, and nobody seems to have any surefire answers as to what’s gone wrong. While it remains to be seen whether their playoff fortunes will change this coming season, however, there is reason to believe they will be an even better regular season team in 2025-26 than they were in 2024-25. Here are the six main factors behind that theory.
Matthews Back to His Regular Self
For many NHLers, a 33-goal, 78-point season is more than they could ever dream of. For Auston Matthews, however, it’s viewed as a major disappointment. To the 27-year-old’s credit, he suited up for only 67 games, but it was still a tough season for a player who had just scored 69 goals the season prior.
What was clear last season was that Matthews was injured. It seemed to be something that lingered throughout the entire 2024-25 campaign, and made him far less dangerous offensively than we’ve become accustomed to. Now, with an entire offseason to rehab, fans should expect him to get back to being the elite force he’s capable of being.
Healthy Goaltending
There were no issues with the Maple Leafs’ goaltending last season. In fact, they had one of the better duos in the entire NHL. The issue, however, was that Anthony Stolarz, who they signed to a two-year deal to be their starter, was limited to just 34 games due to injury.
When Stolarz was healthy, he was better than even his biggest supporters could have imagined, posting a 2.14 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .926 save percentage (SV%). Had he been healthy, he would have certainly been in the running for the Vezina Trophy. Assuming he can be healthier in 2025-26, fans should expect even better goaltending.
Less Distractions in the Dressing Room
While you’re never going to have a quiet season in Toronto, the 2025-26 campaign will feel like a weight lifted off the backs of everyone in that dressing room. That, of course, is because Marner is no longer around. Though it wasn’t at all his fault, there was far too much noise and distractions throughout the entirety of last season when it came to Marner’s future with the organization.
Having that be in the past will put a sense of calmness in the Maple Leafs dressing room, as there are no longer questions as to what the future holds. The top players for this organization are locked in, which will do a ton to help limit the nonstop distractions that came in 2024-25.
Knies Continuing to Get Better
Helping ease the loss of Marner is Matthew Knies, who appears to be shaping into a true star talent. The 22-year-old didn’t have any sort of sophomore slump in 2024-25, as he put up 29 goals and 58 points in 78 outings. He was also quite impressive in the playoffs, scoring five goals in 13 games.
Knies, who stands at 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, is just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of. He is going to get all sorts of opportunities now following the absence of Marner, and there is no reason to doubt that he can live up to the challenge given what he’s shown through the first 161 games of his career.
Maccelli Should Have Big Impact
The Maple Leafs made one of the more underrated additions of the offseason in acquiring Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth. The 24-year-old had fallen out of favour with head coach Andre Tourigny, but was viewed as one of the building blocks of the organization just a year prior.
Maccelli had a career-high 57 points in 2023-24, and managed 49 points in just 64 games in 2022-23. Those numbers go to show how much skill he has, and he is now joining a Maple Leafs team that has more weapons within its top six. Fans should expect him to have a massive season in Toronto.
Another Season Under Berube
Getting used to a new head coach and the schemes he brings in is no easy feat. The Maple Leafs were forced to go through that last season, as management had made the decision to fire Sheldon Keefe and bring in Craig Berube as their new head coach. It was an overall success in the first season, though a guy like Berube views anything shy of a Stanley Cup as a disappointment.
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Berube will now get his second training camp with this team and will be much more comfortable this time around. Instead of trying to get to know his players, he can get right into the systems and what he wants to see in 2025-26. Meanwhile, the players know exactly what to expect from the 2019 Stanley Cup champion.
Big Changes Could Get Optimal Results
The biggest critique when it comes to the Maple Leafs over the years was that they were afraid to make a big move to shake things up. That mainly falls on former general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas, who seemed unable to part ways with his core group. Now, the Maple Leafs have done so, which gives everyone else on the roster a very clear idea that this organization isn’t going to accept mediocrity. That could wind up being the solution needed for this team to go on a lengthy playoff run this season.
