It’s September and before you know it training camps will start, followed by the preseason and start of the 2024-25 season. It’s been an eventful season for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they embark on a new season with plenty of changes to make them more competitive this time around.
As with any season there are bound to be some bold takes, especially with the Maple Leafs. There are plenty of what if scenarios that can play out this season, from roster positions to breakouts and even overall play. Here are three bold predictions for the Maple Leafs this season.
Easton Cowan Will Stay Past Nine-Game Tryout
One of the biggest story lines coming into training camp is going to be how big of a step Easton Cowan can take after he impressed in the preseason last year and an MVP season in the Ontario Hockey League. He stated that he was feeling confident during the Maple Leafs development camp as he was their best player. His goal is to make the team and there’s an opportunity for him to do so.
The Maple Lafs have a need for some help on the left wing. There’s going to be competition for a top-six spot that could involve Max Domi, Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann. If Domi is utilized as a centre, there’s no doubt that it’s going to come to some of the younger players to take a big step. Let’s not forget that Nick Robertson has requested a trade, even though there’s an opportunity for him. Cowan definitely has his sights on the NHL and if his confidence carries over, he won’t be able to just get the nine-game tryout. He could become a full-time NHLer and stay with the team.
There’s a debate about whether or not Cowan should stay up. There’s the possibility that it could work out as he continues to take strides with his development and that going to junior won’t be as beneficial. In the event that he does make it, expectations should be reasonable as he’s going to be a young player in a competitive league. He has the motor and work ethic, he has the skillset, intensity and defensive game to be a factor.
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If he can hold his own at the NHL Level and make a big impact on the ice, then he deserves to stay up beyond the first few weeks of the 2024-25 season.
Matthew Knies Will Hit 30-Goal, 60-point Mark
It was an adjustment period for Matthew Knies in his rookie season, but it was one were there was constant improvement and growth in his game. Knies finished seventh in points among rookies with 35 and goals with 15. In addition, his 33 points at even strength were third last season behind only Connor Bedard and Marco Rossi.
Given how there’s a potential spot on the top line this season, it definitely has Knies’ name on it to be a top-six producer with his power-forward game and playing with two of the Maple Leafs’ star players. As a result, he could hit the 30-goal, 60-point mark. Last season when he was either alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner or Matthews and William Nylander, Knies was a big reason why they got the results they did as a line. Here is the breakdown according to MoneyPuck with Knies on a top line with a minimum 100 minutes.
| Line | Goals% | Goals For per 60 |
| Knies-Matthews-Marner | 65.7% | 3.41 |
| Knies-Matthews-Nylander | 54.5% | 3.06 |
It’s obvious that Knies played a big part whenever he was on the left side along Matthews and either Marner or Nylander. When Knies was on the ice at five-on-five, the Maple Leafs had a 56.25 GF% and a 57.41 high danger goals for percentage. If he’s going to be a mainstay as a top-line player, Knies is going to have to take advantage of the increased minutes, opportunities and improve production when playing with elite level players. He could also see himself on the top power play and increase those numbers to bump his overall offensive production.
Knies has quickly shown that he can be a big-time performer when it matters in the postseason. If he can handle the big moments at critical times, he definitely is poised to be a major offensive producer and can handle the minutes of being on the top line.
Maple Leafs Defense Better Equipped This Season
The Maple Leafs went into the 2023-24 with a different mindset on defense. They wanted to add a little more offense with John Klingberg, but in the end, it was an experiment that didn’t work out. As a result, the defense and goals against took a hit. Whether it was poor starts from goaltending, positioning within their own end or missed assignments, the Maple Leafs defense was its Achilles heel. The numbers speak for itself.
| Category | Result (Rank) |
| Shots Against per Game | 29.8 (17th) |
| Goals Against | 261 (21st) |
| 5v5 Goals Against | 168 (19th) |
| Goals Against per Game | 3.18 (21st) |
| Penalty Kill | 76.9% (23rd) |
| PK Goals Against | 55 (22nd) |
Whether it was at 5v5 or on the penalty kill, the Maple Leafs struggled last season. They were in the bottom half of the categories listed above and they were a team that made the playoffs with 102 points. It was a recipe for another early exit in the playoffs, then again, it was also a result of a lack of offense. That was last season and with another defensive overhaul, there appears to be more of a balance of both offense and defense this season.
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Despite being 34 years old and his contract taking him until he’s 40, Chris Tanev remains one of the premier, shut down defenders in the game. He may not be overly physical, but he’s extremely smart at defending the rush and locking things down within his own end. He can identify lanes and block pucks from getting to the net as he had 207, tied for third last season. He’s was effective since being acquired by the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline and it showed in the playoffs. He is the ideal partner for Morgan Rielly as he can run the offensive side of things, but still provide a presence in his own end.
Oliver Ekman Larsson was brought in for his offensive game, but he has shown to improve his defensive game and as he’s more steady overall. He looked confident on both sides of the puck last season and was an important piece for the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup run as a four to six defender. If he can handle second pairing duties with Jake McCabe, it would give the Maple Leafs another balanced pairing as McCabe is a strong two-way presence and Ekman Larsson has more of the offensive mindset.
Even in goal– despite the lack of experience– the Maple Leafs appear poised to have a decent tandem as both Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz have shown that they can keep the puck out of the net. Stolarz had the best save percentage with .925 in the regular season and Woll had one of .964 in the post season. With a balanced defense and goalie tandem, the results could be better.
There are plenty of things to keep an eye on heading into camp that could create a lot of buzz in terms of making predictions. However, these three are the ones that standout as they can have a tremendous impact on the lineup this season. Will they come true? Time will only tell.
Statistics from MoneyPuck, Natural Stat Trick and NHL.
