It’s August and while the start of the 2024-25 NHL season is still a few months away, you can’t help but look forward to the roster and what players could have an impact.
Like any season, there are always players that are bound to have a strong breakout season or even surpass the expectations that they had the previous season. We know that the Maple Leafs star players are going to shine, but they need to rely on their depth players to step up and be a big part of their success and take another big step forward. Here are four players that are poised to have just a strong impact this season and breakout.
Max Domi
It took a while for Max Domi to get comfortable and up to speed in his first go-around with the Maple Leafs. However, he started to pick it up in the second half of the regular season and into the postseason. Despite a slow start, he finished with 47 points last season and added another four in seven playoff games, finishing second on the team. With a four-year deal and a team friendly cap-hit of $3.75 million, he’s already hitting the gym for this season. Expect Domi to be a reliable and consistent secondary scorer in 2024-25.
Working on his quickness, agility and strength, Domi is doing everything he can to make an impact on the ice. He moved his way up the lineup and became a fixture in the top-six for most of last season and eventually found his way on the top line. The top left-wing spot is his now that Tyler Bertuzzi is gone. Domi was energetic and intense playing on Auston Matthews’ wing during the postseason. According to MoneyPuck, the Matthews line (with Domi and Bertuzzi) had a 4.46 goals for per 60. Domi’s play making was also on full display, as he had the second-best first and total assists per 60 with 1.43 and 2.23 respectively among players who played a minimum of 900 minutes at five-on-five.
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He has the experience as a top-six player and has shown to play very well with elite level players. If his play from the postseason carries over, expect Domi to surpass the 50-point mark to make it the fourth time he has done so in his career.
Matthew Knies
It was a strong showing for Matthew Knies in his rookie season, as he finished seventh among rookies with 35 points. He displayed his power-froward game effectively and continued to take major strides throughout the season. Even in his first two postseason appearances, he had already shown up in critical moments for the Maple Leafs.
There was a lot to like in Knies’ game last season to suggest that he can take another big step forward in 2024-25. He played in key moments but has taken the steps to develop and round out his game. The physical presence and mindset to be a factor in tough areas on the ice immediately standout whenever he is on. He’s effective, displaying soft hands in tight spaces and protecting the puck very well to maintain possession. He gets to the middle of the ice so easily and his shot is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. During the regular season, he had the ninth best high danger goals for percentage with 57.41 on the team with a minimum of 500 minutes at 5v5.
Knies has had top-six potential labelled all over him and he did just that in his first full season in the NHL. There’s always the potential that there could be a sophomore slump, but he has continued to get better and handle more minutes when called upon. He has the experience early on in his career which is a big boost of confidence for him. If he’s able to get to around the 50-point mark, that alone would be a major step forward as a player who can thrive under head coach Craig Brube’s system.
Alexander Nylander
While it may not seem like much to have a player who just signed an AHL contract on this list, but Alexander Nylander could provide excellent value in a depth role. The younger brother of Maple Leafs forward William, Alex hasn’t had the same success. He has 49 points in 121 NHL games and has spent most of the time in the American Hockey League posting 210 points in 330 games.
If there’s a bright side to this signing, Alex popped off towards the end of last season after a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored 11 goals in 23 games in the process showing his ability to be a decent depth scoring option. The Maple Leafs have lacked that depth before and maybe signing Alex could be a big boost to the bottom-six. He’s most likely to start the season with the Toronto Marlies, but if he plays well during training camp or in the event he gets called up, he could be signed to an NHL deal if he can replicate his play with the Blue Jackets.
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If that goal scoring carries over, then the bottom half of the Maple Leafs forward group got a lot deeper and more lethal. Alex has always been a skilled forward but the struggles to earn an NHL spot has eluded him. Now, he may have the confidence and familiarity with his brother to get consistent play time in the NHL.
Bobby McMann
While he was getting bottom-six minutes most of the season, Bobby McMann started to get his opportunities and proved his worth. It’s been a long journey for him to make the NHL, but after stops in the ECHL and setting a Marlies rookie goal scoring record, McMann made his mark late last season and his production is a good indicator that with increased minutes, he could breakout.
McMann finished the season with 15 goals and 24 points in 56 games, but it’s what he did in the second half that stood out. When the injuries were mounting, McMann got more minutes and made it count. From the middle of February to the end of the season, he had the fifth most goals with 13 and seventh most points on the team with 17. With a minimum of 500 minutes played in the regular season at 5v5, he had the best goals for percentage with 61.70 and the second best high HDGF% of 65%.
His aggressive nature on the forecheck and shot makes him a force and a reason why he could breakout as a strong secondary producer on this team.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick, MoneyPuck and Hockey Reference.
