As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into the 2025-26 season, it will be one defined not by certainty, but by transition, risk, and opportunity. However, many Maple Leafs fans have been quite excited about the team’s upcoming season. On paper, that may be wishful thinking. Still, the game is played on the ice, not on paper. What will happen to this team? For the first time in many seasons, that’s up in the air.
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This will be the first season without Mitch Marner, but the changes go beyond names on the roster. With second-year leadership behind the bench and several short-term deals on the books, the organization seems less focused on chasing immediate results than it is on redefining its identity. There will be bright spots. There will be slumps. But this is also a second chance to do something differently — and maybe, in time, something more successful.
Item One: Should Maple Leafs Fans Expect Some Growing Pains This Season?
This coming season should come with tempered expectations. The Maple Leafs will enter the 2025-26 season with a great first line, but the offensive depth below that remains a question mark. Even the top stars can go cold for stretches, and right now, there’s simply less proven firepower in the middle-six than in previous seasons.
This will be a transition year — the first without the “Core Four” since the group formed nearly a decade ago. The departure of Marner leaves a noticeable gap in point production, and the team hasn’t added much in that department to replace him. Instead, the spotlight will shift toward who can limit goals against, provide timely support scoring, and stay mentally sharp through rough stretches and the intensity of the playoffs. Those questions will hang heavily over the supporting cast.
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What management appears to be doing is identifying who fits the new DNA they want to build. Many of the new contracts are short-term and can be easily flushed. That sets up a season of internal evaluation: players who align with Craig Berube and Brad Treliving’s vision will remain; those who don’t will likely be replaced next summer. It’s a challenging but purposeful shift, and fans should expect some turbulence before the right pieces fall into place.
Item Two: Is GM Brad Treliving Playing the Long Game?
While the Maple Leafs didn’t make a marquee splash this offseason, that may have been by design. Treliving focused on building out the team’s depth, even if it meant gambling on a few players who may or may not click. If some of those additions become valuable contributors, that would be great. If not, they’re still giving the coaching staff a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
It’s important to note that replacing Marner’s offensive totals wasn’t the only—or even primary—goal. This was also about reinforcing the team’s backbone. Toronto needed to be harder to play against, more resilient defensively, and tougher in the trenches. That’s a separate objective entirely from just slotting in more points.
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Looking ahead, the next unrestricted free agent (UFA) class is expected to be stronger. That gives Treliving more room and flexibility to continue reshaping the roster. It seems clear that while this season will be about seeing who fits, the fundamental overhaul could still be a year away. In the meantime, Berube will work to instill his system and set a higher standard. The blueprint is changing. And the early phase might not be easy, but that’s part of the process of this team’s remake.
Item Three: It’s Time for Me to Retire the “Small” Label for Cowan
I was rightfully called out by a The Hockey Writers reader yesterday for calling Easton Cowan “small.” Point made, and it won’t happen from me again. Cowan is listed at 6-feet-0 and 185 pounds. The reader pointed out that he already matches or exceeds the size of many current NHL regulars.
Brad Marchand is 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. Sam Bennett, the Maple Leafs’ playoff tormentor, is 6-foot-1 and 193 pounds. Max Domi — not exactly a sniper, but sure built for battle — is listed at 5-foot-10, but a solid 209 pounds. If Cowan’s frame isn’t NHL-ready yet, it’s not far off. He’ll likely bulk up over the next couple of years, and his skating engine already meets the NHL standard.
The real question is whether he can translate his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) excellence to the NHL level. Cowan’s numbers in London stack up well against Marner’s at the same age. In fact, Cowan was better in the playoffs, while Marner had the regular-season edge. As well, Marner benefited from elite linemates like Christian Dvorak and Matthew Tkachuk. Cowan didn’t have that luxury. Logic suggests that might put Cowan ahead of Marner at this stage of his career.
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No one can predict Cowan’s ceiling with certainty. But the hope is that he doesn’t follow Marner’s frustrating playoff pattern. He won’t be judged on regular-season totals — not in this market. However, one thing is already clear: “small” should no longer be part of the conversation. Thanks, readers, for weighing in on Cowan (pun intended).
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
For the first time in years, the Maple Leafs enter the season without being burdened by the weight of unmet expectations. That’s not to say fans aren’t hopeful — they always are. But there’s a recognition that this team is under construction. The front office and coaching staff are working to build something sturdier and more sustainable. It won’t happen overnight, and it might get bumpy along the way.
Still, that’s what makes this season intriguing. A young star like Cowan or newcomer Matias Maccelli could take the next step with their new team. A player like Scott Laughton, who was added at the trade deadline, could find his game. A more disciplined, determined team could emerge from the grind. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll step out of the shadows and into the sunshine.
