Even the most loyal Toronto Maple Leafs fans are beginning to wonder if anything has truly shifted since last spring’s playoff collapse. In the post I wrote yesterday, one reader gave me a personal note to say, “Well, Old Prof, as optimistic and as faithful to the underachieving Leafs as you have been since you started with hockey writers, your recent posts reluctantly seem to portray a picture that this team is in trouble.”
The reader is correct. Although it’s early and I hope I’m wrong, there’s a sense in which fans are becoming resigned to the idea that not much has changed. That so-called DNA was supposed to make them harder to play against. Not so much.
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The growing sentiment is that the promise of a grittier, more accountable team under Brad Treliving and Craig Berube hasn’t shown up on the ice. After the Maple Leafs were beaten in overtime by the Seattle Kraken and followed it with a lifeless effort against the New Jersey Devils, optimism began to thin. One commenter said it best: “As far as getting ready to bury them, get the shovels ready.”
In this edition of Maple Leafs News & Rumours, I’ll focus on the comments of The Hockey Writers readers to share their frustrations about the team. These frustrations aren’t just about results — they are about tone. A team that was supposed to show bite still looks hesitant. The physical additions to the bottom six haven’t shifted the culture, and the veterans don’t seem to be leading the charge.
Here are some of the questions readers seem to pose about the team.
Question One: Did the Maple Leafs Pick the Wrong Captain?
A few fans are starting to ask an uncomfortable question — is Auston Matthews really the right choice to wear the “C”? One reader wrote, “Being passive and low key is one thing, but not showing any emotion or aggressiveness on the ice as a leader is another.”
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It’s not about talent; Matthews is one of the most gifted players in franchise history. But leadership demands something else — visible passion, urgency, and fire. Another fan added, “You just need to watch Matthews’ interviews to know he has no fire.”
Some suggested that Morgan Rielly, or even John Tavares, might have been better choices to set the tone. The point isn’t to take away from Matthews’ ability, but to highlight a deeper concern: that the team mirrors his calm, detached demeanour — and sometimes, that translates as indifference on the ice.
Question Two: There Was No Stolarz Fallout: Why No Response?
When starting goalie Anthony Stolarz publicly called out the team after being run over by the Kraken, it was a rare and raw moment. Fans expected the Maple Leafs to come out swinging in the next game. I did. Instead, they looked even flatter. As one reader said, “If the team had actually taken his displeasure to heart, they’d have come out hitting, outshot, out-chanced, and outplayed their opponents. But they didn’t.”
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That’s what makes this so concerning. Stolarz spoke up, Berube backed him, and still — nothing. The word “sloppy” has now shown up in back-to-back postgame interviews from Tavares. William Nylander and Matthews both said the right things, but the team didn’t follow through.
If this is the Maple Leafs’ new DNA, fans are asking — where is it?
Question Three: Where’s the Maple Leafs Accountability?
Another reader summed it up with a pointed recommendation: “Why won’t anyone sit these effortless millionaires?” There’s a growing belief that the stars are too comfortable, that the accountability Berube preaches hasn’t reached the dressing room yet.
Fans are calling for consequences. “Sit them for three games,” one wrote. “Call up some AHL (American Hockey League) standouts. I’d rather watch a team lose giving 100% than coast through another season watching our highest-paid players glide.”
That’s not just anger — it’s weariness. Fans have seen this movie before, and the ending hasn’t changed.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The schedule ahead isn’t brutal — Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins — but it’s the kind of stretch that reveals a team’s true character. The question on fans’ minds is whether the Maple Leafs have anything left to show.
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The frustration now isn’t just about missed expectations. It’s about belief. A few years ago, the team had hope. Now, fans are wondering if the “new era” under Berube and Treliving is already slipping into the same old story.
