Maple Leafs Searching for Life in Another Slow Start to a Season

Some games define a team early in the season — not by the score, but by the message they send. Tuesday night’s contest against the New Jersey Devils was supposed to be a challenge for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Following a weekend of public criticism, the game was billed as a response. Instead, it was the opposite — a night where Toronto looked flat, disorganized, and surprisingly emotionless in a 5-2 loss at home.

Related: 3 Takeaways From Maple Leafs’ 5-2 Loss to the Devils

Listening to Jim Tatti and Anthony Stewart break it down on TSN 1050, you could hear the frustration between the lines. This wasn’t about bad luck or bounces. It was about effort, structure, and accountability — three things the Maple Leafs still haven’t found under second-year head coach Craig Berube. The team may talk about developing a new identity, but seven games in, they are still searching for a pulse.

Item One: The Maple Leafs Non-Response Game

This was supposed to be the “prove-it” night — the game where the Maple Leafs came out angry and determined. They had been challenged by their goalie, Anthony Stolarz, to play differently. They did not. Instead, they skated through 60 minutes like a team waiting for someone else to take charge. The Devils dictated the pace and the emotion, while Toronto drifted through shifts with little urgency or structure.

John Tavares Toronto Maple Leafs
John Tavares scored a first-period goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
(Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

That’s what’s worrying. Early-season losses are forgivable, but non-efforts aren’t. You can lose a game and still build confidence if you play with identity and purpose. This group didn’t. They were out-hit, out-hustled, and out-prepared. The message from the bench didn’t seem to land, and the players didn’t look interested in sending one of their own. For a team trying to redefine itself, that’s a dangerous sign.

Item Two: The Maple Leafs Had No Game Plan, No Grit

The numbers tell only a small part of the story. The Maple Leafs put up 25 shots and two goals, but the power play fizzled again, and that was the least of their problems.

What mattered was the feel. From puck drop, New Jersey looked like the only team that had a plan. Jack Hughes roamed freely (he scored a hat trick), creating chaos and forcing the Maple Leafs onto their heels. Meanwhile, Toronto’s forecheck disappeared, their defensive coverage broke down, and their neutral-zone play was a mess.

Related: Jack Hughes’ Hat Trick Leads Devils to 5-2 Victory Over Maple Leafs

Against the Devils, the simple became obvious: the good habits aren’t there. Good teams stack solid shifts together — Toronto doesn’t. They’re a different team every period. That’s not identity; that’s confusion. You could sense that from the fans, too. By the third period, Scotiabank Arena had gone quiet. There was no buzz, no anticipation: just disappointment. The “boos and blahs,” Stewart called them, were a reflection of a team that isn’t giving its supporters enough to believe in.

Item Three: Maple Leafs Leadership Seems to Be on Autopilot

The sharpest critique could be pointed at the top players. Last night, the team had too many passengers, not enough drivers. The depth players and the fourth-liners were at least trying to make a difference. The top players? They were along for the ride.

Toronto Maple Leafs Chris Tanev
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev was injured in the game against the Devils.
(John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

That kind of even-keel approach doesn’t cut it when you’re down 5-2 in your own barn. Forget the highlight-reel goals; the leaders are being paid to set the tone. Maple Leafs fans have to start wondering: where’s the fire? This was a chance for the team’s leaders to grab the wheel. Instead, they coasted. That’s leadership on autopilot.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?

The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Maple Leafs. The Buffalo Sabres come to town next, and then a November slate that looks brutal. Something has to change: maybe a shakeup, maybe a lineup message, maybe just some old-fashioned pride. It’s not panic time, but it’s past the point of patience.

Every season, the Maple Leafs seem to be a strange, almost comical team to follow. They start with a stumble, fall into an early-season swoon, and just when you’re ready to bury them, they rise and catch fire. Maybe this group will do the same. But right now, it sure doesn’t feel that way. Still, year after year, the Maple Leafs have a habit of surprising their fans. Maybe this is just the bottom of the ebb before the tide turns again. We’ll find out soon enough.

Related: Maple Leafs Need to Play the Way Berube Promised

This was supposed to be a new era — tougher, grittier, more accountable. But right now, it looks a lot like the same movie Maple Leafs fans have watched too many times before. Berube can’t play shifts for them, but he can make sure his team finally responds. The question is: will they?

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