This offseason has brought significant changes, not just for the Toronto Maple Leafs but for how we think about building a championship team. Mitch Marner—homegrown, skilled, and a face of the franchise—is now a Vegas Golden Knight. And Sam Bennett—once rumoured as a desired fit for Toronto—has re-signed with the Florida Panthers on a significant deal, fresh off winning his second straight Stanley Cup and taking home the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
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The moves speak for themselves, but they also raise a deeper, more reflective question—one that Maple Leafs fans, and maybe hockey fans everywhere, should consider: “How does an NHL team win the Stanley Cup?”
Marner and Bennett Are Two Players, Two Paths, Two Outcomes
This post isn’t about blaming anyone. It’s not a shot at Marner or a glorification of Bennett. It’s simply a question sparked by two players who represent very different approaches to the game, and two very different outcomes come playoff time.
Marner brought talent, creativity, and loyalty. For years, Maple Leafs fans watched him create magic on the ice, racking up points and driving one of the league’s most dynamic offences. But as much as we wanted it to happen in Toronto, the playoff success just didn’t come. The team never advanced past the second round during his tenure. That hurts because we know how good he played with the team.
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Then there’s Bennett. Not the flashiest player, but the kind who shows up when it matters most. He hits hard, agitates his opponents, scores challenging goals, and drags his team into the fight. He doesn’t play clean, and he doesn’t care if you like him. But here’s what can’t be denied: since joining Florida, Bennett has become one of the NHL’s most effective playoff performers. Two Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe in two years say a lot.
What Kind of Team Wins in the Playoffs?
So here’s the heart of it. If you are the Maple Leafs’ brain trust, when you’re building a team, what matters more—pure talent or playoff grit? Do you build around players who dazzle with speed and skill? Or around the ones who might blur the lines but know how to win ugly?
This isn’t just a Maple Leafs question. It’s a question for any team (like the Maple Leafs) that hasn’t figured out how to go deep in the postseason. It’s also a question that makes some fans uncomfortable, because we like to believe that the game we love is about talent, and talent and hard work should be enough. That if you play the “right way,” the wins will come. But year after year, we see teams with less flash but more fight raising the Stanley Cup.
Not a Hot Take—Just a Real Question About Stanley Cup Success
We’re not saying one style is better than the other. There’s no perfect formula. But watching Marner move on and Bennett double down in Florida, it’s hard not to wonder if the Maple Leafs—and maybe even the league—are in the middle of a quiet turning point.
Hockey changes. Expectations shift. The game gets harder in the spring. And it seems like the teams that go furthest are the ones that embrace the chaos without losing themselves in it.
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Obviously, the winning formula doesn’t have to be all skill or all grit. The real winning formula might be somewhere in the middle. But the point is: are the Maple Leafs missing something in that mix? Bennett brings something raw and disruptive—but effective. And while his style may not fit the Maple Leafs’ identity, you have to wonder if it’s time to rethink what that identity should be.
For hockey purists, the question becomes: “How far toward WrestleMania on ice does a team have to go to finally hoist the Stanley Cup—and line up for that long-awaited parade down Yonge Street in Toronto?”
Success Is About More Than One Maple Leafs Player
This lingering question isn’t just about Marner or Bennett. It’s about what the Maple Leafs—and teams like them—want to be moving forward. And for the fans who’ve waited more than half a century to see a Stanley Cup parade in Toronto, it’s fair to ask: “Is it time to shift the way we think about building a champion?”
This isn’t about right or wrong—it’s just something to think about. We all see the game differently, and that’s as it should be. It’s all part of being a fan. It’s about caring deeply for the team, for the sport, and for that shared hope we all hold close. One day—hopefully soon—we won’t be asking what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. We’ll be talking about the joy of finally doing it. And that conversation? That’s the one we all can’t wait to have.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
