As the Toronto Maple Leafs await who their first-round opponent will be, they currently sit on top of the Atlantic Division. The anticipation of the postseason can be either exciting or dreadful. Based on past history with this team, many are going to choose the latter as the results from the postseason haven’t been kind to the team and the frustration is getting to a boiling point from fans and media alike.
As they look to secure the division title and prepare for a potential long postseason run, their play as of late is giving some sort of optimism. They’re 7-2-1 and they continue to get results against potential opponents and playing well against desperate teams eyeing for a spot. While many will feel that they may not be better compared to previous postseasons, there are some signs that this team might be better this time around with their play and personnel.
Power Play Clicking at Right Time
In previous seasons, most notably last season, the power play for the Maple Leafs which has been dominant for most of the season goes cold at the worst possible time. They were either not connecting, their execution was off and it becomes a big reason why they end up losing a series considering special teams play a big part during that time of the season.
The Maple Leafs’ power play finished seventh last season. Though it became apparent that it was detrimental to their success down the stretch as they converted on 10% of their opportunities, ranking dead last in the league. The struggles carried over into the the postseason, they had an abysmal 4.8%, the second worst one only ahead of the Los Angeles Kings who didn’t convert on one opportunity. That alone is a reason for failure. The warning signs were there as they were too patient and looked for the perfect setup every time. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case now.
This time around, the opposite appears to be happening as they seem more confident on the man advantage considering how inconsistent they have been this season. They’re getting hot at the right time and the play of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander is evident. The Maple Leafs had the 10th best powerplay (23.7%) before the 2025 trade deadline, but they were either strong for a stretch or mired in bad habits and there was no consistency for long stretches. That isn’t the case post deadline as they’re first with 36.4%, but it’s their play that stands out.
Related: What the Maple Leafs Must Keep Doing to Get Playoff-Ready
They look more dangerous than they have ever been as their movement is more deceiving, their passing is quicker and they’re not as predictable, showing more deception than they were last season and at points this season. Even if they don’t convert, they look confident.
With the power play being in sync for once heading into the postseason, this could be a big advantage for the Maple Leafs.
Is Mindset and Execution Better?
One thing that has been evident as of late is the ability to play playoff hockey, taking it to their opponents, playing smart and shutting things down and being responsible when they need to. For the most part, the Maple Leafs have shown that they can do just that.
Overall, they’re not being as fancy or looking for the skilled play, but they’re working hard and executing Craig Berube’s vision. They’re pushing the pace and setting tone in their games in the hopes of keeping up with a team like the Florida Panthers. While they kept up in their 3-2 win against them, they were lifeless, completely outmatched and outmuscled in their 3-1 loss, which is a concern as the pushback wasn’t evident. With their aggressiveness on the forecheck and ability to take time and space away, can they match that as they attempt to adopt that same mindset? They have shown resiliency and taken advantage of winning battles in key moments and being hard on the puck which is what the playoffs is all about. However, that was nonexistent recently.
Over the last few weeks, they took advantage of the Panthers’ injuries, kept pressure on the Columbus Blue Jackets throughout the game and won a playoff-style game against the Los Angeles Kings. The consistency that many wanted to see in their structure has been on display and that is what you need in order to win in the postseason. The thing is, that needs to carry over and it needs to show up consistently when it matters the most. The play of complimentary players to the skilled guys like Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann continue to show that style of play and ability to excel in this new system could pay off. These are players that can help set the tone and could give the Maple Leafs the push they need to win.
Related: 2 Takeaways From the Maple Leafs’ 3-1 Loss to the Panthers
They have taken over and responded at key points in a game and it has always ended up being the difference maker. Whether it was Auston Matthews’ short-handed goal against the Kings, Knies’ power move for the game-winning goal against the Panthers or Nylander taking control against the Blue Jackets, those were big moments that continued to give the Maple Leafs the advantage in a game.
There were moments where things looked dicey, but they still held their own and came out on top. It has been better, but it needs to continue. After that loss to the Panthers, work still needs to be done
While the Maple Leafs need to continue to show that they can consistently play a playoff style, there have been moments lately where their power play has been much better as well as their execution effort. Their last stretch of games has shown that, but that’s still the regular season. If they can get it done in the playoffs, that’ll matter even more.
Statistics from NHL.
