The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a terrible performance against the Washington Capitals, and the noise surrounding them is starting to increase. The game against the Capitals last night encapsulated all of their early-season struggles, yet no players wanted to take accountability for those issues. In fact, after the game, when the cameras were on and the microphones were in front of them, they all leaned on one key word: “execution.” Well, not to be the bearer of bad news, but it is a lot more than just execution.
Related: Maple Leafs Reportedly Exploring Trade Market
It is so bad that this team looks like a shell of its former self. They are nothing like they were last year, yet the only major change was the loss of Mitch Marner. That is a huge loss, but is it enough to completely change the entire landscape of the organization? It looks like it may have been. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman pointed out on 32 Thoughts the Podcast that uncomfortable conversations are going to happen if things continue.
“The way this one unfolded [on Thursday] and the way Berube spoke post-game, Toronto is headed towards a lot of very uncomfortable conversations if they don’t sort this out… ‘what’s our direction?’, ‘where are we going?’, ‘what do we think about some of the players on this roster?’… if this season doesn’t turn around, it’s the kind of season that has consequences, and I know the coach is under a lot of heat right now… but this is not all on the coach.”
So the question becomes, where do the Maple Leafs go from here?
Make a Coaching Change or Fire Treliving?
The first decision is whether Craig Berube is going to be the coach moving forward. There is no ignoring that his system has seemingly taken some of the offensive edge away from Auston Matthews and William Nylander, which has hurt the team. If they were to fire him, who would replace him?
There are experienced options like Pete DeBoer or Bruce Boudreau. Outside the NHL, there is Jay McKee of the Brantford Bulldogs, who currently have the best team in the Ontario Hockey League. There is also Greg Walters of the Windsor Spitfires, or even Chris Lazary of the Saginaw Spirit, who could be given a chance at the NHL level. There is another name that could lead to a full-circle moment: Dale Hunter of the London Knights, who previously served as the Maple Leafs’ assistant general manager from 2014 to 2018.
Related: 3 Trade Destinations for Maple Leafs’ Matias Maccelli
As for Brad Treliving, his hiring was supposed to signal a shift after Kyle Dubas. He was brought in to bring playoff-style hockey back to Toronto, a style the fan base wanted to see. As he put it, “snot.” And to his credit, he has done that. He signed Max Domi, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Ryan Reaves. He later brought in Chris Tanev to add a defensive element to their game. That said, this past offseason may have included a few mistakes, including trading for Matias Maccelli and not making a bigger splash after losing Marner. Still, those feel like fixable mistakes if the right opportunities present themselves.
Logically, it does not make much sense to fire either Treliving or Berube right now. But if things continue to not improve, a Berube firing feels like the easier move to make in hopes of saving the season.
Explore the Trade Market or Punt the Season?
In a recent report from The Fourth Period, it was confirmed that the Maple Leafs are exploring the trade market to help improve their roster. Their main targets are a top-four defenceman and a top-six forward. The biggest issue is that they do not have the assets to realistically make those moves unless they part with players like Easton Cowan or Ben Danford, which does not make much sense.
That means they need to look at players already on the roster. Names like Maccelli, Domi, Calle Jarnkrok, and Nicholas Robertson come to mind. But are there bigger names? There is Brandon Carlo, who could be flipped this season. But then comes the uncomfortable conversation. Could they attempt to trade Matthews or Nylander? Or could one of them request a trade out of Toronto?
Related: Bruins Reportedly Interested in Maple Leafs’ Maccelli
Honestly, it might make more sense to punt the 2025–26 season, try to land a top-five pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and retool on the fly. They could use the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline to sell off assets like Maccelli and Domi, players who may not be part of the long-term plan, while bringing in pieces that fit better moving forward. That would also help clear cap space, which could then be used in the offseason on players like Rasmus Andersson, Alex Tuch, or Nick Schmaltz.
In short, punting on this season would give them more options and could help extend a window to win that feels like it is closing fast. There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Maple Leafs right now and not many clear answers. The next few weeks will go a long way in defining the direction of this season and possibly the organization itself. Until then, Leafs Nation is left wondering, where do they go from here?
