For the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sunday night went about as poorly as it possibly could have. Not only were they unable to oust the Florida Panthers in Game 7 and move on to the Eastern Conference Final, but they got crushed, losing 6-1 in a critical playoff contest for the second consecutive home game. In what was likely the most important game in recent memory for the franchise, the Maple Leafs added another layer of torment to their postseason history and their cursed Game 7 record.
But you know what happened on Monday morning in Toronto? The sun came up once again.
There is life after this latest Maple Leafs’ collapse. And for as hard as it is to see while the pain of Game 7 remains raw, the organization remains in a mostly enviable position – even with substantial change likely on the horizon. So while you are still forced to scroll past a barrage of Leafs memes on your social media feeds, keep in mind that whatever roster reconstruction happens this summer will be engineered with the goal of being an elite Stanley Cup contender.
While it may be difficult at the moment, let’s try to view the glass as half full and highlight some reasons for hope as the Maple Leafs prepare for a major offseason ahead:
Change Is Coming
Never has it felt more like the Maple Leafs organization is willing to try something new and break up the ‘Core Four’. No one wants to lose a 100-point scorer for nothing, but Mitch Marner looks to be on his way out the door as a pending free agent. And Toronto fans are unlikely to be particularly disappointed about that. Sure, they may bemoan the poor asset management in allowing a 28-year-old who finished fifth league-wide in points to leave the fold, but few are vouching for his return at this point.
Mitch Marner had this to say on his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs pic.twitter.com/uCGuw7xXkT
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 19, 2025
Marner’s inability to elevate his game in the playoffs (1.13 career point-per-game average in the regular season, 0.9 in the postseason) didn’t reverse course this spring, and so it’s tough to expect anything other than the status quo in bringing him back – at what would be a significant cap hit, no less. The anticipated loss of Marner would likely yield lower offensive totals, but would offer a possible change to the team identity, depending on who is brought in.
Depending on what general manager (GM) Brad Treliving has in mind, that is unlikely to be the extent of the change. John Tavares is no guarantee to be re-signed following a postseason in which he recorded five goals and seven points in 13 games. While the 34-year-old enjoyed an exceptional rebound campaign and would be a tough player to lose, he is still likely due to earn a big payday in free agency, and the Maple Leafs could maintain some valuable salary cap flexibility if he goes elsewhere. That is true of some non-free agents too, as Morgan Rielly, Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf are among some of the players who could be moved in the interest of change.
Obviously, the loss of a Marner, Tavares or a Rielly would necessitate some significant corresponding moves as part of a roster retooling. But Treliving enters the summer knowing that, while there is plenty to address, there’s a lot he can depend upon in terms of pieces in place.
The work that Treliving did in free agency last summer and at the trade deadline will carry over into next season. On the blue line, big 2024 free agent splashes Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson figure to remain a key part of the back end heading into 2025-26, while Brandon Carlo should continue to support a unit that also expects to return Jake McCabe and Simon Benoit. In net, a (hopefully) healthy Anthony Stolarz has another year left on his contract and will be back to challenge Joseph Woll for the No. 1 job once again.
Up front, it’s hard to see Auston Matthews or William Nylander depart the franchise, especially if Marner and Tavares are cut loose. That may not be music to the ears of some fans who weren’t enamoured with their postseason showings, but the reality is that the club still needs to produce points, and they have some of the best in the league at doing so. Likewise, Matthew Knies will surely be an offseason priority as a restricted free agent.
Replacing Marner and Tavares, among others, would represent no small feat. But being in a strong position between the pipes and on the defensive end, where this season’s solid defensive core remains under contract, is a benefit they can count on. It’s a strong foundation to build upon, which hasn’t always been the case with the Maple Leafs.
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Maple Leafs Aren’t That Far Away (Seriously)
Any opinions on the state of the Maple Leafs can’t help but be shaped by the broader history of the franchise. It is practically impossible to look at the 2024-25 team without the influence of historical context that includes what is now a nine-year playoff stretch that has produced just two series wins, not to mention 23 years without a conference final appearance and, of course, the ongoing 58-year Cup drought.
Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
All of these elements are valid, understandable parts of the psyche of Maple Leafs fans, but they represent a lot for Toronto’s current players to answer for. If you try your best to remove some of that context, you’re left with what was a pretty successful season. The club secured their first Atlantic Division title in a quarter-century and delivered a six-game first round series victory over the Ottawa Senators. From there, they pushed the defending champion Florida Panthers to seven games thanks, in part, to a gutsy Game 6 2-0 shutout win on the road.
It goes without saying that the Maple Leafs fell short of expectations. To point out that the club technically ventured further than they have since 2002 by virtue of winning three second round games is more an indictment on the history of this core than a compliment to the current roster. But still, the fact is that they were among the league’s final eight (they advanced as far as each Conference’s No. 1 seed and the perennially-contending Vegas Golden Knights) and one win away from the final four.
For as much as change seems to be the buzzword around the franchise at the moment, the Maple Leafs aren’t set to embark upon a full tear-down and rebuild. Notoriously hard-to-please head coach Craig Berube said as much at his end-of-season media availability, noting, “Nobody’s happy [with the outcome], but we did a lot of good things this year that I’m very proud of.” Last season’s adjustments (Tanev, Stolarz, new head coach, etc) were enough to catapult them to a division title and helped them push Florida to seven games, so who’s to say that Treliving’s retooling this summer can’t have a similar effect?
There are fundamental flaws in this roster, that much is clear. Capping the team out to retain Marner, Tavares and Knies while expecting different results with the same group would be akin to madness. But at the same time, let’s not pretend the Maple Leafs are so far away from where they want to be. They finished this season by accomplishing more than 75% of the league. A different showing in Game 7, and they could have finished in the top 12.5%. A retool is undoubtedly needed, but whatever moves are made by Treliving and the front office this summer will be with the aim of getting over the hump and not starting from scratch.
