The Toronto Maple Leafs will begin yet another highly anticipated regular season on Wednesday night in Montreal, an 82-game quest that will include a new head coach, new captain and a revamped defence.
Toronto is coming off a 46-win and 102-point finish in 2023-24 but was once again eliminated in the first round by its rivals, the Boston Bruins. The Maple Leafs have advanced to the second round only once in their last eight playoff series in the “Core Four” era, consisting of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares.
The Leafs are hoping a new voice and man behind the bench will change their fortunes. Craig Berube was hired to replace Sheldon Keefe, who was let go after five seasons in Toronto. Keefe had no issues pacing the team during the regular season with three 100-plus point finishes, but his playoff track record left much to be desired, resulting in his dismissal.
With Keefe now coaching the New Jersey Devils, Berube will guide the Maple Leafs through the Atlantic Division, which includes likely playoff teams, the Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
The Ottawa Senators are looking to get back to the playoffs with improved goaltending and a new head coach, while the up-and-coming, though still inexperienced, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and Montreal Canadiens will look to make strides.
Despite rampant off-season speculation that the “Core Four” would be broken up, trades did not materialize, and the Maple Leafs are running it back with Matthews, Nylander, Marner and Tavares in the fold, their sixth season as a group.
Matthews enters the new season with a big “C” on his chest as the organization shifted its leadership by having a new voice mentor the group. At the same time, Marner and Tavares will play out the final year in their respective contracts with a chance at becoming free agents next summer. Should their playoff failures be repeated, change is very well on the horizon.
Tanev, Ekman-Larsson highlight improved back-end
General Manager Brad Treliving prioritized defence during the off-season by bringing in several notable—and towering—players to remake the back end and implement a new identity.
In are Chris Tanev (six-year, $27 million contract), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (four years, $14 million) and Jani Hakanpää (one year, $1.4 million), and out are T.J. Brodie (Chicago), Mark Giordano (free agent), John Klingberg (free agent), Joel Edmundson (Los Angeles) and Ilya Lyubushkin (Dallas).
Morgan Rielly, Timothy Liljegren, Simon Benoit, Jake McCabe and Conor Timmins round out Toronto’s defence. Other names, such as Phillipe Myers, Dakota Mermis (currently injured), Marshall Rifai (Marlies) and Cade Webber (Marlies), are also in the mix and will be valuable depth for the Maple Leafs.
The hope for Toronto is that Tanev and Rielly will establish themselves as a formidable top pairing, and Ekman-Larsson will provide some much-needed offence from the back end and second power-play unit.
Who will step up among the forwards?
For now, Toronto’s top line of Matthew Knies, Matthews and Marner appears set in stone. Max Domi, who resigned in Toronto on a four-year, $15 million this summer, had success flanking Matthews on the wing but will start the season on a second line with Tavares and Nylander.
The most significant absence is Tyler Bertuzzi, who departed as a free agent and signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. The only other departure is Noah Gregor, who is now with Ottawa.
The bottom six is where things are a little murkier to open the new year. Max Pacioretty, now 35 and coming off multiple Achilles surgeries, earned himself a one-year deal after being invited to training camp. Pontus Holmberg will center the third line alongside pre-season stud Nick Robertson.
Robertson, who reportedly asked for a trade in the summer, was eventually re-signed by the Maple Leafs and earned a spot out of camp for the first time in his young career.
The fourth line will consist of newcomer Steven Lorentz, who recently signed a one-year deal coming off his PTO, penalty kill specialist David Kämpf and enforcer Ryan Reaves.
That leaves Bobby McMann as the odd man out for now, with Calle Järnkrok and Connor Dewar beginning the year on the injured list.
Top prospect Easton Cowan did not make the team and was returned to the OHL’s London Knights as he is not eligible to play with the Marlies. Fellow prospect Fraser Minten, who earned a surprising roster spot to kick off last season, was placed on the injured list. He’s expected to be sent to the Marlies when healthy.
All eyes on the goalies (and their health)
There is immense upside and trepidation in the net for Toronto, depending on who you ask.
Joseph Woll, who performed as the Leafs’ best goalie when healthy last season, opens the new year as the 1A option in net and has an opportunity to seize the starter’s role altogether.
Much has been made about the 26-year-old’s ability to stay healthy after missing a chunk of last season with an ankle injury. He then suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 6 against the Bruins and missed Game 7, forcing Ilya Samsonov to start in his place.
Treliving opted against bringing back Samsonov (now in Vegas) and replaced him with Anthony Stolarz, who is fresh off winning a Stanley Cup with the Panthers. Statistically, Stolarz was one of the game’s best netminders last season despite playing only 27 games as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup, finishing with a 2.03 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.
The Woll-Stolarz duo is as high-risk, high-reward as it gets. Woll enters the regular season with only 36 NHL games to his name, while Stolarz, now in his ninth season, has yet to start more than 29 games at the NHL level.
Both goalies have performed very well when healthy and available. If the duo falter, the Maple Leafs will be in a tough spot, but if one or both goalies stabilize Toronto’s position, it will go a long way toward cementing their success.
Toronto resigned veteran Matt Murray this summer, with prospect Dennis Hildeby as added goaltending depth. Martin Jones, who appeared in 22 games with the Leafs last season, is a free agent.
Hildeby is expected to be relied on heavily with the Marlies this season as he continues to develop. Murray will likely operate as the Marlies’ third option alongside prospect Artur Akhtyamov.
Projected opening lineup in Montreal
Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
Max Domi – John Tavares – William Nylander
Max Pacioretty – Pontus Holmberg – Nick Robertson
Steven Lorentz – David Kampf – Ryan Reaves
Morgan Rielly – Chris Tanev
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Jake McCabe
Simon Benoit – Conor Timmins
Joseph Woll, Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby
Coaching staff
Head coach: Craig Berube
Associate coach: Lane Lambert
Assistant coach: Marc Savard and Mike Van Ryn
Goalie coach: Curtis Sanford