2024 felt like more of the same for the Toronto Maple Leafs. A first-round exit at the hands of the Boston Bruins brought back feelings of disappointment the team hasn’t figured out how to avoid, and no changes were made to the core four as a result.
But 2025 has the chance to be a lot different. A new coach and a new playstyle might help the Leafs get over their playoff failures, and new additions to the blueline have Toronto playing their best defensive hockey of the Auston Matthews era.
All that being said, there are a few New Year’s resolutions that could help them reach their goal of a Stanley Cup. Let’s take a look.
A healthy playoff run
Giving the Maple Leafs any benefit of the doubt after another Round 1 loss is a bit ridiculous, I know, but the fact is Matthews, William Nylander, Bobby McMann, and Joseph Woll were all hurt for at least some of the seven-game series last year.
With Marner and John Tavares on expiring deals, if this is a bit of a “last dance” with the core, they should at least get their shot with a healthy lineup.
This resolution isn’t exactly looking great—Matthews is out again with a mystery injury, Anthony Stolarz has a pebble in his knee and Woll looked like he aggravated his groin yesterday—but a man can dream.
And the way the Leafs deal with injuries doesn’t help either, they give zero actual information so if someone does get hurt we’re going to be in the dark.
But last year was so close, and with a healthy lineup there’s little doubt they would have pulled through. Hell, even having Woll in over Ilya Samsonov would have given them the win in Game 7 (I’ll never get over the tying goal in that game).
Saying this team deserves another chance after all the chances they’ve been given isn’t what I’m saying, but they have earned a fair shot. After what happened last year, the Leafs biggest concern heading into the playoffs should be health.
Mitch Marner re-signed
If you told me after the playoffs last year I’d be asking for a Marner extension I would’ve thought you were crazy. He showed nothing against Boston and I, along with most of Leafs Nation, wanted him shipped out.
But here we are again, with Marner carrying the Leafs in the absence of Matthews and sitting at seventh in the entire league in points. Not to mention he’s Toronto’s best defensive forward.
Players like Marner do not grow on trees. If Toronto lets him walk, there isn’t a replacement. There aren’t any prospects coming, there aren’t any free agents who can do what he does (unless I guess they sign Mikko Rantanen, but that’s not happening).
If he would sign any deal under $14M at this point, I’d do it. With the cap rising and his play elevating, Marner should be a Leaf for life. He and Matthews have the potential to finish as No. 1 and No. 2 in points in Leafs history, and they will break through in the playoffs at some point.
His play this season has earned him a massive deal, but it’s also proven the Leafs cannot let him leave. He’s arguably the team’s most important player even with Matthews healthy, and gets all of the blame for the failure of four to five guys.
Marner needs to be re-signed.
A big time trade
It’s been too long since a big Maple Leafs trade, especially one that wasn’t a deadline rental.
And the team has plenty of needs, especially up the middle and on the second pair. I would love a trade for a proven top-of-the-lineup guy with term. The last time the Leafs made such a trade was for Jake McCabe, and that’s one of the best deals in the team’s recent history.
Rentals are fun, but the Leafs need more than that. A player who they can rely on to produce for the next two years at least would make the lineup so much better.
Depth is the team’s issue, and they have the assets to get a really, really good player. Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, and even Fraser Minten or Nikita Grebenkin should be on the table. The division has never been more in reach, and the time to grab another stud is now.
Here’s to a good year
Hopefully 2025 goes better for the Maple Leafs than 2024, but there’s a good chance it ends up almost exactly the same. Toronto is going to end up playing a very good team in the first round again, and who knows what happens in April.
But with the defence and goaltending improved, and a healthy lineup (please), the Leafs have a good chance of going on a deep run. But this is Toronto, so who knows.
