The 2025–26 Toronto Maple Leafs have had a rough start to the season, to say the least. While the division is tight, they sit near the bottom. The season has been turbulent so far, with inconsistent play, a failing power play and injuries up and down the lineup. The team that is usually comfortable with regular season success finds itself in a hole it must climb out of.
The season may seem lost to some fans, but this team has the talent and skill to turn the season around. Their stars haven’t been playing up to their standards. The Leafs still have a chance to come back and save their season, with an assistant coach firing and better play recently. Let’s take a look at how the Leafs can save their season and climb back up the division.
What has happened?
The team concluded the 2024–25 regular season by finishing at the top of the Atlantic Division with a total of 108 points. Following the successful campaign under head coach Craig Berube, many expected the team to build on its strengths in the new season.
Some key roster changes and a different direction made this season much more challenging than expected. Unfortunately, the team has been unable to display consistency in the 2025–26 season, with some performances towards the bottom of the league standings. The team has had some poor performances against other teams in the division. Issues with the team’s defence and special teams events have also been a problem.
Gets wins within the division
If the Leafs wish to reclaim the top spot in the Atlantic Division, they must show a vast improvement in their record against their major rivals. Last year, Toronto’s strong performance in the division, with a 17–8–1 record in divisional games, was a key factor behind its divisional crown. However, this season they’ve not been able to beat other teams in their division, which has allowed other teams in their league, such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Panthers, to pull ahead. If the Leafs can start to pull some wins together against teams such as Tampa, Boston, Florida and Montreal, they can pull ahead in the division. They are only eight points back of a division lead.
Tighten up defensive play
Among the most noticeable problems in this sector this year has been the Leafs’ defence. Critics have picked apart the defence’s organizational flaws in terms of its blue-line depth and its ability to protect a lead and, thus, allow far too many goals to score. Starting this week, injury setbacks for key defencemen like Chris Tanev will add insult to injury.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has had a career year and played his way onto Team Sweden, and the Leafs are essentially wasting him. Morgan Rielly is still not a true number one cornerstone defenceman. The Leafs need a better D core that can step up and help score.
They need to strengthen their pass defence in their own end and deny opponents’ teams’ chances to make high-quality scoring plays. The Leafs need defencemen who communicate well, particularly in odd-man situations and when defending against transition plays, and provide a stable defence every single game. A strong defence means more than just preventing goals: it also promotes an aggressive offensive style.
Improve the power play
Toronto’s power play has dramatically underperformed compared to last year, when it ranked among the league’s best. This change affects the team’s ability to put the puck in the back of the net on mistakes made by the opposing side and seize a victory.
To inject fresh life into the special teams’ performance on the power play, Toronto needs to mix and match personnel and power play formations to add more creativity and variety. Ekman-Larsson should be a top power play option for this team. Take advantage of the incredible skills available on the roster with Matthews, Nylander, and perhaps the presence of Tavares to provide high-quality scoring chances on the power play.
Utilize Matthews similarly to how Alexander Ovechkin plays on the power play, with both having elite shots. Knies has a presence large enough to be a net front presence. The Leafs need to analyze league trends and line arrangements and figure out the power play.
Treat the season like a marathon, not a sprint
The NHL season is a marathon, not a sprint. One thing that usually separates eventual division winners is strong momentum heading into the end of the schedule. Toronto can develop that through establishing a quick turnaround after losses instead of lingering in slump patterns, building winning habits on both ends of the ice through consistent effort and discipline, and capitalizing on winnable matchups to build confidence, especially during heavy divisional periods. A team that thinks it can win and has shown spurts of it can spark a run that changes the look of its entire season.
The NHL season is a long and gruelling battle through 82 games. Leafs fans have not had a solid start and will need things to turn around quickly. All hope is not lost; this team has the stars and talent to fight back, and with the standings as close as they are right now, giving up cannot be an option. The season is far from lost, and this year’s Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to come back and take back the Atlantic Division.
