This team is not worth the ink to write these words on paper or the electricity to display them on your screen. Since my last article, the Toronto Maple Leafs have returned from the Olympic break, with three straight games against division rivals in the Lightning, the Panthers, and the Senators. In those three games, all losses, the Leafs have been outscored 14–5 and outshot 86–62. This week was the final nail in the coffin for the Leafs season as they are currently last in the East and eight points out of the second wild card spot. So why are the Leafs doing nothing?
In the 6ix On Ice group chat yesterday, I asked if it’s “the system, the skill, or the will?” The consensus response I got back was “yes.” This team is poorly constructed, poorly coached, with a culture problem, and maybe a curse for good measure. This does not even mention the fact that our Captain just got used as a political pawn by the President and returned with a 43% Corsi For percentage against three divisional rivals. Real leadership there, Auston.
It’s hard to watch the Leafs
The only saving grace I have is that I barely watched Leafs hockey this week. I turned on the Tampa game to watch the Leafs get bailed out TWICE(!!) by their video review team, who probably deserve a Hart Trophy after this season, only to immediately roll over in true Leafs fashion.
I don’t see the point in continuing to watch this incarnation of the Toronto Maple Leafs. There is no silver lining. It’s not like there’s a group of young stars who are fun to watch, like San Jose; Easton Cowan sat for a whole month!! Their system truly makes me want to go blind, and that’s when it’s played well! This group of guys can’t even play the single most boring style of hockey. This isn’t 2015–17, where we can see the future; nope, here we’re looking at the relics of the past.
No transactions
The Leafs haven’t made a trade since July 17, 2025. That’s this entire season. They have barely sent players down or called players up; they haven’t really claimed anyone on waivers. They haven’t done anything. This team got worse in the offseason, played atrociously to start the season, had a couple of minor good weeks, and here we are. It’s not even like we’re going to get a good pick out of this. First of all, we don’t own our first-round pick, unless it’s in the top five. Unfortunately, there’s a fair bit of competition this season to race to the bottom. Maybe the Leafs are bad enough to fall to somewhere in the bottom five, but we’re not catching Vancouver.
Best case scenario, we fall to 31st, win the lottery, pick McKenna and laugh. Worst case scenario, we continue sucking but win a few, give the 6th pick to Boston and cry.
This team drives me crazy
This team does not deserve your eyeballs. Nothing they have done shows they care about winning, the fans, or even putting an entertaining product on ice. One thing I keep thinking about is how the Leafs have sucked and continue to suck and have done and are doing literally nothing about it. They fired Mark Savard. That’s it. Elliotte Friedman reported that the Leafs aren’t sure if they’re going to re-sign or trade Bobby McMann. What are we even doing here?? There is no silver lining on this team! Who are we protecting?! We’re not going to be better next year! I don’t understand!
This team drives me crazy. It’s nothing but misery and failure and excuses and gaslighting. I’m done for this year, because they have been for a while. As per usual, we fans take a bit to catch up, and refuse to let go. I know I’m still refusing. I might be done for now, for this year, but just as I know the sun will rise tomorrow, I know I’ll be back next year.
It’s easy to understand frustrations over the Leafs. However, they are a top notch organization that probably spends more than any other, with many of the best people in the world working for them. They’re second to none with their facilities, sports medicine, etc. Players rave about it! This team isn’t poorly coached, they proved it last year when they came 1st in their division, second in their conference and 4th in the league with the current coach! Was it poor coaching when the core didn’t show up in the playoffs? Nope. So we know the problem isn’t the coach, it’s that the top players would seem not to listen to coaching for 10 years. If they don’t listen, the entire team cannot follow coaching, they must constantly adapt around whatever the top players make up. This is why, at this time of the year, when many teams who have listened to their coaching are flying, the Leafs look bad.
It was the Olympic break for 3 weeks of that month the article says Cowan was sat!
The Leafs made a bunch of changes/transactions over the past year. They brought in Maccelli, Joshua and Roy. They’ve played rookie Easton Cowan most of the year. Carlo and Laughton weren’t functioning well yet so they were like new additions and they picked up Stecher on waivers. While arguments can be made about some costing too much in trade or that other players should have been acquired instead of them, the Leafs did plenty. It’s not wise to change 80% of a team!
The Leafs are about as many points from 5th last as they are from the wildcard. They’re highly unlikely to get there. They might as well continue to compete because every spot up means a worse pick for the Bruins and it’s training for next year.
They’re probably not sure about McMann because of contract negotiations. Do you want them to pay him 8 mil for 8 years?!
On McMann, if McMann was good with 3 for 3 should they keep or trade him? Most would probably say keep since they want to compete for the next 2+ years.