Toronto Maple Leafs Early-Season Observations

Sixteen games into the 2024/2025 NHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are sitting second in the Atlantic division at 9-5-2. The Leafs have a new captain, a new coaching staff and a few intriguing additions. So, how different is this version of the Maple Leafs? Let’s break it down with some early-season observations.

Spectacular Stolarz

Stolarz is a journeyman who has started only 92 games since his debut in 2016/17, with a career-high of 24 starts last season for the Panthers. His numbers as Florida’s backup were impressive, and he was rewarded with a Stanley Cup ring and a two-year five-million-dollar contract from the Maple Leafs.

Shockingly, Stolarz has been the Maple Leafs’ most valuable player so far this year. He claimed the starting job due to another Joseph Woll injury and has refused to relinquish it. Stolarz has continually kept the Leafs in games, quickly winning the trust of his teammates. His streak-breaking shutout against the Bruins was the highlight of his season so far.

With Woll’s lengthy injury history, the Maple Leafs badly needed a consistent, reliable goalie. They’re fortunate to have found that in Stolarz.

Boasting a Better Blue-Line

Brad Treviling deserves credit for improving the Maple Leafs’ blue line, which has often been an area of concern in Toronto. Predictably, veteran Chris Tanev has been a huge help to the Leafs, bringing defensive prowess and leadership to the group. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has also been a crucial addition to the team. The Swede has brought some much-needed offence to a blue line that struggles to produce beyond Morgan Rielly. Ekman-Larsson’s defensive game has earned Craig Berube’s trust as a reliable, top-four defenseman. Adding Tanev and Ekman-Larsson has allowed Simon Benoit to slide down into a more well-suited role on the third pairing.

The best indication of the Maple Leafs’ new and improved blue line is the case of Timothy Liljegren. Under Sheldon Keefe, Liljegren was given several chances to establish himself as a top-four defenceman. On the other hand, Craig Berube had Liljegren as the Maple Leafs’ 8th defenceman before Brad Treviling shipped him to San Jose. Liljegren, Benoit and a struggling T.J. Brodie each spent significant time in Toronto’s top four last season. In comparison, Tanev and Ekman-Larsson have proven to be a massive upgrade.

Improved 5 on 5 Play

Now that we’ve given Treviling credit for the Maple Leafs blue line, it’s time to give Craig Berube his flowers. So far, Berube’s Leafs have been much improved at 5 on 5. The Maple Leafs’ advanced stats demonstrate their improvement at controlling play at even strength. The Leafs still can’t afford to rely on their special teams, so it’s a fantastic sign they’re getting positive results at even strength.

Special Teams Are Still Suspect

It’s been well-documented that the Maple Leafs’ special teams cost them dearly in their 2024 playoffs. Stunningly, the team started the 2024/2025 season right where they left off against the Bruins. The Maple Leafs’ powerplay was putrid, quickly falling to the bottom of the entire NHL. Somehow, Auston Matthews’ upper-body injury sparked a resurgence, and the powerplay has bounced back without their best player. With seven powerplay goals in the last three games, the Leafs now sit 14th in the NHL in powerplay percentage. However, their inability to produce on the man-advantage with Matthews in the lineup remains a concern.

The Maple Leafs penalty kill overcame a rocky start to establish themselves as a top-ten unit in the league, clicking at a respectable 83.9%. The additions of Tanev, Ekman-Larsson and Stolarz, plus Berube’s personnel decisions have contributed to the Maple Leafs’ success on the kill. Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies have been effective in their first taste of NHL penalty killing. The Maple Leafs special teams are trending in the right direction, but more work needs to be done before they can be trusted.

Terrific Top Six

Using John Tavares as a third-line centre proved to be a short-lived experiment for Craig Berube and the Maple Leafs. In the final year of his contract, Tavares has impressed with 14 points in 15 games. Max Pacioretty was adding much-needed secondary scoring and physicality before getting injured Saturday. William Nylander has been the Leafs’ best forward, leading the team with 10 goals.

Sophomore, Matthew Knies quickly claimed the left-wing spot beside Matthews and Marner and looks unlikely to relinquish it with seven goals in 16 games. Although Matthews and Marner have not been at their best, they’re still producing at an impressive rate. With Pacioretty (if healthy) Knies and the “Core Four” leading the charge, the Maple Leafs’ top-six appears to be set in stone.

Lack of Depth Scoring

Once again, the Maple Leafs have struggled to find production from their forwards beyond the top two lines. Although he tallied six assists, Max Domi has yet to score a goal. Preseason star Nick Robertson failed to carry his form into the regular season, scoring just once in 13 games thus far. Last season’s breakout star Bobby McMann hasn’t been as impactful either, with just four points to his name.

The fourth line is bringing very little offensively. Ryan Reaves, David Kampf and Steven Lorentz combined for just six points, with the always-energized Lorentz leading the way with three goals and an assist. With former 20-goal scorer Calle Jarnkrok reportedly not close to returning, the bottom six is the biggest area of need for this Maple Leafs team.

Trade Candidates

With Jani Hakanpaa and Connor Dewar nearing their return from LTIR, the Leafs must move at least two players off their active roster. Although they could achieve this by putting Phillippe Myers and the newly acquired Matt Benning on waivers, it feels inevitable that they will trade a forward or two. This would help the Maple Leafs gain valuable cap flexibility and shake up their struggling bottom-six forward group. So, which forwards should be on Brad Treliving’s trade block?

Nick Robertson

Nick Robertson is starting to feel like an ex the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t quite get over. The American winger bounced between the Marlies and Leafs for years. He always looks too good for the AHL, but never established himself as a consistent contributor at the NHL level. It briefly appeared that Robertson would have his long-awaited breakout after his dominant preseason performance. Unfortunately, he has been unable to maintain his momentum. The Maple Leafs have given him plenty of chances, and now they must accept that it’s time to move on.

Robertson has requested a trade out of Toronto, and the Leafs would be wise to grant his request. Although Robertson will likely only net the Leafs a mid-round draft pick, it’s time to give him a change of scenery.

David Kampf

Despite clear offensive limitations, David Kampf is a serviceable fourth-line centre. He’s responsible, strong on faceoffs, and valuable on the penalty kill. However, two factors make Kampf a prime trade candidate for the Maple Leafs. First is his salary, Kampf carries a $2.4 million cap hit until 2027. Second is Connor Dewar.

Dewar is cheaper, younger and has more offensive upside than Kampf. Although Kampf is unlikely to fetch much of a return on the trade market, saving over a million cap dollars by switching Dewar in for Kampf feels like a no-brainer for the Maple Leafs.

Calle Jarnkrok

Jarnkrok is a valuable depth player for the Maple Leafs. He’s also one of the Leafs only depth players who has consistently produced throughout his career, tallying over 300 points in 699 NHL games. So why does it make sense to trade the injured Swede?

Firstly, it’s his salary. Although two million is a reasonable cap hit for Jarnkrok, he’s the third highest-paid player in the Maple Leafs’ bottom six. This makes him a prime candidate to be moved, especially if the Leafs want to add a two-way centre or another skilled winger to the roster. Jarnkrok’s playoff performance as a Maple Leaf has also been extremely underwhelming. The winger has posted just three points in 18 playoff games for Toronto, including zero in seven games against Boston last spring. Once healthy, Jarnkrok must make a positive impression on Craig Berube to avoid being put on the trade block.

Still Second Fiddle

Another year, another instance of Toronto not quite being good enough to win the Atlantic division. Over the past several years, the Maple Leafs have been unable to establish themselves as the best team in the Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay, Boston and now Florida have dominated the Atlantic, and the defending Stanley Cup champions are showing no signs of a hangover. Although it’s far too early to call the division, the Maple Leafs already have their work cut out for them trying to catch the Panthers. It seems likely Toronto will finish second or third in the division, setting them up for another tough first-round matchup next spring.