Daily Faceoff places Maple Leafs in win-now window ahead of 2025-26 season

Although it’s been a summer of change for the Toronto Maple Leafs, their short-term prognosis doesn’t appear to be much different than it was during the Core Four era. Toronto is still firmly searching for an elusive Stanley Cup, although it has to be considered a second-tier contender, with the Florida Panthers in a different class, while the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes are among the teams in better position to win it all next year.

Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin assessed each team’s Stanley Cup window, and wrote the following about the Maple Leafs during his Atlantic Division segment:

Maybe the Leafs trade for another top-six forward and, along with acquiring center Nicolas Roy and winger Matias Maccelli, do a decent job plugging the hole left by Mitch Marner. But when you lose a 28-year-old 102-point scorer and two-time first-team all-star, there’s no way to truly replace him. General manager Brad Treliving may yet find the right cocktail to push this team into the third round of the playoffs and beyond, and Marner’s playoff no-shows were holding the team back at crucial junctures, but make no mistake: Marner’s departure absolutely shortens Toronto’s window. The Leafs have three seasons left on Auston Matthews’ contract. William Nylander turns 30 next May. The urgency to win a Cup right now is at least a nine out of 10.

It’s difficult to disagree with Larkin’s assessment. The contention window has been open since the 2018-19 season when John Tavares arrived, and while Marner’s departure was the best result for all parties, it’s difficult to replace the point production from an 102-point scorer who plays in all situations.

We’re not as concerned about Matthews’ contract, three years is an eternity, but he’s firmly in his prime, Nylander is as well. Tavares’ game should naturally age well but the Leafs can’t take for granted that he’ll always be able to post 30-goal campaigns as he enters his mid30s. We’re also expecting another major leap from Matthew Knies, the Leafs’ best under-25 player by several tiers.

Toronto has cashed in virtually all of its draft capital to win-now, the future doesn’t matter, and the team’s best shot at a Cup may already have occurred during Marner’s prime seasons with the team. It’s a new season and a new Leafs team, with two elite forwards, two starting goaltenders and a veteran defence corps, while the defending champion Panthers are soaring above the rest of the competition. The window is now, and therefore, the Leafs must win now!