Maple Leafs’ Player Grades Through First 55 Games of 2024-25 Season

Tanev, despite being 35, is still elite when it comes to shutting down opposing star players. He’s also fearless, throwing his body in front of shots at every opportunity possible, which makes him a very valuable asset on the penalty kill.

11. Max Domi

Grade: D+

It seems hard to believe that Max Domi potted 28 goals with the Montreal Canadiens in 2018-19. The 29-year-old has a ton of skill, but seems to pass up every shooting opportunity possible. After recording a respectable 47 points in 80 games with the Maple Leafs a season ago, he’s managed just 20 through 47 games in 2024-25. He needs to be much better moving forward.

16. Mitch Marner

Grade: A+

Mitch Marner is going to get paid. The pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), who has had several outstanding regular seasons in his career, is having his best one to date. Through 54 games, he’s put up 16 goals and a team-leading 71 points.

Marner is carrying the Maple Leafs offensively, and, barring injury, will surpass the 100-point marker for the first time in his career. All that’s left for him to do is prove that he can play at this same level in the playoffs.

18. Steven Lorentz

Grade: B

Fans couldn’t have asked for anything more than what they’ve gotten from Steven Lorentz. After winning a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, the 28-year-old had to settle for a professional tryout offer (PTO) from the Maple Leafs in free agency.

Lorentz is far from a star talent, but he has proven to be a very reliable option for head coach Craig Berube. You know what you’re getting from him every single night, which is some great physicality, smart, reliable play, and a relentless work ethic.

22. Jake McCabe

Grade: B

Overall, it’s been another strong season for Jake McCabe. His offensive numbers are down from a season ago, but that’s not what he’s paid to do. He has remained a very physical player, and is logging significant minutes for the Maple Leafs.

23. Matthew Knies

Grade: B+

Matthew Knies impressed in his rookie year with the Maple Leafs, scoring 15 goals and 35 points in 80 games. The organization and its fans hoped to see even better play in his sophomore season, and they’ve gotten that.

Knies has already surpassed his totals from a season ago, notching 21 goals and 36 points through 51 games. He’s still just 22 years old, meaning there’s still plenty of room for growth. He’s already highly impactful, and looks like he could be blossoming into a star talent.

24. Connor Dewar

Grade: C

Connor Dewar was never expected to provide much of any offence for the Maple Leafs, and that’s been the case with just three assists through 29 games. His speed is his best asset, though aside from that he doesn’t bring a ton to their lineup. His spot on the roster could be in jeopardy if the Maple Leafs add up front ahead of the trade deadline.

25. Conor Timmins

You have to feel good for Conor Timmins, who has struggled with injuries plenty throughout his career. That hasn’t been an issue in 2024-25, as he’s suited up for a career-high 44 games. It’s the most games he’s suited up in a single season since 2016-17 as a member of the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds.

The issue for Timmins is that there is nothing that he excels in at the NHL level. He’s proven to be a quality offensive blueliner in the American Hockey League (AHL), but hasn’t shown that with the Maple Leafs.

28. Jani Hakanpaa

Grade: N/A

Tough player to grade. It’s been tough sledding for Jani Hakanpaa, whose been limited to just two games due to a knee injury. He deserves credit for doing his best to overcome it, but it could be the end of the road for the 32-year-old. It’s a disappointing situation given that at his best, he could help this team out in a significant way.

29. Pontus Holmberg

Grade: D

It’s tough to pinpoint exactly what Pontus Holmberg brings to the Maple Leafs. His offensive game is uninspiring, isn’t the strongest of penalty killers, and, while fine defensively, isn’t anything to write home about. He may not be on this roster by the end of the season.

34. Auston Matthews

Grade: B

It’s been a disappointing season for Auston Matthews, who, after a career-high 69 goals in 2023-24, has managed just 20 through 40 games. Just is used loosely, of course, as that would be an outstanding total for the vast majority of NHLers.

Matthews has struggled to stay healthy this season, and you can’t help but wonder how much his injury has hampered his play. While he deserves credit for battling it out, the Maple Leafs will need him to be a lot better if they hope to go on a long playoff run.

41. Anthony Stolarz

Grade: A+

It was looking like it was going to be one heckuva season for Anthony Stolarz, who dominated for the Maple Leafs through his first 17 appearances of the season. An unfortunate knee injury caused him to miss plenty of time, though he didn’t miss a beat in his recent return, kicking aside 26 of 27 shots he faced in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.

44. Morgan Rielly

Grade: C

Morgan Rielly continues to play a lot of minutes for the Maple Leafs, but his play has been rather disappointing this season. His offensive game seems to be somewhat hindered under Berube.

After recording 58 points in 2023-24, Rielly has just 26 through 55 games this season. There have been glimpses of his great play this season, but it hasn’t been there on a consistent enough basis to give him anything higher grade-wise.

51. Philippe Myers

Grade: C+

Who saw this coming? The Maple Leafs signed Philippe Myers as a depth option, making it no surprise to see him begin the season in the AHL. He’s since suited up for 23 games with the Maple Leafs, and hasn’t looked out of place in a third-pairing role.

60. Joseph Woll

Grade: B

Joseph Woll may not have elite numbers like his counterpart this season, but he was more than adequate in carrying the load while Stolarz was out due to injury. Maple Leafs fans and the organization itself have been high on Woll for some time, and it’s quite clear why.

Part of what makes Woll so intriguing is that he’s still just 66 games into his NHL career. He’s already a very worthy NHL goalie, and is only continuing to get better.

64. David Kampf

Grade: C-

It’s been quite vanilla for David Kampf this season. You’d like to see more offence from a player who commands a $2.4 million salary, but the 30-year-old has only seven points through 42 games. His penalty killing ability has allowed for him to remain in the lineup, however.

67. Max Pacioretty

Grade: C

Long gone are the days when Max Pacioretty was considered a top-tier goal scorer. Injuries have taken their toll on the 36-year-old, who was limited to only 91 games over the past three seasons. That said, though he’s only managed five goals and 13 points through 37 games, he’s found other ways to be effective.

Pacioretty has turned into a force physically, is trusted by Berube, and has brought a new sense of energy to the locker room. He’s proven to be a solid add, even if he’s no longer the player he once was.

74. Bobby McMann

Grade: A-

Absolutely fantastic. That’s all it takes to sum up Bobby McMann’s season. There were questions if he could replicate last season’s success in which he scored 15 goals in 56 games. He hasn’t just replicated it, he’s bettered it. Through 47 games, he’s scored 17 goals. The undrafted forward has quickly become one of the Maple Leafs’ most consistent secondary scorers.

75. Ryan Reaves

Grade: D

He’s trying to engage. The problem is, in an NHL world that has drifted further and further from fighting, there are not many around the league willing to drop the gloves with Ryan Reaves. His fighting abilities have allowed him to carve out a lengthy career, which is extremely admirable.

The problem with Reaves is that when he isn’t fighting, he doesn’t provide any sort of positive impact on the ice. Off the ice, however, he is beloved by his teammates. That may very well be why he remains on this roster.

88. William Nylander

Grade: A-

William Nylander isn’t going to replicate the 98 points he had a season ago. That said, he already sits at 33 goals through 55 games. That puts him well on pace to beat his previous career high of 40, which he hit in each of the past two seasons.

89. Nicholas Robertson

Grade: C-

It didn’t seem as though Nicholas Robertson would be with the Maple Leafs this season, as he requested a trade shortly after the 2023-24 campaign wrapped up. After no move took place, however, he agreed to a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs, hoping he would get a bigger role under Berube.

While Robertson is playing slightly more minutes than a season ago, he still isn’t very relied on. His questionable defensive play makes him a hard player to trust, and it’s not as if the offence has been great. Through 47 games, he has eight goals and 12 points.

91. John Tavares

Grade: A-

There was some concern that John Tavares was beginning to slow down after a bit of a disappointing 2023-24 season by his standards, but he’s proving he still has a ton to give. The 34-year-old has been superb, scoring 21 goals and 45 points through the 48 games he’s dressed in.

95. Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Grade: C

After some down years, Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a nice bounce-back season with the Florida Panthers in 2023-24. It was enough to earn him a four-year, $14 million deal with the Maple Leafs on the opening day of free agency.

Ekman-Larsson has provided some decent offensive numbers from the back end with 22 points, though his play has been falling off a bit as of late. To his credit, he’s been handed a big role, and has spent a lot of time playing on his off side.

Trade Deadline Addition Needed

While the Maple Leafs do sit in a good spot standings-wise, this fan base is far from content with regular season success. They’ve watched this team struggle in the playoffs year after year, and need a big run this year to restore their faith in the organization. In order for that to happen, general manager Brad Treliving is going to need to make a big addition at the trade deadline, as this current roster doesn’t feel as strong as some other contenders in the Eastern Conference at this time.