Another year, another playoff letdown. Just like that, the calls return: break up the Core Four—let Mitch Marner walk. Don’t re-sign John Tavares. Shift the direction. Start fresh. But what if that’s the wrong conclusion?
What if the Core Four isn’t the problem? What if we’ve seen the real issue emerge clearly after the Maple Leafs pushed and pulled the Florida Panthers to a Game 7 on their home ice? What if the problem is something you add to fix, not subtract?
Perhaps the truth is that the Maple Leafs don’t need to blow it up. Instead, they need to inject more of one missing ingredient: heart—the refusal to lose.
The Panthers Are Showing Fans That the Maple Leafs Aren’t Far Off
Look at what the Panthers are doing. After dispatching the Maple Leafs in Round 2, they’ve stormed to a 3–0 lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. It’s supposed to get tougher as a team works through the series up to the Stanley Cup Final, not easier. Could it be that the Maple Leafs will be the toughest opponent the Panthers will face this postseason?
Here’s what we might be missing: Toronto nearly beat that team. Agreed, Game 5 and Game 7 were disappointing, but the Maple Leafs shut Florida out in Game 6 and took the series to the brink by forcing a Game 7. It wasn’t a blowout series. It was a close fight.
The Panthers didn’t expose Toronto’s stars—they exposed the team’s soft underbelly. The Maple Leafs were second best regarding resilience, grit, and seizing the moment. Still not good enough, but perhaps not so dire as we all thought after waking up from the nightmare that was Game 7.
Action Learning: This Team Is Building Itself Through Experience
In the academic world, of which I was a part for 45 years, there’s a leadership model called action learning. It’s the idea that you grow by doing; you learn from your errors, make the called-for changes, and try again. That’s exactly what’s happening in Toronto.
Last season, general manager Brad Treliving made significant strides in improving the defense. That part of the team’s growth worked. But the playoffs taught him something new: talent alone won’t carry you in a tough Stanley Cup race.
Treliving has said it himself — the team needs players who “refuse to lose.” Not just stars, but those tough, determined role players who drag the group forward when the lights are brightest. I think Matthew Knies is one of those guys, as is Max Domi (for all his Nazem Kadri-lite, penalty-at-the-wrong-time problems). Easton Cowan is young, but he’s proving his heart by pushing his team to Memorial Cup wins.
The hidden good news is that, while seeking skill will be expensive this offseason, players with heart are usually cheaper and more available than top-end scorers.
The Core Four Isn’t the Problem — But There Are Needs
There’s no denying the smoke around Mitch Marner. Rumours suggest he’s already exploring what a move might look like. But that’s speculation — not a done deal.
For the Core Four to stay intact, a couple of key things have to happen. First, Auston Matthews and William Nylander have already re-signed to long-term deals. However, if John Tavares wants to remain part of the solution, he must return on a team-friendly contract after next season. Mitch Marner must decide he wants to stay in Toronto — and help finish what he started. If what I wrote yesterday is the case, that might be the biggest issue.
If those puzzle pieces fall into place, the Maple Leafs can keep their elite talent intact. With a rising salary cap, there will finally be space to build around them correctly.
The Tweak That Could Change Everything
Florida’s edge wasn’t in high-end talent—Toronto has plenty of that. It was that the Panthers had better complementary players. Sam Bennett, Gustav Forsling, and Carter Verhaeghe are relentless competitors with enough skill to matter and the grit to push through adversity.
Toronto needs those guys, and with some cap flexibility, they could be found. With Craig Berube behind the bench and, after Keith Pelley’s reorganization bumped up Treliving to be in charge, the team’s emotional tone will already shift. But it’s not just a coaching issue—it’s a roster identity issue. Treliving should now know what’s missing.
Do the Maple Leafs Need to Tear It Down, or Finish Building It?
The Maple Leafs don’t need a new identity. They’ve been building something for years. They’ve been getting closer, but aren’t there yet. Now, the organization needs to finish the job.
Toronto should keep the Core Four but add the missing heart. Given what’s happened since the Game 7 loss, is this really the time for a rebuild? Does a tweak make more sense in finally making this team dangerous in May, and maybe even June?
