The Maple Leafs have a solid group of young players, a new experienced Stanley Cup-winning coach, and a seasoned core. These three factors, combined with the hunger to break past their playoff struggles, could finally propel them to the success fans have been craving for years.
Additionally, the Maple Leafs have made strategic offseason moves to strengthen their roster depth, ensuring they have the right mix of talent and grit. With the added pressure to perform and the motivation to prove their critics wrong, this season could be the turning point where everything falls into place.
The combination of youthful energy, veteran leadership, and a renewed sense of purpose might be exactly what the Leafs need to reach new heights.
The Maple Leafs youth is special: Matthew Knies, Joseph Woll and Easton Cowan
Experts and fans seem to always talk about the Leafs 'core four', but the team seems to have the right mix of youth now to be able to complement those veterans. Matthew Knies, Joseph Woll and Easton Cowan are going to be a huge part of the success for years to come.
Matthew Knies is a second round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He's coming off a nice year with the Leafs, having played in all 82 games, scoring 15 goals and adding 20 assists. He will be looking for a breakout year, and could see some time on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Joseph Woll is expected to be the starting goalie for the Leafs next season. He managed to play in 25 games for the team last season and won 12 games, with a GAA of 2.94 and a save % of .907. The team signed Anthony Stolarz to be the backup, so as long as Woll can stay healthy, the 62nd overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft should be able to lead the Leafs for the majority of the season.
Easton Cowan was drafted by the Leafs in the first round with the 28th pick in 2023, and hasn't played an NHL game yet, but he is expected to challenge for a roster spot this season. In his last season in the OHL with the London Knights, he played in 54 games and scored 34 goals and had 96 points. He won the Championship with his team too.
New Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube is a Stanley Cup champion
Craig Berube signed a four-year contract with the Maple Leafs in May, and he is the 32nd coach in Maple Leafs history. He replaced Sheldon Keefe who was fired after yet another first round loss. Berube has a ton of experience, as he won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues during the 2018-19 season. Berube has coached a total of 543 games in the NHL and has a record of 281-190-72. The Leafs are hoping that having a Stanley Cup winning coach is exactly what will help them get over the hump and finally be led to greatness in the playoffs.
Toronto Maple Leafs core four - Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares - is ready to take the next step
Auston Matthews is now the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he will be ready to show he can lead the charge after numerous years of playoff failure. The 1st overall pick will look to build on his 69 goals last year, and he's no doubt got 70 in sight for the upcoming season.
Mitch Marner is in a contract year and absolutely has to perform if he wants a big pay day on his next contract. He will look to prove the haters wrong who keep saying he cannot get it done when the games matter most. Marner had 85 points last year and can easily hit the 90 plus mark next season being motivated.
William Nylander has something extra to prove too, as his brother Alex has joined the organization, so he will want to maintain the status of the top brother in the household, so no doubt he will have an extra pep in his step too.
Finally, John Tavares can likely relax knowing the pressure of being a captain is off his shoulders, as he will just be an alternate captain next season. He is coming off the least productive campaign since his rookie year with only 65 points in 80 games, and will need to prove he can still compete at a high level for his team.
If everything goes right for the Leafs, and these three factors all happen, they are easily one of the league's favorite teams to win the Stanley Cup.
