Why the Maple Leafs Are Built to Win the Atlantic Division in 2025-26
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs have good odds to win the Atlantic Division this season, and are poised to be a competitive playoff roster too with their new additions.
Next season will be different for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their roster makeup, but one thing that remains are the expectations, most importantly the ability to be contenders.
Toronto has built their roster not only to be more physical and play with a harder style, but be able to have a playoff intensity, starting from Game 1 of the regular season.
Largely, the Leafs have been relatively untouched with the loss of Mitch Marner the one major departure, but overall the team's chemistry is largely intact, with acquisitions such as Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy known for being locker room leaders.
There are certain parts of the Toronto Maple Leafs roster construction that could make them one of the top teams in the NHL this upcoming season, so let's take a look.
Maple Leafs Enter Season With Proven Goalie Tandem, Defensive Upgrade
The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending and defensive situation is largely unchanged. The major acquisition for the Leafs on defense came last season with Brandon Carlo being dealt to Toronto at the trade deadline.
The Leafs defense is largely untouched, with the only blueline deal done in the offseason being the team trading for Henry Thrun from the San Jose Sharks.
Thrun, 24, had 12 points in 60 games in 2024-25 for the Sharks, competing for a spot on the Leafs third-pair left side, potentially displacing Simon Benoit as the team's sixth defenseman.
Besides that, Toronto is likely going into the season with largely the same group as last year unless Thrun wins a spot, and a trade seems unlikely unless something appears in the short-term.
Potentially, a prospect could sneak their way in, with two possible names being William Villeneuve and Marshall Rifai who could both see games next season, but will likely not be consistent Maple Leafs full-time.
In net, it's almost certain that last year's duo of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll will return. Stolarz was one of the top netminders in the league while healthy, and was dominant against the eventual Stanley Cup champions Florida in the second round of the playoffs before being injured.
The team is going to have to rely on Dennis Hildeby if they run into issues, so perhaps looking at someone cheap like James Reimer could offer a stop-gap solution.
Leafs Go Into The Season With A Fully Healthy Auston Matthews
At forward, the Leafs offense lives and dies with what Auston Matthews can do.
Without his setup man in Mitch Marner, either the Leafs will rely on whoever they put next to Matthews to produce offense, or they'll want for Matthews to create more scoring chances on his own.
As the captain, Matthews needs to step up.
Auston Matthews at full health could hopefully return to him being one of the Leafs most dominant offensive forces, and possibly have him a 50+ goal scorer again.
One alternative route is he mimics one of his idols in Steven Stamkos, who after injury transitioned from goalscorer to playmaker.
This could open up one of Matthew Knies or William Nylander to be the Leafs main scorer, with Matthews puck accuracy being moved scoring goals to moving the puck and we saw glimpses of his playmaking ability last season.
Knies' Development and Deeper Forward Group Could Give Toronto the Atlantic Division Edge
Matthew Knies could be one of the keys for the Leafs taking a major jump for next season, and if he hits his stride it could be dangerous for Toronto.
At 22, Knies is already established as a top-line NHL forward who could be a 30-goal scorer for Toronto. Next season could be big with Knies having a larger role having to replace Marner's production on offense.
Beyond Matthews, the rest of the Leafs offense will need stepping up.
One big X-Factor may be Scott Laughton, acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers at the trade deadline to bring some to the Leafs bottom-six, he had just two goals and four points in 20 regular season games.
A lot will need to go right for the Toronto Maple Leafs to succeed next season, but more than anything, they need their entire team on the right page and none of the weak links that have emerged in years passed.
It's a lot to ask, but there's a lot to be excited about.
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