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John Tavares leads the Maple Leafs with 12 goals in 21 games. Nick Turchiaro / Imagn Images
We’re now a quarter of the way through the Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 season, and, well, things haven’t gone according to plan in Toronto.
With a rash of devastating injuries to top players, underperforming new additions, multiple goaltending issues and a defence that looks as if it’s been turned on its head, this is as disappointing a start to a Leafs season as we’ve had in the Auston Matthews era.
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What’s gone wrong? What’s led to the Leafs currently sitting at just .500, tied for second-last in the Eastern Conference?
The Athletic’s Maple Leafs reporters, Jonas Siegel and Joshua Kloke, graded the team through the first quarter of the season to uncover what’s happened and how the Leafs might recover.
As always, grades are assigned based on performance, considering expectations and salary. Those who have not played at least five games (with some exceptions) were not included.
9+: All-star-worthy
8-9: Great season so far
7-8: Good to very good season
6-7: Marginal to decent impact nightly
5-6: Low impact or not meeting expectations
5 and under: No impact
Siegel: 5.5
The best part of Treliving’s offseason was holding firm with John Tavares in negotiations and signing him to a four-year deal that looks like an even bigger bargain now than it did when it was signed in June. Most everything else — from not procuring a top-six forward to slot in for Mitch Marner or a puck-moving defenceman to the bets on Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua — hasn’t worked to this point. Trades from last season’s deadline look more problematic today than they did then.
Kloke: 6.2
Kloke: 6.3
The constant line juggling is one thing, but what’s hampered Berube’s second season in Toronto is assigning blame and time in the press box in the wrong places. The accountability that was promised with Berube is lacking. Underperforming players have remained either in games or in prominent roles. He’s turned up the heat on the Leafs in practices as of late, which is a good thing. Maybe more of the fiery version of Berube can help motivate a team that needs a spark.
Siegel: 5.0
Siegel: 5.0
He’s chipped in with a few points and thrown some hits. I’m just not sure Blais, who spent all of last season in the AHL, is an NHL forward, and his declining ice time seems to be hinting at that.
Kloke: 5.1
Kloke: 7.9
It’s been hard not to like how Cowan has adjusted to the NHL. He consistently brings pace and fearlessness to his game, and the offence has come, too. You’d probably like the rookie winger to be a little more defensively responsible, as he deviates from the script from time to time. But in an early season that’s seen too many forwards falling short of expectations, Cowan’s drive and playmaking have exceeded those expectations. Cowan holds the Leafs’ best five-on-five on-ice expected goals-for percentage (61 percent).
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Siegel: 7.3
Siegel: 4.5
Domi has only three five-on-five points in 21 games. That’s even with Calle Järnkrok and Blais, both of whom have played a lot less, for the fewest among Leafs forwards. The lack of offence coupled with the goal per game (20 in 21) that have gone into the Leafs’ net when he’s been on the ice at even strength has made this a very poor start for Domi, who’s earning $3.75 million a year.
Kloke: 4.3
Kloke: 5.2
Every player deserves a full season to be properly assessed. We should be careful not to write Joshua off immediately. But, and it’s a big but: Early returns on the offseason acquisition have been disappointing. Joshua rarely influences the play shift-to-shift. At worst, there have been games where he’s been unnoticeable. He needs to figure out an impactful role in Toronto, and fast.
Siegel: 5.0
Siegel: 7.8
The points have been there, thanks in large part to a notable leap in playmaking. I’m not sure Knies has been quite the same nightly force as he was last season, which is almost certainly tied to the extra two minutes he’s logging (and adjusting to) this season.
Kloke: 7.5
Kloke: 6.7
After multiple injuries, it’s almost unfair to grade Laughton on three games. He certainly appears more comfortable and is showing signs that he can be more productive — in all areas of the ice — than last season.
Siegel: 6.5
Siegel: 7.0
Lorentz is having pretty much the same season as he did last year, reliable for the energy and physicality he brings from the bottom of the lineup. The one difference from last year is that Lorentz is earning almost double last year’s $775,000. His cap hit this season is $1.35 million.
Kloke: 7.3
Kloke: 6.2
A lot of risk in his game, and we’re still waiting for the serious rewards. Maccelli has shown flashes of being an elite playmaker and deserving of a top-six role. He also makes plays that likely lead to the coaching staff grinding its teeth and has been scratched as a result.
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Siegel: 6.0
Siegel: 6.7
It’s about expectations here. Matthews is one of the highest-paid players in the league and has shown he can be one of its very best — the best, even, at one point or another in previous seasons. For whatever reason — Marner’s departure, Berube’s style, physical limitations — Matthews hasn’t been up to that level this season. He’s still on pace for 40 goals, and the Leafs are winning his minutes (on the scoreboard). It’s just not up to his superstar standard.
Kloke: 6.9
Kloke: 7.5
You’d like more production from McMann, but he’s been consistent with his energy, physicality and engagement.
Siegel: 7.0
Siegel: 7.8
He’s been an offensive wizard pretty consistently, giving the Leafs an electricity they’ve desperately needed in the wake of Matthews’ down year and Marner’s departure. The night-to-night intensity, especially on the defensive side of things, has been inconsistent and not at the level that Nylander has shown he can deliver.
Kloke: 9.0
Kloke: 7.3
He’s (finally) been given top-six minutes and run with them. He’s more feisty and energetic off the puck, and if he keeps up his production (it’s still a big “if” considering his history), he could nab his first 20-goal season. Overall, he’s taken a step and made himself an important piece of the Leafs.
Siegel: 7.0
Siegel: 6.0
It took a while, too long, I’d say, for Berube to boost Roy’s minutes. The results haven’t exactly been there: Roy has one goal in 19 games.
Kloke: 6.4
Kloke: 9.2
An early season worthy of Legends Row. The most consistent Leaf in terms of work rate, Tavares also leads the team with 12 goals in 21 games. He’s 35, you’ll remember. He’s signed for just $4.38 million, don’t forget. He seems more emotionally invested than ever, showing heightened frustration at the team’s struggles compared with when he was captain. The definition of being all in.
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Siegel: 9.4
Siegel: 6.7
Things were going fine for Benoit when he was properly slotted on the third pair. He’s been less effective, as might be expected, when he’s had to play higher in the lineup, opposite tougher competition, because of injuries on the back end.
Kloke: 6.4
Kloke: 5.9
I’ll admit to having very high hopes for Carlo’s first full season in Toronto. But he’s yet to find his groove. On both sides of the puck, there’s been too much hesitance in his game. The Leafs need him to be a stabilizing force in the back. Buyer’s remorse seems to be setting in.
Siegel: 6.0
Siegel: 7.0
He’s given the Leafs a real source of offence from the blue line beyond Morgan Rielly, and that’s despite his continued presence on the right (aka weak) side. Ideally, the Leafs wouldn’t have to play the 34-year-old quite so much: He’s logging just under 21 minutes per game.
Kloke: 7.2
Kloke: 7.0
As gnarly and sturdy as ever, McCabe still matters big time to the Leafs.
Siegel: 6.8
Siegel: 6.0
It’s gone better for Mermis of late, perhaps the result of a swap of partners — Philippe Myers for Troy Stecher.
Kloke: 5.8
Kloke: 4.5
No Leaf has struggled like Myers has. He’s been error-prone all year, and the puck ends up in the Leafs’ net far too often when he’s been on the ice. The Leafs need a serious upgrade to their bottom pair.
Siegel: 4.5
Siegel: 6.8
The offence has picked back up despite nonexistent power-play production: Rielly is on pace for 66 points. It hasn’t gone great defensively. Rielly continues to feel like an imperfect fit for this head coach.
Kloke: 6.8
Kloke: 6.8
How much different would this Leafs season have looked if their best defender had been fully healthy? Sure, there were signs he wasn’t hitting the peaks of last season when he was on the ice. But the story here? Having your most important player off the ice for more than half the games is not a recipe for success.
Siegel: 6.3
Kloke: 7.2
Hildeby has already played nearly as many NHL games as he did last season and has shown noticeable improvement. The Leafs seemed to be at their worst — defensively speaking — when Hildeby was in goal, but he kept them in games. His .904 save percentage is a sign of good things to come.
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Siegel: 7.0
Siegel: 6.0
The Leafs were much, much worse in front of Stolarz before he got hurt, mysteriously, in Boston. And because of Joseph Woll’s absence, Stolarz had to play more than he should have. He still wasn’t making all the routine stops he made last season.
Kloke: 5.8
Kloke: 7.2
Full credit to Woll for returning after whatever took him away from the team and then stepping into a bad situation with confidence. The .923 save percentage he’s rocking through three games might be tough to keep up, but he hasn’t missed a beat with his positioning, composure and execution.
Siegel: 7.0
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