3 Players that Must Step Up for the Toronto Maple Leafs

May 12, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) works out prior to game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) works out prior to game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the season with a re-worked bottom six and an entirely new goaltending tandem. The team will have to step it up as a whole, but three players stand out.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the season most likely as they are. They have some cap flexibility built in with contracts to players they should have no problem moving, if they want to, but there is is no reason to rush.

The Leafs are built to rely on their stars, and that likely won’t change.  Ondrej Kase, Ilya Mikheyev and Jason Spezza are out, but their offense shouldn’t be too hard to match by whoever ends up winning the available ice time.

The defense is more or less the same, and goaltending will be completely different, which comes in as a massive question mark, but so do all goalies, every year.

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner will do the same as last season, while  Tavares and Nylander  will offer among the best complimentary scoring in the league.  With that said, there are three specific players who must step it up in order for the Toronto Maple Leafs to succeed.