Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs comes with an insane amount of pressure in its own right. For some players, however, that pressure is even greater than usual heading into 2025-26.
As the Maple Leafs continue their quest to exorcise their playoff demons this upcoming season, they'll have to do it without one of their best offensive players of the past few regular seasons. With the departure of Mitch Marner in free agency, the onus will be on a handful of players to combine forces and attempt to replicate what he contributed offensively (which is no small feat).
Everyone on the roster is feeling the pressure to some degree, but here are three Maple Leafs with the most to lose in the 2025-26 season.
3 Maple Leafs who have the most to lose in 2025-26 season
Auston Matthews
Earning $13.25 million AAV through 2027-28, Auston Matthews is the face of the Maple Leafs franchise. Following injury issues that limited him to just 33 goals last season, he enters 2025–26 with heightened pressure to return to his elite, high-scoring norms.
Marner's departure further increases Matthews' role both as a leader and as the Leafs' offensive engine. If Toronto's new-look offense is going to launch a return to contender status in 2025-26, it has to start with a rebound season from their captain.
Max Domi
Max Domi represents a "stand-or-fall" case as a role player whose future with the Maple Leafs hinges on his 2025-26 play. Toronto needs him to level up and contribute more consistently, especially now that Marner is out of the picture.
The Marner-sized gap on the right side of the offense represents a golden opportunity for Domi to play on the top line alongside Matthews and Matthew Knies. He can distribute the puck well, but his ability to play a 200-foot game (and stay disciplined while doing it) remains a big question mark.
Signed at $3.75 million AAV through 2027–28, Domi carries a mid-tier contract but has largely underwhelmed offensively for the Maple Leafs. Marner's exit sets up a pivotal bounce-back campaign for Domi, and fans will be watching closely to see if he can justify the commitment.
Morgan Rielly
Morgan Rielly is the highest-paid member of the Maple Leafs' blue line and arguably one of the biggest disappointments from last season. Don't blame Rielly for the size of his contract – that was Kyle Dubas' doing – but if you're making $7.5 million a year and locked in through 2029-30, you should be making more of a dent in the scoresheet than Rielly did last season.
Yes, Rielly led all Maple Leafs blue-liners with 41 points in 82 games last season. But his 2024-25 campaign featured a career low in minutes (21:23) and poor possession metrics to show for it, making it one of his worst seasons statistically. He struggled on the defensive side of the puck, he didn't quarterback a top power-play unit, and he didn't see a lot of penalty killing time.
Aside from Matthews, the brightest spotlight is on Rielly to have a bounce-back year. His high salary and weak recent performance are leading to cap burden concerns, which could renew trade conversations and reignite scrutiny around the veteran blue-liner.