With 2025 upon us, it’s time to look at New Year’s wishes for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While 2024 was a largely successful year (except for yet another first-round playoff exit), three particular wishes stand out for 2025.
These wishes go beyond the usual stuff like hoping for a Stanley Cup championship. Sure, that would be a nice way to make 2025 an unforgettable year. But let’s focus on the steps to get there first.
So, here’s a look at 3 New Year’s wishes for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2025.
3 wishes for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2025
Healthy goalies
This has got to be the biggest issue facing the Toronto Maple Leafs at the moment. 2024 was an unusually tough injury insofar as injuries go. During the playoffs last spring, Auston Matthews and William Nylander missed time with injuries.
Mitch Marner spent some time on the shelf down the stretch last season. This season, a number of forwards went down, including Matthews for about ten games. Still, the Leafs depth made up the difference in the short term.
However, the Leafs cannot afford to lose goalies to injury. This season, the team was fortunate to have Anthony Stolarz play so well while Joseph Woll was sidelined. Then, it was Stolarz’s turn to spend time on the shelf.
So, one major wish for 2025 is for both goalies to stay healthy. With Woll and Stolarz firing on all cylinders, the Leafs have as good a tandem as any in the league. Most importantly, the Leafs can deploy a two-headed monster come playoff time.
That’s something that very few teams can boast. If this wish comes true, strong goaltending could be the key to leading the Leafs past the first round and beyond. So, fingers crossed on Woll staying healthy, especially in the playoffs.