5 Predictions for the 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs Season
Here are five predictions for the 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs Season
The Toronto Maple Leafs season is underway, so let the predictions, begin!
Is this season going to be any different than any other Toronto Maple Leafs season? Should I unload my life savings on this team to win the finally win the Stanley Cup, or could they fail to make the playoffs?
That's the beauty about sports. Although we think we're experts and can predict the future, that never happens. Well, except if you said the Leafs will lose during Game 7 of the First Round. As much as I'd hate for that to happen, I just assume they'll lose in the most disappointing fashion once again and break our hearts.
This roster is so talented, yet this year feels different. Although the coach is new, I haven't felt the same excitement for this season, as year's past. It's definitely because the player's haven't changed and until one of the core-four get's traded, then I can't seem to find the same excitement.
Even when this team goes on long winning streaks, the continuous disappointment from this core has scarred some of my fandom. Maybe that will change when this season gets started, but as of right now, my excitement level is at about a 2 out of 10.
Here are five predictions for the 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs season.
No. 1: Bobby McMann Will Be Healthy Scratch More Than He Plays
If you look at the Leafs roster for opening night, Bobby McMann's name is not in the line-up, and personally I'm not surprised. I've said this multiple times, but McMann was locked into a spot I don't think he deserved in the summer.
He hasn't even played 100 NHL games, yet Leafs fans were locking him into a top-six winger position. If Sheldon Keefe was still the coach, I could understand the logic that McMann could draw back into a spot he was familiar with, but with a new coach, that logic goes out the window.
Bobby McMann scored 14 times in his last 30 games last year, and that should have secured him a lineup spot, but the Leafs can't help themselves when it comes to veteran name-brand players, and so they signed Max Pacioretty.
After falling behind Max Pacioretty and Nick Robertson in the line-up, McMann is going to have to fight his way to find regular minutes, and I'm not sure if it happens. He's a big body, so a fourth-line role could work, but I think Berube loves that checking shutdown line of Steven Lorentz, David Kampf and Ryan Reaves, so don't expect him to get much time.
Along as he's healthy, I can't seem him playing ahead of Pacioretty, so expect him to sit in the press box a lot. Speaking of Pacioretty...
No. 2: Max Pacrioretty Will Score 20 Goals
At one point in the offseason, I wrote that Max Pacioretty would score 30 goals this year, which is a stretch. As a result, I've lowered that total to 20 goals, as that's a much more realistic number to hit.
Pacioretty is scheduled to start on the third line, which makes sense. Although I think Max Domi should be playing on the team's top-line instead of Matthew Knies, I do think those two deserve to be top-six wingers on this team, so Pacioretty has naturally fallen into a third-line role.
That makes a ton of sense, and as much as I'd love to see Easton Cowan in this role, I think Pacioretty can work, as long as he's healthy.
Health is the biggest question with his game, but I saw a lot of good things in the preseason to think he can contribute in the regular season.
Throughout the course of his career, Pacioretty was an elite goalscorer. He scored at over a 30-goal pace for the past decade, but injuries stopped him from that total for the past two years and he hasn't looked the same. However, with almost a full year of rehab, Pacioretty knows his time is limited in the NHL, so he's going to make the most of it with the Leafs this year.
I predict 20 goals.
No. 3: Timothy Liljegren and Calle Jarnkrok Will Get Traded
Dpeth is very important, but it's tough to have depth when you have zero room in the salary cap, so as a result, the Leafs will have to make a trade.
Of those players they are going to move, I'd expect Timothy Liljegren and Calle Jarnkrok to play on different teams this year.
Jarnkrok has been rumored to be traded all summer, however the same can't be said about Liljegren, but here's why he's going to get traded: Currently listed as the team's No. 7 defenseman, team's across the league should be calling the Leafs for Liljegren's services and should be willing to give up a lot to get him.
Liljegren should be a top-four defenseman on the Leafs, but for some reason is undervalued. I don't understand it and anyone who says he's not good clearly doesn't know anything about hockey, as I think he's been the team's steadiest defenseman for the past two years. If Liljegren is going to sit in the press box, his agent should be asking Brad Treliving for a trade, which I think he'll pursue.
I never wanted the Leafs to trade Rasmus Sandin, but he fell into a tough spot and the team ultimately got a first round pick for him. I'm not saying they will get a first-round pick for Liljegren, but it wouldn't be shocking if it happened. As such, expect him to get traded, as well as Jarnkrok.
No. 4: Craig Berube Will Win Coach of the Year
The new coach bump is real in the NHL and Craig Berube is going to lead the Leafs to an Atlantic Division title, potentially a President's Trophy, and in doing so, will win the Jack Adams Award, as coach of the year.
Ironically, Berube's toughest competition might just be Sheldon Keefe in New Jersey, because the Devils had such bad goaltending and injuries last year that they seem primed to be the team whose coach gets credit for a huge jump in the standings. Keefe might have the best situation, but I think it's Berube who will make the biggest impact.
Despite having the same players on the ice, I think a new coach is going to help this team out tremendously. Although Sheldon Keefe is a good coach and did some great things, it's easy to start tuning a guy out after you lose every year.
Craig Berube is an old-school coach who's going to add a lot of discipline to this team.
As a recent Stanley Cup winner, Berube is going to be able to use that philosophy, which is something Keefe couldn't. Keefe may have had a Calder Cup Trophy under his belt, but that's not the same as the Stanley Cup and the player's know that, so they may respect Berube more than him.
There's going to be a lot of buzz with the Leafs this year, so if they end up being a top-three team in the NHL, I think Berube will win coach of the year.
No. 5: Auston Matthews Does Not Win Rocket Richard Trophy
Scoring 69 goals and chasing 70 was an unbelievable achievement last year, but Matthews faded in the playoffs, whether due to fatigue, sickness or injury.
The Toronto Maple Leafs need Matthews to score more in the playoffs and so I'm predicting that Matthews may not have the same highs as last year as he and the Leafs manage his minutes and usage to save more for when it matters.
As much as I'd love to see Matthews try to score 70 goals or even go for 80 this year, it's in the best interest of the team for him to score less. This may sound like a crazy statement, but if he rested for a few games here and there, perhaps the Leafs playoff record would benefit for it.
Personally, I think going for 70 goals last year hurt him in the playoffs, as it felt like he played through an injury to go for that feat.
That's the last thing you want from your best player heading into the playoffs, so the team should be more focused about him staying healthy and being the best overall player he can be.
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With that being said, Matthews will finish with 52 goals, 58 assists for 110 points and still be a Hart Trophy candidate, yet will fall short of the Rocket Richard Trophy.