In the modern era, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been known for their two top centers being some of the best hockey players in the world. And when it comes to their overall outlook at the center position, that doesn't change, according to one analyst.
TSN's Travis Yost has been publishing his own "Talent Tiers" all throughout the summer and on Monday, he released his thoughts about which teams have it made, and which are severely lacking, at arguably the most important position in the NHL. And the Maple Leafs are part of the group at the very, very top of the list.
When it comes to centers, even while it is hard to find any team in the league that can compete with Auston Matthews and John Tavares in their top six, the Maple Leafs' new depth in the position means that they belong at the top.
TALENT TIERS: Centres 🏒
— Travis Yost (@travisyost) August 25, 2025
Grading all 32 teams depth down the middle:https://t.co/4jF2ZGBNxc pic.twitter.com/dWMfzySACI
"The triumvirate of Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and newly acquired Nicolas Roy can play with any team in the league," Yost writes. "But it’s critical Matthews turns last year into a statistical outlier. A 33-goal season on 12.5 per cent shooting would be a career year for 95 per cent of forwards in the NHL, but for Matthews it was his worst on both fronts. His Ovechkin-like scoring reliability sets the expectation bar incredibly high, and from a team perspective, that bar needs to be even higher in 2025-26 — replacing the exited Mitch Marner’s production will have to come by committee, starting here."
Yeah, that's about right.
When Matthews is on, he's one of the best players on the planet and even his middling season last year, would be the best ever for the vast majority of players in the league. If he is able to brush off that experience and return to his Rocket Richard-winning self, then the Leafs are automatically one of the most dangerous teams next season.
Add in Tavares reliably scoring 30 or so goals, newly acquired Nicolas Roy doing his thing with a larger opportunity, and the Leafs have something solid through the first three quarters of the lineup. Scott Laughton is the projected fourth-line center and while it's not terrible, it's not the most ideal. But, that's like being disappointed in not eating the best pizza available -- you're still eating pizza.
It's good to have our thoughts and opinions about how strong this team can be down the middle, repeated by someone who is paid to think about this sport.