The Toronto Maple Leafs are a complete mess right now, and the noise around the team is justified. Nothing about this group suggests urgency, pride, or even belief. The players look disengaged, and it feels like Craig Berube has lost the room. Toronto sits at 15–13–5, tied in wins with the Buffalo Sabres, which says everything about where this season has gone. Simply put, this team is not good enough to win as constructed. With the fans and management seeing disappointments time and time again, it might be time to move on from this era of Leafs hockey.
Auston Matthews looks like a shell of himself. William Nylander plays like someone who has mentally checked out. John Tavares is clearly slowing down, and Morgan Rielly has become a liability in all three zones. If this season is going to be saved, major changes are needed, but with limited assets and draft capital, it’s fair to ask how realistic that even is.
Injuries aren’t the only problem
Yes, injuries have played a role. Scott Laughton was hurt immediately after a strong preseason, returned, then got injured again. Chris Tanev was stretchered off the ice and still hasn’t returned. Auston Matthews and Anthony Stolarz went down against Boston. Matthew Knies followed. Brandon Carlo was injured against St. Louis and recently underwent surgery. Joseph Woll returned from personal leave only to get injured again shortly after. On top of that, illness has gone through the room, affecting players like Dakota Joshua, William Nylander, and Matias Maccelli.
But injuries don’t explain everything. The bigger issue is effort and accountability. This doesn’t look like a team that hates losing. You hear it in post-game media scrums and see it on the ice. Even when the Leafs improve defensively, it still isn’t close to championship-level hockey.
A power play that defines the problem
The Leafs’ power play is a disaster, a flat-out embarrassment. They have just 12 power-play goals all season and are operating at 14.1%, worst in the league. For a team that once relied on the man advantage to win games, the drop-off is stunning. They don’t shoot, don’t generate chances, and somehow look more vulnerable than the penalty kill. Short-handed goals against have become routine.
Is this the result of losing Mitch Marner? Or is it a sign that the players simply don’t care anymore? Either way, it’s unacceptable for a team built around elite talent.
No accountability from the leaders
What’s most frustrating is the lack of emotion. Losses come and go with little reaction. After a loss to Washington, Matthews brushed off questions about his line and gave the usual “we need to be better” response. Compare that to Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski recently admitting publicly that his team might not be as good as they thought. That kind of honesty sparks change. If Matthews said something like that, it might actually light a fire. Instead, the Leafs’ leadership group remains quiet, passive, and distant. That’s not how you pull a team out of a spiral.
Craig Berube isn’t blameless. His message doesn’t seem to be landing. He continues to preach structure and physicality, yet the team looks worse. After the loss to Washington, he had no answers and told the media to ask the players. While he’s tried everything, at some point, a coach has to provide clarity. If you can’t explain why things aren’t working, you become part of the problem.
Treliving under the microscope
Brad Treliving deserves heavy criticism for how this roster has been built and managed. Outside of Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua, nearly every addition he has made has either failed to move the needle or actively hurt the team’s flexibility. Matias Maccelli was never going to replace Mitch Marner’s impact, and from day one, he looked like a poor fit in Craig Berube’s system. Despite that, he carries a cap hit north of $3 million and now finds himself sitting in the press box, which is simply not acceptable for a team tight against the salary cap.
The Brandon Carlo trade has been especially damaging. Giving up a first-round pick and Fraser Minten for a defenceman who has struggled to find his footing, failed to resemble the player he was in Boston, and is now out indefinitely with injury is a massive setback. Minten has since developed into a legitimate middle-six forward with the Bruins, exactly the type of young, cost-controlled player the Leafs desperately need right now.
Scott Laughton has been a fine depth piece, but the price paid for him makes little sense. Surrendering a first-round pick and a prospect for a player who is effectively a fourth-line forward is poor asset management, especially for a team already lacking draft capital. Add in the Max Domi extension, which continues to look worse by the game, and it paints a picture of a general manager who has misread both his roster and his competitive window. If Treliving remains in charge, it’s hard to see how the Maple Leafs meaningfully improve or pivot out of this mess anytime soon.
The decision not to bring back Pontus Holmberg hurts as well right now. He has thrived in Tampa and is looking like a solid bottom-six forward that can play purposeful minutes. The Maple Leafs should have tried harder to move on from Mitch Marner when they could, as it seems like he was never planning on coming back to the Leafs. Connor Dewar has looked good in Pittsburgh as well. Treliving has made several wrong moves with the Maple Leafs, and it is seemingly starting to hurt them more than ever right now.
The end of an era
This era of Leafs hockey feels like it’s coming to an end. What began in 2016–17 with hope, excitement, and dreams of a dynasty has resulted in nothing more than first-round exits and wasted potential. Poor decisions, constant reshuffling, and a lack of direction have defined this group.
At some point, change becomes unavoidable. Whether that means moving core players, cleaning house in management, or committing to a rebuild, something has to give. Right now, this looks less like a contender in decline and more like one of the biggest wasted eras in modern sports history.